[Bill Haddow]

At the rip-off price to renew a passport it should come by chauffeuse driven Roller and be enclosed in a nice kidskin holder (gold letters, lion & unicorn badge, etc)

Bill H

[FlarePath]

My only regret is the timing, but may spend another £80 squid to get a nice blue one next year.

[Paultheparaglider]

Mrs Avtur had to upgrade from a very old paper licence to a new photo licence that was also done online, they used her passport photo so no messing about with having to get photos, similar quick delivery of the new licence.

I had a similar experience a couple of years ago when I renewed our driving licences. Very efficient.

At which point, it is worth reminding forumites to check their licences are current. A lot of people miss the ten year deadline.

[OCB]

fake news??

[cockney steve]

A couple of weeks ago, I reported a similar positive transaction with the passport office, on the "how long should I wait for a licence-issue " thread

Pretty sure they use a courier-firm to deliver, as it arrived hours brfore the post and no stamp. Likewise, old passport returned the following day, with top corners neatly chopped off the covers.

My suggestion was that someone in authority should mandate that CAA takes lessons from Passport service, in turning -round paperwork.

Of course, every man and his dog would (and has) kick up stink if the Passport service is found wanting, whereas Aviation is a very small minority -interest and has little public clout , if they are given the sort of sub- 3rd-world runaround that appears to be the CAA norm.

[johnm]

Like any other bureaucracy it's highly variable, and it's facile to make general judgements on the basis of individual experiences.

Across the EU most of what goes on is still operated and controlled by the individual states even if they are seeking to operate a common policy and even if there is an agency like EASA in the mix. I keep reminding people of this and the fact that the institution is only 40 years old. It is a bunch of independent states trying to co-operate and funding various institutions to help that along.

The state bureaucracy in the UK has had 700 years to develop and is not exactly a well oiled machine in many areas. The rest of Europe has benefitted from Napoleon and got the same sort of curate's egg after only 200.

[Lockhaven]

I managed a new passport in 3 hours.

Filled in the online form, booked the express service interview, arrived at the passport office 09:00 waited approx. 5 minutes for my number to come up, another 5 minutes confirming the application form, off to a cafe for breakfast and 3 hours later passport in hand on my way home.

Can't argue with that, a very efficient service

[Trent772]

Just applied for a replacement second passport online.

All went well, will report back on performance.

Yes, that is correct - we carry two current UK passports...

[Flintstone]

JYes, that is correct - we carry two current UK passports...

'We' carry two current British passports.



And an Australian one.

[Lockhaven]

As above also carry two British passports.

[Flyingfemme]

I used the online service for my second passport......there is nowhere online to indicate that this is what you are doing. Got a letter in the post a couple of days later saying "we see you are applying to renew a second passport" and requesting the usual explanation letter. Got my new passport about a week later. Didn't think that was bad at all.

[Paultheparaglider]

Let us know when/if your passport actually arrives through the letterbox, would you, Paul?

I'm glad to report the courier has just dropped it off, Dave. Relieved, too, as courier service to my address is generally extremely poor.

[PeteSpencer]

JYes, that is correct - we carry two current UK passports...

'We' carry two current British passports.



And an Australian one.

Israel and A-rabs I guess?

Peter

[Trent772]

Pretty much any country/religion/faction that doesn't like each other or anyone else

Clean passport is used with US visa to 'usual places', the other is used everywhere else.

Hajj flying years ago ate up pages because of stupid stick in visas - if you were quick with a hair dryer, they would come out

[GolfHotel]

When we got married the wife only sent one of her passports off for the new name. So for a while she had two UK passports in different names. I often wondered what would have happened if she had tried to renew both?