General Chat

First find your photographic shop ;-)

Just to add the best way to get a passport photo is to go to a photographic shop. They will take your picture, if its not good they will take another.

Well worth the money.

Thank you all very much for your input.

I think I will go to the Post Office ,(sorry Rollo, changed my mind .)

After having a word with a couple of friends who tried the online way and said it was too much effort with photo's not being accepted etc , but thank you all anyway.

We renewed ours earlier this year online, even with submitting new photos we received the passports 8 days after sending off the paperwork and old passports for cancellation.

Sue

Use the official government site, some of the private ones charge extra fees.

No you don't need to print off the online version, Bob. It can all be done electronically.
You do need to mail your old passport. You're given a reference number which is incorporated into the address.

I may have been confused by the "save" instruction you still, I believe, have to printout your downloaded application, and post it off.............

We used and were very pleased with the Post office check and send. That way it avoids touing and froing with things not acceptable. And the service was very quick at a time when there were published delays.

Good luck with that.

I used the system in the spring. You'd never believe the fuss & bother for producing & submitting an 'acceptable' photo. Eyes closed (no they weren't) faint background shadows, wisps of hair blurring the silhouette (you'd need a magnifying glass to spot them). About 6 different versions were automatically rejected.

We packed the expensive camera away & used a mobile phone. That photo was acceptable.

Have got over that hurdle, all went smoothly with updates on when they'd received the old passport & how far along the system the new one was. It came back within 5 days.

Thanks Rollo,
Need it for September, so will try the online system I think.

At this time of year if you need yr passport in a hurry you will need to visit in person. Allow all day. Otherwise the online system works OK.

My passport has just expired and I need to renew it .
Has anyone ever used the online passport service ?
Just wondering if it is easier to renew online or use the Post Office check and send.

thank you