Blue Passport

Thanks suzie and jura. So does it have to be a current passport or can it be the one you had when you first moved from the UK?

I am very pleased that my passport is up for renewal next years so that I will have a little red passport for the next ten years. Small practical and bendable.

This really has nothing to do with the post, but I couldn't help remembering two lovely Welsh friends who were so happy about 'going abroad for their holidays.' 'We've never been abroad! So exciting, isn't it?' 'Oh how marvelous, where are you going?' I asked.

Wait for it ... 'England!' they chorused, beaming from ear to ear with glee and absolutely no irony. Their innocence was so touching - even though it meant a thoroughly bitten tongue on my part as I wouldn't have crushed their joy for worlds!

Hope everyone's having a lovely Christmas with the colours of your choice

Blast posted too soon meant to add !

MOnica If you renew your maroon passport before the cut off date will you keep it for ten years( which is what I intend doing) or will you then have to buy another when the cut off date arrives as my family tell me they think if I renew before the cut off date then I will have wasted my money and have to buy another blue one after the cut off date as the maroon one will not be accepted for ten years after we have left ?

By the way I ve never had a blue passport my old one is totally black

The colour is in a way irrelevant but the marvellous part is that it won't say 'European Union' anywhere on the cover.

My thoughts exactly, Beau

Wilmaknickersfit- thinking about it- I cannot imagine any expat (immigrant) in France or EU not keeping passport up to date. All the ones I know do like travelling, but especially like to return to UK regularly to visit family or to make use of the NHS.

I found it and will now need to renew it.

Bluebelle I am assuming that my new passport will be burgundy and that it should see me through the next ten years (all being well) but the EU part of it will be obsolete after Brexit.
If we are required to change to blue passports I will expect the Government to pay - there would be an outcry if we have to fork out for another one.

haporthrosie - I used to live in the Potteries. People went abroad if they travelled from Tunstall to Hanley, or Stoke to Newcastle-u-Lyme (which many never went to as it was considered very posh- lol, especially by folk from Burslem (my colleagues in the engineering firm where I worked)...

although some have been known to venture further afield - some of my wider family emigrated to Canada (some of them still kept their Potteries accent though)!

Jalima that’s what I thought in fact it never entered my head that I might not be able to travel on a maroon one as long as it was a renewed one
I shall buy a cover with the euro stars on anyway some of us like belonging to our continent as well as our country and aren’t so xenophobic as others

Jalima, the char lady, the lovely Margaret, used to come to my office and teach me t speak proper Potteries- and so did the other secretaries. They thought it was just hilarious - say it, say it- they would say, and practically roll on the floor

Ooo silly booogar - have a looouk in the booouk

Well, that's how they are spelt - it's double 'o' not 'u'
whereas 'duck' and 'bus' are pronounced as they should be.

jura yes, I was thinking about something like if someone lived in France and their passport ran out. Then they decided to go back to the UK for a visit for some reason. I wonder if they could get back into the UK with an expired passport! They certainly wouldn't be able to get back out again! I know most people are likely to travel and keep their passport current but my scenario must happen!

PS I like my burgundy passport even if it has expired.

We still have our old ones, blue and red

Oh dear, must sort out this house and declutter.

Jura and Jalima, sorry I haven't been on the internet much and have only just seen your wonderful responses! Lol! I knew the Potteries were a world unto themselves but I didn't know to what extent. Really interesting. I love the Potteries accent and dialect. My father used to call me and Mum 'shug' which always made me wonder if there's Potteries background somewhere in the family that I haven't been able to find. Apart from him I've never heard anyone outside the Potteries say that. Jalima, I agree about pronunciation of 'book' and 'look.' No one goes for a swim in a pul or sits on a stul!

shug
when my DM was expecting me my DB said they 'didn't want a shuggy girl'
And a 'dinger' was a naughty child - 'You little dinger' with a hard 'g'.

It has just been announced that the new blue passports will not be made by the Gateshead factory of De La Rue, who make our existing passports. The contract has been awarded to a French company.

France does not allow their passports to be made abroad as they regard it as a matter of national security.

Rather ironic?
Mine was renewed just a year ago so I'll remain happily maroon for the next 9 years.
The idea of buying the duro stars cover is a good one!

I cannot understand that at all varian. There is a huge discrepancy in the cost apparently, the French firm has undercut De La Rue by millions.

It has just been explained that it had to go to the lowest bidder under eu ruling

If that were the case surely the French would have to allow De La Rue to bid to make their passports -but they do not allow it.

another Govt bod is saying that the process is still not finished and there is a way to go yet - not all done and dusted. If that is the case why did they tell the boss of DeLa Rue that he was not having the contract renewed?
I suppose it was impossible for the British Govt to either say that it was a question of national security as do the French or wait till after Brexit day to award the contract.