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Just a heads up

(36 Posts)
BlueBelle Sun 27-Jan-19 17:13:47

You may all be ahead of me and this may be old news to you but I ve just renewed my passport online It isn’t due for 6 months but thought I d renew before the bloody Brexit broohaha in case it goes up in price or there’s any other difficulties Anyway this is just to say that the online renewal process is really really easy to do and very self explanatory You take your photo on your phone or iPad and upload it and they tell you if it’s acceptable and it was all done in ten minutes at most

Nonnie Sat 02-Feb-19 10:42:46

I think there are still some countries where you don't need the 6 months or my friend who got stuck at the airport and couldn't fly to Bali would have known. I certainly wouldn't take the risk though.

NfkDumpling Sat 02-Feb-19 08:25:01

Don’t all countries need six months on a passport? We renewed ours before Christmas as they were due to run out in April. I suppose if you wait until after Brexit you’ll get the blue one they promised but if you prefer red, do it now!

(They must have printed blue ones already. If we don’t come out of Europe, as seems highly likely, I suppose they’ll all be incinerated.)

Luckylegs Mon 28-Jan-19 12:33:09

Oh, we are opposite in every way! Politics, any kind of discussion, etc. But it seems to work mostly.

Nonnie Mon 28-Jan-19 12:08:23

Lucky you sound just like us except I would be the one wanting to do it now and DH would leave it to the very last minute!

Luckylegs Mon 28-Jan-19 12:05:14

How apt that this subject comes up today. We have a big holiday (50th wedding anniversary) in November and our passports expire March 2020. We have to have six months on our passport on our return trip so we’ll have to renew before November. Me, being the tight wad I am, want to wait until August ish but my h, being the total opposite, wants to renew soon, thereby losing 10 months or so but getting them safely back before the dreaded B word! What would you do?

Nonnie Mon 28-Jan-19 10:45:41

May I just add that the six months is usually from the date of your return. I have also heard that if we leave the EU with no deal it is likely that you will need the 6 months on your passport to visit. It would seem that there is not a lot of point having a passport with less than 6 months on it as there may be very few countries you will be able to visit.

A friend a couple of years ago got to the airport and couldn't fly because she didn't have the 6 months on her passport so please everyone check.

Izabella Mon 28-Jan-19 10:18:27

Not sure if this is any help but if anyone does need to just go somewhere, Trailfinders will get you a flight sorted while you get ready to go.

Jalima1108 Mon 28-Jan-19 10:17:39

I didn't realise about losing the last six months on your passport either - mine was renewed just before the price went up last April and they added the four months between application and expiry of the old one.

Jalima1108 Mon 28-Jan-19 10:12:45

I understand Izabella
Also, you can't get a visa online for certain countries unless you have at least 6 months remaining on your passport.

Izabella Mon 28-Jan-19 10:06:45

Sorry folks, I will clarify. Firstly as has been mentioned some countries won't let you in with less than six months on your passport. Secondly we have family all over the world and on several occasions have needed to get out there pdq. A nearly expired passport is no good to us when this happens as on two occasions an extended stay has been required. Hope that makes sense. grin

Daddima Mon 28-Jan-19 09:47:19

Here’s another one of those ‘ might/ maybe/ could’ articles I saw at the weekend ;

inews.co.uk/news/brexit/travel-brexit-no-deal-eu-uk-passport-time-europe-advice/

JackyB Mon 28-Jan-19 09:29:29

As mentioned in the other threads on thos subject, I was equally fortunate with my renewal and had my passport back from Liverpool in just over a week, and I live in Germany.

Normally I would leave it till just before it expired to renew it, but we are flying to the States in April and, of course, there is Brexit on the horizon.

The joke is, as I said on the other thread, that passports issued now (and for the next few weeks) say that it is a European Union paasport.

Anja Mon 28-Jan-19 08:12:33

I’ve sent for a copy of my Irish grandfather’s birth certificate. He was born in 1890 so not sure if records exist for him as there can be problems with Irish documentation as those of you who are amateur geneolgist will know.

