Blue Passport

If you're a British citizen living in an EU country, do you have to have a current passport? Some people have lived abroad for so long their passport may have expired.

I will be applying for an Irish passport to go with my burgundy one. I think it may be green. Now I can go through the fast gates when travelling to see my sister in Ireland.

so willsmadnan - where do you imagine they will put the border checks that are currently in at Calais? As said, shall be get rid of the cliffs - what would our Vera say?

petra - what a selfish reply. We travel with animals and small children and not everyone has a mobile home, do they?!? What about lorry drivers with live animals and frozen or perishable foods.

At airports we will be queuing with long queues of people who need visas a and other documents, which can take a LOT of time. Are you sure we will be able to sit comfortably and put t'kettle on and watch Goggle box or Benidorm?

Queues don't bother me at all. We put the kettle on, put the satellite dish up, and watch some telly

Of course I've been to Dover FCS! . How the hell do you think I went backwards and forwards to France for over 20 years. You're not the only one to have lived in Europe * Jura2*.

Did anyone say you wouldn't be able to travel?

But be prepared to very much longer queues. For one, many more are travelling now then in the 60s ...and queues are much much longer for non EU, in the EU - simple- and checks much more thorough and lenghty in that queue- have you never noticed?

As for ferry and Tunnel- the massive areas for checks in Calais, where you go through both French and UK border checks - the UK won't be allowed to do checks on that side.

If you have ever been to Dover, you may be aware the geography is VERY different on that side - and that there are some cliffs around - shall we get rid of Dover Cliffs to accommodate border checks and 'get our Sovereignty back' - oh my, oh the irony.

Why should Brexit stop me from passing freely without let or hindrance, as long as I present myself, avec passport, at border checks? Did it in the 60s, 70s and 80s so why should it be any different in 2020? God, there's some right Jonas on here

as we do too on a regular basis.

But, please, could you explain what difference does that make re your passport (whatever the colour)? They do check at the Ferry and Tunnel too ?!?

Can't fly - hubby too scared to will be coach over the channel.

Willsmadnan
Like you we have travelled extensively. We once had the joy of pointing that ( Her Majesty etc) to a very nasty border guard in Macedonia. He soon changed his tune

John Simpson, the journalist, uses his Irish passport for all the “wild and woolly places” where the UK is an enemy or where there is a risk of kidnap. The Irish government would be much more likely to “see a PR advantage in trying to get me out,” he says. “I think the UK government would be glad to demonstrate their toughness and then no doubt send a junior minister to my funeral.” Not sure if all those promises on the passport are genuine.

I certainly won't scoff - but does the small EU logo at the top detract from that?

Sadly, Brexit will make the 'pass freely and without let or hindrance' a thing os the past.

I carried my passport every day as we are required to do when living in other European countries. I quite like the fact that it will be reverting to dark blue, but thankfully not as bulky as the pre-EU one. What I really like about my passport, be it red or blue, is that it says "Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may" be necessary . I'm quite sure some of the bolshie lot on here will scoff.... but scoff away! I travel extensively and those words are a comfort. Do feel free to call me naive, as I'm sure you will?

Many have blue passports in the UK, apart from Pets -

refugees -and now EU stamp either. That will please the Kippers no end ;)

Just done the same Jalima (I found it ...) and it does indeed.

It has been my lifelong wish to have a Scottish Passport - saltire blue of course - but time marches on and I doubt if I will last long enough to have one

I thought I'd just look for mine because, although it says European Union in smaller letters, I am sure it says UNITED KINGDOM OF GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND in very large capitals with the Royal coat of arms of the United Kingdom on the front.
Couldn't look more British really, red, blue or sky blue pink.

Except that I can't find it [panic]

Where will you be headed?

Its nice that we are getting a British passport back. I've got my second adult one last year after 30 plus years. I'm not bothered about its colour. Just when can I get to use my new one.

The infuriating thing is, that when everyone is talking about the importance of healing the divisions in the country, and trying to curb the spread of hatred, Theresa May should have thought it a good idea to stir up more dissent, quite unnecessarily

I can already see the headlines in the DM and the Sun - about the long queues and how the EU is punishing us and being vindictive, etc.

It is funny too that those who seem to care most are those who do not travel or intend to.

I remember the days when I had to queue in a massive queue at airports, whilst OH and baby were through instantly in the British/EU queue. I remember the days where if you wanted to work in the UK, you had to have a work permit in place beforehand, which meant it was impossible (unless you had a very privileged background) to come and work in the UK. I have friends who are married to non-EU citizens and cannot bring their spouse to live in the UK - which will soon apply to EU also. Some of you seem to have no idea what it was like before we joined the EU- and what it will be like again.

Living in mainland Europe I don't need a passport, I have my I.D.card which I can use if needed.
Not even sure if I will apply for a new U.K. one when mine expires in 2020.
I wish everyone a happy and healthy Christmas, and all good blessings for the New Year whatever it may bring.
Lang mae yer lum reek.

Yes, having looked at the thread again, you're right bluebelle. I suppose I was just surprised that anyone had strong feelings about it.

Eloethan only three people on this thread have wanted their old blue back the vast majority couldn’t care less