Passport Renewal....

[janzman]

.... My last passport expired in 1999. Can I simply renew it or is it a new application because it's almost 20 years since it was valid.

[yogi-bear]

Yes, janzman, as long as you have the expired one. You will need a new set of photos. Pick up the form from a Post Office and check the notes before you start- the guidelines for your photos have changed quite a lot since you last had one....alternatively you can renew online on their website..but as you have to send your old expired passport and new photos back to them, I would just get the application form.....fill it in, with appropriate payment, old passport etc.....and send Royal Mail signed for or Special Delivery guaranteed.

The Post Office offer a service to 'check and send' which is not expensive, so is an option, where once you've filled in form they will see that is fine correctly with the appropriate accompanying items, such as cheque, old passport etc and send it to The Passport Office for you.

[yogi-bear]

Forgot to say that most big supermarkets like Tesco, Sainsbury's, Asda etc, Shopping malls too, have Photo booths for you to take the photos needed...otherwise most Main Post offices have them also.

[yogi-bear]

Once you get back your brand new 10 year passport in the post, you will also get your old expired passport, no matter how old it is, with some corners clipped, so now invalid.

I will now get back to my footie match watching Arsenal vs Chelsea :-)

[EDDIE51]

My wife needed to renew her old passport. Despite being told by the help line that it was only a renewal , we had to apply as if it was a first application. This was because it was one of the old 1980s non computer readable passports. They are no longer recognised as a previous passport and you have to apply as if it is your first passport.
I was really annoyed as the passport helpline told us 3 times that ANY passport can be renewed without all the ID and countersignature stuff. But when we applied the application was rejected and we were told to go for a 'first passport' application, get the photos and the countersignature again.

[naomi24]

You can do it on line. You will need to upload a picture though.

https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport

[zebo]

If you want to do this on line you'll need to register for an account, Gateway I think, which allows you to do all kinds of things with Government agencies, but when you register it takes a couple of days to activate the account. I used mine to get my 70+ driving licence recently, took a couple of minutes.

[naomi24]

zebo, I've just renewed my passport online. I didn't have to register.

By the way I didn't need a counter signature either. Just details from the old passport, number, etc., and a new picture. It was really quick and simple. Brilliant service.

[zebo]

Seems that Passports don't use the Gateway registration, I thought all Govt departments did, sorry for wrong info!

[janzman]

Sorry I took so long to respond but thank you all for your advice

[EDDIE51]

We were told that it did not need countersignature , but it was the wrong information. A 'pre computer' passport does not count as a previous passport as there are no details kept at the passport office. But the passport office helpline told us 3 times that it did count. Only when we actually sent the application only to have the application turned down did anyone say that my wife's previous passport was so old it no longer counted as a previous passport.
We had to go back to a full first passport application, the only difference was that my wife did not need to go to a passport office for an interview. If you look at my previous posts I had an AB thread running about all the cock ups we had to endure.

[naomi24]

Eddie, //the only difference was that my wife did not need to go to a passport office for an interview. //

I've never had to go to the passport office for an interview. What on earth are you talking about?

The on line application appears to cater for first applications and renewals.

[EDDIE51]

When you apply for a first adult passport you will be asked to attend a passport office for an interview
https://www.gov.uk/apply-first-adult-passport/your-passport-interview
The reason is to establish you really are the person who is applying and you really do have the right to a British passport. Unfortunately people making false applications so that a non British citizen can get a UK passport are far from unknown. I would have assumed you approved of thjis extra security naomi ?

[naomi24]

Eddie, it says 'may be asked' - but it's the first I've heard of it anyway.

[ummmm]

I've never been for an interview either.

[douglas9401]

"After you apply, you may be asked to attend an interview to confirm your identity. You’ll get a letter from HM Passport Office asking you to phone for an appointment at a passport interview office."

MAY be asked to attend. MAY.

Not will, MAY.