Going to France on August 1st and just realised my passport expired in May! Just grabbed an application from the PO and they said the check and send service usually takes about 2 weeks but can take longer.

Anyone have any experience with this - think Ill be ok if I get it sent off tommorrow?

If you drive to one of the regional centres you can get it renewed same day (but its pricey).

2 weeks is about right.  girlfriend did hers in under 2 weeks, and she had lost her old one.

2 weeks & it shouldnt take longer
I had to go & get mine renewed cos the old biddy in
the PO said I look quite different to my old photo.
Went up on the Friday, got my Passport delivered
on the Tues. - Not bad as the Mon was a bank holibob day

Quote from: SamIf you drive to one of the regional centres you can get it renewed same day (but its pricey).

They dont do this service anymore, at least in the Passport office in Newport.

Quote from: M3ta7h3ad

Quote from: SamIf you drive to one of the regional centres you can get it renewed same day (but its pricey).

They dont do this service anymore, at least in the Passport office in Newport.

Apparently you can still go to the offices for a premium same day service - however you have to book an appointment in advance and this can take up to two weeks.......


Going to use the check and send thing at the PO tommorrow - sounds like that should have plenty of time.

Cheers chaps

Quote from: M3ta7h3ad

Quote from: SamIf you drive to one of the regional centres you can get it renewed same day (but its pricey).

They dont do this service anymore, at least in the Passport office in Newport.

yes they do, but it isnt your option.. its theirs & you pay for it!

Quote from: Rivkid

Quote from: M3ta7h3ad

Quote from: SamIf you drive to one of the regional centres you can get it renewed same day (but its pricey).

They dont do this service anymore, at least in the Passport office in Newport.

Apparently you can still go to the offices for a premium same day service - however you have to book an appointment in advance and this can take up to two weeks.......


Going to use the check and send thing at the PO tommorrow - sounds like that should have plenty of time.

Cheers chaps

Yup thats what theyve replaced it with.

Its not same day service anymore, its prebooked appointments only.

Egg: Youre a timex watch in a digital age my friend.

as a last resort you could always just go anyway - Ive traveled on an out of date passport fairly recently and it wasnt noticed (this was via a UK airport too!)

my flat mate actually forgot his passport on a trip to France and only got pulled up by UK customs on the return journey

You dont need a passport to travel in Europe now. If you have ID you can use that.......now, im not sure what ID, but you dont need a passport.

Edit: Actually, because we dont have a British Citizen card, you do need a passport. Just my girlfiend is Slovakian, and they just use crappy plastic IDs....but its a Slovak Citizen card, which we dont have the equivalent of yet.

You dont need a passport to travel between EU countries within continental Europe - you do need one to get back into the UK.

OK - something worth remembering.

The Post Office do a checking service (costs about £5), where someone actually checks your application fully for any mistakes, incomplete answers and little things like whether your signature touches the surrounding box, photos comply with regulations.  Delays are generally caused by user-error as they send the whole lot back to you to amend.  A mate of mine had his sent back, purely as his signature touched the box by about a 10th of a mm.  When I done my renewal, I paid the service and they did pick something up on my application that I had missed (I had gone through it once completed?!?).  

Worth remembering when handing in.  I do know someone who recently went to France without a passport and blagged it on the way back.  He was SO English, they had to let him in   -)

Quote from: mrtOK - something worth remembering.

The Post Office do a checking service (costs about £5), where someone actually checks your application fully for any mistakes, incomplete answers and little things like whether your signature touches the surrounding box, photos comply with regulations.  Delays are generally caused by user-error as they send the whole lot back to you to amend.  A mate of mine had his sent back, purely as his signature touched the box by about a 10th of a mm.  When I done my renewal, I paid the service and they did pick something up on my application that I had missed (I had gone through it once completed?!?).  

Worth remembering when handing in.  I do know someone who recently went to France without a passport and blagged it on the way back.  He was SO English, they had to let him in   -)

yeah thats what Ive done. They reckon it takes about 2 weeks.

Mine was back within 2 weeks.

Quote from: DaveYou dont need a passport to travel between EU countries within continental Europe - you do need one to get back into the UK.

You just need photographic ID. A full UK Driving licence suffices.

I know as some of the lads who I went away on a stag weekend to Benidorm only took their drivers licences. UK Customs check on the way back and no problem at all.