My intention is to get an Irish passport.

BlueBelle Mon 28-Jan-19 07:52:16

Beechnut I do know about the six month rule for some countries but as I had no travel plans after August I wasn’t concerned I still don’t understand Izabellas comment perhaps it was just the way she worded it but hey ho we ve moved on from it and most people who have used this procedure seem satisfied I was just thrilled with how simple the whole process was I had my first uploaded picture rejected Nfkdumpling but the second was fine I honestly couldn’t see the difference but I think there may have been a very very slight shadow in the first one
After having the most complex, consuming time the day before with a problem on eBay I was really nervous it would be so much more complicated

I just wanted to post this if anyone was thinking of doing it and was a bit nervous to try I wanted to reassure them

NfkDumpling Mon 28-Jan-19 07:31:21

Too? Took!

NfkDumpling Mon 28-Jan-19 07:30:33

We did ours on line a couple of months ago and too our own photos on the iPad. Getting the photo accepted by the computer was the hardest bit. We found a nice bit of plain magnolia wall but the sun was shining and any hint of shadow meant rejection. Your eyes have to both be perfectly visible too. But the site was very patient and didn't time out!

I read in our local paper what is possibly a scare rumour as I've not seen it anywhere else, that some countries will require 18 months left on a passport. Has anyone heard this?

BlueSapphire Mon 28-Jan-19 07:23:07

Phoenix, my daughter has just done this and changed to her married name and she did it all on line; she had to send her marriage certificate off. I had my photo done at a shop because if I did it myself I wouldn't know how to upload it onto the computer! And Timpsons just give you a code to enter.

Beechnut Mon 28-Jan-19 07:20:00

tanith I agree with you, but sometimes going to a country at a particular time may not have been something you intended to do (family death) so keeping your passport with at least six months could be one less thing to worry about.

tanith Mon 28-Jan-19 07:10:02

Beechnut but if you aren’t intending to go to any of those countries why would it matter if you only have six months left? Mine runs out in September I’ll probably renew in May just before the Summer rush.
I don’t understand Izabellas comet either.

Beechnut Mon 28-Jan-19 07:00:36

BlueBelle to go to some countries they like you to have more than six months left on your passport.

BlueBelle Mon 28-Jan-19 04:18:30

I may be a bit dim but why would you have a passport with less than six months on it anyway
I have read this a few times and still don’t know what you mean
My passport runs out in August I would normally send it for renewal about June but I thought I d forgo 6 months and do it now to have it done and dusted before bloody brexit takes place

SueDonim Mon 28-Jan-19 00:12:10

Izabella why would you renew a passport if you're not planning on going abroad for a while?

As I said upthread, the rules have changed and you now lose any unexpired portion of your passport. Pay for ten years, get 9.5 years. hmm

callgirl1 Sun 27-Jan-19 23:01:38

A word of advice. Check that all details on your passport are correct. My husband and I (No, I`m not the Queen) renewed our passports online, received them about 4 or 5 months before we were to go away, but then 3 weeks before our holiday I was idly looking at them, and realised that our details had been reversed, his had mine and vice versa! When I contacted them I was told that if it turned out to be my fault I`d have to pay all over again! Luckily it turned out to be theirs, and we got the replacements just a few days before going away.

BlueBelle Sun 27-Jan-19 22:35:24

Yes I think you can Phoenixas one of the pages asked if you have had a name change I didn’t read more as mine hasn’t changed in the last ten years so I went straight to the next page you could google it I was surprised at how simple it was just ten mins and a selfie
I don’t understand Izabella ?
The first photo I took on my phone said unacceptable misshapen head I think there was a bit of a shadow very slight I could barely see it but I took another with a brighter light and it said your picture is acceptable
I know what you mean about the old bat looking at you GrandmaKT she’s on mine too she gets around

Jalima1108 Sun 27-Jan-19 22:23:33

Well, I sent mine off anyway (this was 11 years ago) and it was fine, misshaped head and all!