We all forget the basics, so its good to be reminded.

I would think also with the number of people organising their own holidays, sites offering information like this are invaluable.

Thanks for the reminder!

If booking through a travel agency, you won’t forget to get a visa because they will do this for you, so it’s important if your booking yourself that you take Darren’s advice - very important.

Darren

In the next few weeks the UKIPS will start to introduce interviews for people who do not already have passports. This will mean it may take up to 6-8 weeks to get a passport.

Also ‘check and send’ service is available though Crown Post Offices and Worldchoice travel agencies, which is a faster application system.

My agency is Worldchoice so we are appointed by UKIPS for information and check and send.

Same day passports are only for renewals or alterations. Cost extra 42.00 on top of passport fee.

1-week service is for new passports until interviews are introduced. Cost 25.00 on top of passport fee.

Check and send 2-week service is from Main Post Offices (costs 7.00) and Worldchoice travel agencies (cost 6.00) on top of passport fee.

When interviews are introduced, Post Offices and Worldchoice Agencies will have a faster service. Details will be released when the interview system starts.

Another thing people do not realise is you have to report lost or stolen valid or expired passports. If you do not do this it will delay the application process. You need a form LS01 from Post Office or Worldchoice.

Great information here.

I never knew you could speed up the process at the post office or with Worldchoice.

Is this true about it taking 6-8 weeks?

We have a holiday booked in September, and one of our friends is just apply for a passport.

Nice site, found you via Facebook.

Darren

Just to let everyone know, the first interview offices have opened and the UKIPS have stop the first time 1 week service.

The express services for First Time applications. Which is for people who do not hold a current or expired passport. This has now been withdrawn.

Until your local interview office opens it is still possable to use the Post Office/Worldchoice 2 week service.

The current interview offices open are Belfast and Glasgow.

for more information call 0870 521 0410

Darren

I am just leaving to catch a flight but here is link

http://www.passport.gov.uk/passport_first_interviews.asp

Darren

Passports are going up.

The FCO have announced that will be increasing the consular fee by £6 per adult from October. This is the fee they collect to assist travellers who have booked independently and is included in price of the passport. (There will also be an increase for children). This fee used to be just a couple of pounds, but due to increased number of people travelling independently this will now make up over 1/4 of the cost of a passport.

So passports will be £72.00 per adult

Im going away to Menorca in September and my passport runs out in November. I heard that you you cant use your passport three months before you travel. Do you reckon it will still be possible to travel?

I don’t think that the 3 month/6 month limit applies to EU countries. http://europa.eu/abc/travel/doc/index_en.htm just says that it needs to be valid (ie current). This squares with them not being able to apply any stricter regulation than they do to their own citizens and many countries don’t renew ID cards until within the last month or so of their expiry date therefore they couldn’t insist on EU citizens of other countries having more time on their passport than that.

When it does apply, it’s 3/6 months validity by the time you are expected to have returned home, not from when you leave the UK.

Arnold

Sophie

For travelling in the EU your passport needs to be valid till the date you return only.

Hi, can anyone pls help me with my querie?

I have a British passport but my husband has a Bangladeshi passport. He’s been in the UK for about 18 months now, so another 6 months left before he get’s his “Indefinite Leave to Remain in the UK”.

But we wanted to go on holiday to somewhere in Europe in October. Is it possible to go with his passort the way it is? Does he need to apply for a visa for the country we want to go to? Or do we have to wait till he gets his Indefinite?? We were thinking of just a short holiday like 5 or 6 days to somewhere like Malta.

Can anyone advice? Or know where I can get more information? Thanks.

Thanks for that info.. I tried calling that number you gave me but they weren’t very helpful! They took my name, address and d.o.b before they even let me ask a question and then when I asked my question, the lady said she didn’t have a clue! Then she eventually gave me another number for the immigration dept of home office but when I rang that, I got re-routed back to the same dept as I was talking to previously. I got given another number and after being stuck on the queue for about 15 minutes, I gave up! It’s a shame there’s no information on the home office website about it. I couldn’t even find an email address for them either.

Ayesha

Visa’s are down to each country you visit. Even with Indefinite leave to remain he will still require a visa for other euopean counties.

The country is question is sa i hold a british passport

i want to goto zambia, but my passport has an invalid visa, would i have to pay a fine?

dean smith

Dean,

You need to contact the Zambia High Commissioner as most country’s will not allow you to travel without a valid visa. In other words you will be refused boarding in the UK.