Need a new passport?

[Zaphan58]

I look quite a bit different in my passport to how I do now. In the last few years I've lost a little weight and cut off all my hair (used to be hippy style long). I thought my passport would be fine as I've travelled around a bit this year and nobody has questioned it. Until I went to Australia and the Australian security examined the photo, looked at me seriously and then said "This you? Doesn't look much like you mate.." he then called over someone else who looked at it, asked me a load of questions and then asked me to hand over some more recent id post hair cuttage which I had (driving licence). Then they eventually let me through.

Since I got back the passport has been in a draw and I've forgotten about it. I've just booked a last minute trip to Toronto this Christmas and wondering if I should express get my photo changed or risk it and take my driving licence again.

The direct.gov site says you must renew it if you've had facial surgery etc and that beards and hair count as only minor changes.

"Minor changes to appearance
If you can still be identified from the photo in your current passport, you don't need to apply for a new one. For example, growing a beard or colouring your hair would usually count as minor changes."

What say the people of OcUK? Anyone has experience of this and not been allowed in a country?

 

[Crizzy]

Just make sure you have other photo ID with you, you'll be fine.

 

[semi-pro waster]

If you're close to one of the 6 passport offices with a counter service map here then it might be worth making an appointment to speak to them about it?

If you can be identified from the passport then it shouldn't prevent you travelling, just be aware that it may take a bit longer to get through the checks because you don't look quite the same.

 

[Pawnless Endgame]

Interesting that this thread cropped up as my 10-year passport is due for renewal around the New Year. What's the process in getting it renewed and how long do you need to allow? I' not going anywhere soon, but I do get ID'd a lot for alcohol and driver's license isn't an option.

 

[semi-pro waster]

Interesting that this thread cropped up as my 10-year passport is due for renewal around the New Year. What's the process in getting it renewed and how long do you need to allow? I' not going anywhere soon, but I do get ID'd a lot for alcohol and driver's license isn't an option.

The DirectGov site on this should tell you all you need to know, I think they're possibly being a bit conservative with their estimates regarding time to return the passport but if you allow for that then you should be fine and a normal 32 page passport will cost you £77.50.

 

[Pawnless Endgame]

Thanks. £77.50 for 10 years isn't bad going, considering I paid about £64 10 years ago. Below inflation.

 

[pingwing]

You should see my driving licence! At 17 I had hair to my nipples and got my provisional with that.

5 years on and iv got a full one now with the same picture of the people who look at it actually stop and stare... Usually with a **** you've changed.

Had the same with my passport but thankfully I could get that changed at 20.

Anyway rule of thumb just show it as it is you, no one turned me away from a pub for not looking especially like my driving licence. So in reality as long as you resemble the picture people won't really doubt the realness of it

 

[LOAM]

Mine expired n 2005 :O

 

[arknor]

The DirectGov site on this should tell you all you need to know, I think they're possibly being a bit conservative with their estimates regarding time to return the passport but if you allow for that then you should be fine and a normal 32 page passport will cost you £77.50.

my stepson got a new passport about 2 months ago and had it within a week

 

[semi-pro waster]

You should see my driving licence! At 17 I had hair to my nipples and got my provisional with that.

5 years on and iv got a full one now with the same picture of the people who look at it actually stop and stare... Usually with a **** you've changed.

Can you not opt to have the picture changed on your driving licence? I rather thought that if you had dramatically changed in appearance you could ask to get it changed although there may be a small fee in terms of processing.

Although if memory serves you're from NI so I don't know if that affects the licence you have?

my stepson got a new passport about 2 months ago and had it within a week

It was under a week for me also when I renewed my passport last which is why I think they're being a bit conservative with the estimates but I didn't want to suggest that anyone relies on that.

 

[bitslice]

What! 77 quid for a poxy book with your picture in it and permission to return to your own flipping country ?

Illegal aliens get all that and bed and breakfast for free.

If passports did anything useful then we wouldn't need to worry about immigration or terrorism.
It's the same pointless routine with new driving licenses, makes me want to grow a beard and tash and get an orange fake tan

 

[MickeyFinns]

What! 77 quid for a poxy book with your picture in it and permission to return to your own flipping country ?

Illegal aliens get all that and bed and breakfast for free.

If passports did anything useful then we wouldn't need to worry about immigration or terrorism.
It's the same pointless routine with new driving licenses, makes me want to grow a beard and tash and get an orange fake tan

A fair chunk of the money you pay for a passport goes into the fund aiding British nationals who need support abroad. Me and my parents got caught up in a Military Coup in The Gambia years ago and the Government got us out of it and put all the British nationals on a chartered flight. I'll never complain about the cost of passports.

 

[semi-pro waster]

What! 77 quid for a poxy book with your picture in it and permission to return to your own flipping country ?

Not exactly, you're paying the money to get the "poxy" book which enables you to travel around the World. If you don't have one then you're not leaving the country legally which makes permission to return to your own country a bit of a moot point. Additionally as MickeyFinns states the money isn't just used for that purpose, a proportion goes to FCO bases around the World to aid British citizens.

Illegal aliens get all that and bed and breakfast for free.

No, they don't. Part of being an illegal alien is that you don't have permission to stay in the country and therefore not being a British citizen are not entitled to a passport - free or otherwise.

If passports did anything useful then we wouldn't need to worry about immigration or terrorism.
It's the same pointless routine with new driving licenses, makes me want to grow a beard and tash and get an orange fake tan

I suppose we'd have no homegrown terrorists either...

 

[bitslice]

A fair chunk of the money you pay for a passport goes into the fund aiding British nationals who need support abroad. Me and my parents got caught up in a Military Coup in The Gambia years ago and the Government got us out of it and put all the British nationals on a chartered flight. I'll never complain about the cost of passports.

That's worse, buy some "get me home" insurance so I don't have to subsidise your ill advised jaunts around third world countries.
99% of us would like to go to France without a silly picture book costing more than the flight over there.

 

[MickeyFinns]

That's worse, buy some "get me home" insurance so I don't have to subsidise your ill advised jaunts around third world countries.
99% of us would like to go to France without a silly picture book costing more than the flight over there.

During the ash cloud many people were stranded in France and Spain and used various consular services to help them get home. For many of these situations the fee you pay on the passport is effectively the only insurance. On top of direct and visible aid from the consulates there is also hidden aid from them in the form of coordinating accommodation and following up on transportation companies to ensure everything that can be done is done.

Lets say your passport and wallet are stolen in France. No one except the British embassy/consulate there can provide you with a paper passport to get you home. Should that free service not exist?

Are you saying all visits to developing nations are 'ill-advised'
? At the time of the trip the British government assessed The Gambia as a safe place to visit. Events like military coups are usually a surprise by the very nature of what they are.

 

[pingwing]

Can you not opt to have the picture changed on your driving licence? I rather thought that if you had dramatically changed in appearance you could ask to get it changed although there may be a small fee in terms of processing.

Although if memory serves you're from NI so I don't know if that affects the licence you have?

Im from Milton Keynes! (just joined up here whilst at uni in NI which would cause some confusion but I definitely don't come from there, or have the accent) But yeah the NI licence is different to the one over here and I ended up putting off learning partly for not wanting the NI one, and partly for not having to drive round Belfast with a mad Belfast mad shouting incoherently about driving....

You have to pay £36 to have the pic on your licence changed before the 10 year renewal and the guy took my old one off me after my test before I got a chance to explain I wanted to change the pic too (was very pleased I passed as I didn't think I had). I sort of like keeping it as a comical memento of my foolish teenage years and I can change it for free in a few years as the 10 year thing isn't effected by changing the status of the licence, just the age of the picture.