11-28-2006, 11:06 AM
Everyone,
So after almost 9 months of Procrastination, seeing the fees go up twice, and missing out on being able to go back to Blighty for next to nothing with American because I hadn't pulled my finger out of (insert whatever here) to get it done I finally got my passport renewed. Just thought I would share my experiences.
Got my pics done at Picture People, since the UK needs a different size pic from the US, just took the requirements page along and they took care of the rest, cost about the same as going to Kinkos or CVS.
Then just filled out the forms, and payment authorization (Boy that Part was painful). I wondered about getting the pics "Certified" or whatever, but it does say on the website that if your ugly mug has not changed you can just send them off without doing that, so I figured the worst that would happen is like a rubber ball it would come bouncing back if they weren't Happy.
Mailed Everything off, I came back from going away for Turkey Day to find a Fedex Package sitting on my Doorstep (Inspite of there being a Fedex Large label on the Package saying "Signature required DO NOT LEAVE without Signature) and my new passport, as well as the old one with the receipt stapled inside that. Total time from mailing off to getting back was exactly 2 weeks.
FWIW the new passport was the new Biometric thingy, the details page is no longer on the back cover, its the first page inside that and a chip is on the back of that, Each page now has drawings of various birds on them, presumably to make it harder to forge, but it makes the whole thing look very European and Not a British Passport at all, but I am just being a snob there.... lol
Anyway at least I am now good for another 10 years...
David.
So after almost 9 months of Procrastination, seeing the fees go up twice, and missing out on being able to go back to Blighty for next to nothing with American because I hadn't pulled my finger out of (insert whatever here) to get it done I finally got my passport renewed. Just thought I would share my experiences.
Got my pics done at Picture People, since the UK needs a different size pic from the US, just took the requirements page along and they took care of the rest, cost about the same as going to Kinkos or CVS.
Then just filled out the forms, and payment authorization (Boy that Part was painful). I wondered about getting the pics "Certified" or whatever, but it does say on the website that if your ugly mug has not changed you can just send them off without doing that, so I figured the worst that would happen is like a rubber ball it would come bouncing back if they weren't Happy.
Mailed Everything off, I came back from going away for Turkey Day to find a Fedex Package sitting on my Doorstep (Inspite of there being a Fedex Large label on the Package saying "Signature required DO NOT LEAVE without Signature) and my new passport, as well as the old one with the receipt stapled inside that. Total time from mailing off to getting back was exactly 2 weeks.
FWIW the new passport was the new Biometric thingy, the details page is no longer on the back cover, its the first page inside that and a chip is on the back of that, Each page now has drawings of various birds on them, presumably to make it harder to forge, but it makes the whole thing look very European and Not a British Passport at all, but I am just being a snob there.... lol
Anyway at least I am now good for another 10 years...
David.