Passport renewal

[DealorNoDeal]

Just renewed mine, and was very impressed with the efficiency and service.

The on-line application was very straightforward and they use what looks like quite a sophisticated algorithm to check the photo you upload meets the criteria.

They send email or text updates at every stage. Eg. when they receive your old passport in the post, when they've approved the application, when it's been sent for printing and when it's been dispatched by courier.

Not what I was expecting at all.

[vetran]

DVLA Tax and Passport renewal are pretty good.

Electoral roll needs work but not as bad as it could be.

[AtW]

Is it blue now?

[vetran]

Is it blue now?

yep

[NotAllThere]

I'd lost my old one - the process for replacement was really straightforward. I got my new one towards the end of September. It still said "Her Britannic Majesty...".

Apparently when I get my Swiss passport and renew my British one, I'll have to photocopy every page of the Swiss one and send it with my application. There's no option to upload. I do know several Swiss/Brits who simply don't bother telling them they've a Swiss passport.

[northernladuk]

I'd lost my old one - the process for replacement was really straightforward. I got my new one towards the end of September. It still said "Her Britannic Majesty...".

They've got a couple of million on order from the French still and they won't give a toss so it's going to be that for a bit yet I reckon

[SueEllen]

Glad you found it a breeze I didn't.

I had to use a photo booth to get an acceptable photo

The staff at the Passport Office are incompetent and are unable to write notes so send the same ambiguous email out multiple times.

[NotAllThere]

Although they tell you not to manipulate the photo, any automatic processing by a phone camera is exactly that. I take photos in Raw format. For my passport, I had to up the brightness before it was accepted.

[WTFH]

Although they tell you not to manipulate the photo, any automatic processing by a phone camera is exactly that. I take photos in Raw format. For my passport, I had to up the brightness before it was accepted.

Even your passport photo was too dim.

[vetran]

Glad you found it a breeze I didn't.

I had to use a photo booth to get an acceptable photo

The staff at the Passport Office are incompetent and are unable to write notes so send the same ambiguous email out multiple times.

Our local Pharmacy do passport photos, he places you in a chair / against the wall and instructs you not to smile then takes an instant photo. Never had any problems with his work.