Blue Passports

[Jessie247]

Does anyone know when blue passports are being printed?

[Mamyalynne]

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/home-affairs/immigration/using-british-passports-in-the-eu-after-brexit/

[klazomaniac]

https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/passport-design-changes/changes-to-the-design-of-british-passports

[TheDevil]

Sorry. I jumped the gun.

Blue passports issued from late 2019
The new blue passport design will start being issued from late 2019.

As with most new passport designs, blue passports will be phased in gradually.

If you renew your passport between late 2019 and early 2020, you’ll be issued with either a blue or a burgundy British passport. You will not be able to choose whether you get a burgundy or a blue passport during this time.

All British passports issued from early 2020 will be blue.

[TheDevil]

"All British passports issued from early 2020 will be blue."

[Mamyalynne]

You got there ;-)

[fiction-factory]

From 'early 2020' according to this for new issues/renewals
"Al British passports issued from early 2020 will be blue"
https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/home-affairs/immigration/using-british-passports-in-the-eu-after-brexit/
I'm not sure why it's such an issue to some people though. I'd have thought the old burgundy ones will be phased out only on renewal/issue so some will have them until late 2029

[fiction-factory]

^ sorry- started typing that 5 minutes ago but struggled to get quotes in

[diddlydo]

Thank goodness my burgundy EU one doesn't expire until 2028. I don't want a little Englander blue one.

[retrocop]

Chuffed to bits for you.

[woofgang]

does that not assume a 30th october leave date though?

[New Judge]

//...does that not assume a 30th october leave date though?//

No it doesn't. There is nothing in EU regulations which says what colour a country's passport must be although burgundy is recommended. Only Croatia does not follow this recommendation. In March 2019 the words "European Union" were removed from new UK passports.

As an aside, all passports worldwide are one of four colours - red, black, green or blue.

//Thank goodness my burgundy EU one doesn't expire until 2028. I don't want a little Englander blue one.//

You don't have an EU passport. What you have is one issued to citizens of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland by the government of that country on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen. Apart from (inexplicably) having the words "European Union" embossed on its front cover it has nothing to do with the European Union (which does not issue ordinary passports).

[ichkeria]

Those lucky old Croatians already have them :-)

[maggiebee]

I like my burgundy passport and as it has a long "shelf life" left I doubt if I will ever have a blue one. Dislike flying these days, too much faffing about in airports for my liking.

[Jessie247]

Thank you all for your answers. My passport doesn't run out for a few months yet, so will hold on as long as possible to renew. Definitely don't want a burgundy one!

[Mozz71]

Why do folk care what colour it is? It does the same job no matter what colour it is. I'm sure the EU couldn't give a monkeys either.

[ichkeria]

I like the idea of a blue passport, although the government has been slighly disingenuous by playing up to the notion that the UK is forced to adopt the recommended EU burgundy.
I will be applying for an Irish one - not for reasons of colour - but I don't want to harp on about it :-)

[New Judge]

//Why do folk care what colour it is?//

Because the blue hardback passport was symbol of the UK's identity. However, the change from that design to the "paperback" version now in use was nothing to do with the EU. It was introduced following an international agreement.

However, it isn't the colour that annoys me. It's the fact that my passport has the words "European Union" first and foremost emblazoned on its front cover when the EU has nothing to do with its issue or validity.

[Mozz71]

//However, it isn't the colour that annoys me. It's the fact that my passport has the words "European Union" first and foremost emblazoned on its front cover when the EU has nothing to do with its issue or validity//

Maybe you should've carved "f... the" above it?

So its basically just that you perceive it as a symbol of the EU. OK, it seems petty to me, but that's up to you.

[New Judge]

No, it's not because it's a symbol of the EU. The EU does not issue passports and neither does Tescos or the Post Office. The document has nothing to do with any of those organisations so why has the EU been granted the privilege of having its title first and foremost on UK passports?