There's an online form for non-UK residents, but they suggest getting a passport photo from a photo booth which gives an online access code.
I assume these exist only in the UK, right?
I need to replace my British passport after an unfortunate encounter with the washing machine.
I was wondering that the other day too since I’ll need to renew my passport next year.
Got my new passport very recently and took the digital photo using my own iPhone - uploaded without issues to their site. As they say, just make sure you get the distance and light conditions right (no shadows) - stand a foot or so against a white wall.
I did both mine and my mums with my own camera. Super easy!
Yes, the codes are only available from photo booths in the UK.
It is incredibly easy to take and upload a photo at home these days though.
It’s so much easier now than it was when we had to submit an actual photo.
Even countersigning a photo for somebody is a doddle these days.
Only if you know someone who fits the bill. For me, pretty difficult though neighbour in the UK can possibly do it. Even doctors are dropped off the list of approved signatories now. Luckily don’t change much over the time period so didn’t need to get it signed last time. Just as well since I knew absolutely no one who could have done it for me.
My sister in Scotland had to get photos for an Irish passport signed by her solicitor. I have to renew my UK one shortly as it expires in July, I'm hoping to do everything online and be able to collect it from Glasgow when I'm across in a few weeks.
I renewed my UK passport recently doing what Cherub mentions (except using the Durham office). There is some flimflam online about having to do it by post if you live abroad, because the Online Premium service is just for UK residents .
I called them and explained my situation truthfully, that I live outside the UK and had a passport with about 6 months to go before its 10th birthday, and they agreed that travelling to the UK and picking it up at an appointment would be best. The only proviso was that I must not travel on this document on the day of the appointment. I was worried that starting the online process would cause my passport to be immediately cancelled, but I was fretting needlessly as per. I got to the UK without any problem, and the appointment at Durham ran to time and was extremely efficient.
I was taken aback Doctors off list. Had a look at the list. Mainly has to be someone who has known you at least two years. It is a long list.
Yeah, and of all those only my optician and possibly the pharmacist could do it; I don’t know anyone in any of the other professions. At least they’ve relaxed the nationality requirements a bit more. I remember the first time I had to do it after moving here it was UK nationals only; luckily husband’s boss was able to do it for me, otherwise I’d have been stuck.
Just went through this for a renewal.
I wasted a few francs on a photo booth before realising that there was no such code (well.. the pics can be used elsewhere).
Had the s.o. take pics with mobile following the guidelines and made the online application. All went smoothly with a turnaround of about 5 weeks.
That was all satisfactory, but don't get me started on my flimsy new - black - UK passport.
Exactly. if someone can't manage to take a digital photo themselves by now there is something wrong. The hardest part is setting up a white background in an area with no shadows. Flash can help with shadows.
Totally would be me. I don’t have a mobile phone and no idea how to use hubby’s if he wasn’t around.
OK that was me. A tad complicated at the time to get OH in right mood in the time frame, as in UK found it simpler to pop to supermarket with the photo-me-booth, £8 and included printed photos with the code.
If not that option, would have persevered with white background, time of day for lighting no shadows.
There was an interesting discussion radio ticino about the payment slips by QR code...
Someone was arguing that this is the same, if not easier, than scanning the orange slip... until a rather elderly sounding person came online who basically said that they have a landline, and have no intention of ever touching the internet, a mobile phone or any of this cr@p.
We often forget that not that long ago we weren't so connected. I grew up without internet, without computers, and without mobile phones. I don't consider myself THAT old even...
By the time I consider myself "old" the only way to pay bills will probably be via the metaverse... and then I'll be the gog refusing to sign up
Me as well. Although I do pay most of our bills by online banking I still use the orange slips and a card reader to log on.
Are these being phased out entirely? We're still receiving some whilst other invoices come just with the new QR thing. I find the new ones more practical as you get the proper account number. With the old ones you didn't always get that and sometimes you had to contact the issuer to ask their IBAN.
I looked at the passport office in Glasgow today, it says whilst they handle appointments they cannot issue passports. I don't really know what to do now.
Further to that I rang the passport office in the UK for advice and got nowwhere. I got a girl who was a total airhead, she told me to fly in to London, get some photos taken there at a photographers, then apply for one on the Fast Track system there. She was absolutely clueless and said she didn't know what else to tell me as she'd never dealt with anyone in Switzerland. Asked for my personal details so she could put me on to another team, put me on hold, then came back and read a load of stuff out from the UK Gov website.
She also advised me to get a passport from the nearest Embassy
Why can’t you just do it from here? Mine took 3 weeks door to door!