Why and How to Renew Your Passport ASAP

As traveling comes back into our lives, it’s time to think about whether you have prepared properly for your trips. Apart from hotel reservations, ticket purchases, and tour choices, it is important not to forget about the main thing – the passport! For some British tourists it has become a real problem to visit the EU. Why? Let’s figure it out. 

Renew Your Passport!

Visitors to the EU must have at least 3 months left on their passports till they expire and won’t accept passports that are older than 10 years. Check yours… Perhaps this article is just for you.

Some passports that were renewed just before 2018 have a validity of up to 10 years and 9 months, but for new EU terms, they will only be valid for 10 years.

Countries of the EU and some airline carriers now insist that you have three months left till your passport expires, so airlines are refusing to carry passengers whose passports are soon to expire. When you travel to Turkey, Tunisia, Brazil, Ecuador, and Israel you are required to have a minimum of six months till your passport expiration date, so keep it in mind before starting your journey.

How to get a new passport?

You can make a new passport by visiting a local passport office in the UK. But in a digital era, a new passport application can now be completed online on the UK Home Office website. The government has advised that it takes much faster to apply online. But in some cases, you may still be required to attend a personal interview.

Online renewing provides two options:

• Standard application

It is a standard option that costs around £76 and £49 for a kid. It’s very important to submit the form correctly. If you make any mistakes in an online form will delay the application more than a week.

The Post Office runs a Check & Send service that helps you with any omissions for about £92 and ensures everything is present and correct before sending the application form.

Applications and renewals can currently take up to ten weeks to process but mistakes will delay the application. You may have to attend an interview if certain information can’t be verified. The application can take longer than promised 4 weeks, so it’s reasonable to only book travel once your passport has arrived.

• Online Premium service

It is the fastest application costing £177. You only need to apply online and choose the date to collect your passport. This is the best option for someone who needs their passport to be made ASAP. Even in a foreign country, you can use this kind of service.

If you have a second passport from any other country, you must send a color copy of your second passport (every page of it) along with the form.

What about passport photos?

The good news is that now you can take photos of a new passport by yourself. So say goodbye to unflattering photo booth photos. Now photos that are taken on your smartphone or even laptop, as long as they comply with the passport regulations.The main requirement is pretty clear : keep your face open, including with your hair or glasses.

Just check on the latest rules before you organize the photoshoot.

What should I do with an old passport?

That one is easy! Once your application is submitted and you have paid the required fees, you will be asked to send your old passport back to the UK passport service. We recommend doing it using a tracked courier service to enable you to ensure your passport arrives safely.

Once your application has been processed and approved, your new passport will be sent to the address you provide.

When applying for a passport while abroad you need to pay an extra courier fee of around £20 to send your passport to the place you are residing outside of the UK along with the standard passport fee.

Final words

Making a new passport is not as hard as it seems. Take the time to check your application or use the special service to do that. Verify that your photo is suitable for a passport and that you provide all the supporting documents (if needed), so you can expect to receive your passport on time.