Canarian Weekly
10-05-2013, 10:30
BRITISH Ex-pats living in Spain or Tenerife will have to apply to Northern Ireland in future when they renew their passports.
This will come as a blow to those who save money by getting friends or family to collect their new passports in the UK and bring them over.
It cost them just £72.50 now, which is less than half the £147.86 (including postage) they will be charged from Monday (13th May) to renew a passport in Belfast.
As the Identity & Passport Service (IPS) points out, however, the charge for overseas passport applications is much dearer because it is based on the cost of providing the service.
But because the number of applications from abroad is much smaller than it should be, all British passports will now be issued under one roof – in Belfast.
Once the balance is evened up worldwide, IPS hopes to bring the fees for overseas and UK passports more into line, most probably in 2014.
This means that if you live here and need to renew your passport legitimately; your application must be sent directly to Belfast’s Identity & Passport Service from Monday, instead of the regional passport processing hub in Madrid.
All necessary information about the revised process, including a new IPS overseas application form, can be found at www.gov.uk/overseas-passports.
Andy Hamilton, head of the regional passport processing centre in Madrid, says: “In real terms, all this means is that British nationals living in Spain now need to send their applications to a different address.”
In Tenerife terms, however, it will cost the short-cut Brits twice as much because they will now have to use the Belfast service – unless they take a chance and carry on as normal.
Mr Hamilton added: “Current passport processing times remain the same. If you are renewing your passport, you should allow at least four weeks from the date the fee is taken and all the correct documentation has been received.”
“If you are applying for the first time, or you are replacing a lost or stolen passport, you should allow at least six weeks.”
The only other change is that the current passport helpline call-charges are being removed.
Instead of paying for a premium rate phone line, customers will now have to pay for the cost of a call to theUKonly.
British nationals who do not have internet access, or who want advice, can call the IPS Customer Service Centre on +44 (0) 300 222 0000.
People in Tenerife who need to travel urgently but whose normal passport is unavailable, should contact the British Consulate in Tenerife(922 286 863) or email info.consulate@fco.gov.uk
The Consulate may be able to issue an Emergency Travel Document to help you travel.
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/passport-process/)
This will come as a blow to those who save money by getting friends or family to collect their new passports in the UK and bring them over.
It cost them just £72.50 now, which is less than half the £147.86 (including postage) they will be charged from Monday (13th May) to renew a passport in Belfast.
As the Identity & Passport Service (IPS) points out, however, the charge for overseas passport applications is much dearer because it is based on the cost of providing the service.
But because the number of applications from abroad is much smaller than it should be, all British passports will now be issued under one roof – in Belfast.
Once the balance is evened up worldwide, IPS hopes to bring the fees for overseas and UK passports more into line, most probably in 2014.
This means that if you live here and need to renew your passport legitimately; your application must be sent directly to Belfast’s Identity & Passport Service from Monday, instead of the regional passport processing hub in Madrid.
All necessary information about the revised process, including a new IPS overseas application form, can be found at www.gov.uk/overseas-passports.
Andy Hamilton, head of the regional passport processing centre in Madrid, says: “In real terms, all this means is that British nationals living in Spain now need to send their applications to a different address.”
In Tenerife terms, however, it will cost the short-cut Brits twice as much because they will now have to use the Belfast service – unless they take a chance and carry on as normal.
Mr Hamilton added: “Current passport processing times remain the same. If you are renewing your passport, you should allow at least four weeks from the date the fee is taken and all the correct documentation has been received.”
“If you are applying for the first time, or you are replacing a lost or stolen passport, you should allow at least six weeks.”
The only other change is that the current passport helpline call-charges are being removed.
Instead of paying for a premium rate phone line, customers will now have to pay for the cost of a call to theUKonly.
British nationals who do not have internet access, or who want advice, can call the IPS Customer Service Centre on +44 (0) 300 222 0000.
People in Tenerife who need to travel urgently but whose normal passport is unavailable, should contact the British Consulate in Tenerife(922 286 863) or email info.consulate@fco.gov.uk
The Consulate may be able to issue an Emergency Travel Document to help you travel.
More... (http://www.canarianweekly.com/passport-process/)