Do I Get A Clean/new Passport In The Uk?

[bubblemonkey]

I am leaving LOS next month after a great 8 months here to go back to the UK .

I hope I will be coming back after, what will seem, a long 2/3 months work back at home (at least it will be Summer and, hey, they've forecast a hot July/August this year with temps racing into the90s )

I've had some great advice from the forum,thanks , and have pretty much decided to go for the Non Immg. 'o' visa from Hull for my next visit.

I was pondering this question to myself this morning and don't know what to do, so I thought I'd put it to you all instead.

I have about 3 years of Tourist Visas in my passport(after getting a new passport 3 years ago) with roughly 3 month breaks in each year back in the Uk each Summer.

If I am going to be home and apply for an 'o' visa d'you reckon it's worth applying for a new passport and coming back with a fresh one? (I think it looks better to look new) Or is it better, as someone once told me, to have those 3 years of Tourist Visas as it helps with getting the 'o' visa?

[WilliamIV]

I cannot answer the Q. - does 3 years of Tourist Visa help with Non Imm O application ...

But new passports are issued in Bangkok.

MAYBE you will need a reason - is it getting full?

My current passport was issued in Bangkok

and I am sure it was much easier here than back in Blighty.

Give the Consular Section a call 02 305 8278

The staff are very helpful.

Bill

[Dragonman]

I have 9 stamps for 30 days, tourist visas and non immigrants in my passport and nobody over the last 5 years has ever mentioned any of them. I don't think it matters.

[bino]

It won't make a bit of difference.

A new and clean passport isn't much help any more. Since the dawning of scannable passports and computerized immigration systems, they can (and will) pull up your entire history with no problem when they check a new passport.

Edited May 15, 2005 by bino

[roscoe]

Get it done before October or you will need biometrics on passport.I have yet to hear if they are geared up for that at the Embassy.

So anybody intending to renew at the embassy should do it before october, to ensure the same usage you have now

Edited May 15, 2005 by roscoe

[thaiflyer1]

My 2 satang worth.......if its getting near full you may as well get a new one while your home.

If its not full dont worry about the visas already in it they will have no bearing on the "O" from Hull being issued.

[RDN]

Get it done before October or you will need biometrics on passport.I have yet to hear if they are geared up for that at the Embassy.

So anybody intending to renew at the embassy should do it before october, to ensure the same usage you have now 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can you explain this a bit more?

[taxexile]

My current passport was issued in Bangkok

and I am sure it was much easier here than back in Blighty.

if you present your old passport and a valid reason for wanting a new one (water damage , nearly full etc.etc.) you can get a new passport in one hour at the passport office in peterborough. cost ...about 70 pounds.

if you can wait for 24 hours then its only about 45 pounds.

[roscoe]

Get it done before October or you will need biometrics on passport.I have yet to hear if they are geared up for that at the Embassy.

So anybody intending to renew at the embassy should do it before october, to ensure the same usage you have now 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Can you explain this a bit more?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

It mainly applies to the USA and it's territories,if your passport is ISSUED after October and has no biometrics(retinal scan ect) the usual visa waiver agreement will not apply between the UK and the USA .This will then involve lengthy personnal

attendance at the US embassy to get an entry visa (UK ministers presently in talks to get the october deadline extended but do not count it).Passports ISSUED prior to October will still be subject to the present visa waiver agreement.

More post 9/11 American paranoia.

Edited May 16, 2005 by roscoe

[RDN]

^^ Thanks, Roscoe.

[bino]

It mainly applies to the USA and it's territories,if your passport is ISSUED after October and has no biometrics(retinal scan ect) the usual visa waiver agreement will not apply between the UK and the USA .

This is interesting, and the first I have ever heard of it. I'd like to know more information.

Is the USA the only country that will require the "biometric" passport?

You state that the visa waiver agreement will not apply between UK and USA. Will any other countries / all other countries be in the same situation?

[Rinrada]

Biometric British Passports

Note.These are not the Computer readable type that we (UK-EU)have at the MO.

...

The UKPS is planning to implement a facial recognition image biometric in the British Passport book from late 2005/early 2006. The biometric can be derived from a passport photograph and will be in accordance with international standards.

The facial image biometric will help to counter identity fraud (e.g. duplicate issues), and to verify the identity of the holder against the document. From the introduction of ID cards, all passports for British Citizens will be renewed or issued to the ID card standard.

The UKPS constantly seeks improvements to the security features in the British Passport and in the issuing process. The use of biometric information to link a person to a passport will enhance security. Security features within a passport serve a dual role. Firstly, they allow for detection of counterfeit or manipulated documents and secondly, confirm the identity of the individual.

The UKPS has been supporting the work of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) to develop international standards for biometric deployment. ICAO nominated facial recognition as the primary biometric for travel documents with iris pattern and fingerprint as secondary but not mandatory.

In line with ICAO recommendations, the UKPS will deploy contactless integrated circuit media (i.e. a computer chip) of sufficient capacity to facilitate storage of the facial image and at least one additional biometric identifier. A contactless chip includes an aerial to allow close proximity readings, i.e. without being swiped through a reader.

Modern contactless chips are paper-thin and therefore particularly suited to being incorporated in passport books or passport identity cards

and from the US of A....

US legislation

The US has been routinely fingerprinting and face-scanning foreign visitors since January of this year.

Legislation passed after the September 2001 attacks required foreign countries to create biometric-enabled passports. ...means UZZ

The US requires that all passports issued after 26 October this year have a biometric identifier.

UK citizens with passports issued prior to that date will still be able to go to the US without a visa.

Micro-chipped passports are due to be introduced in the UK in the middle of 2005

[bubblemonkey]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

Funnily enough I just had a look at my passport a couple of days ago and the page with my pic and details on has got some bl*!dy water under it (honest!). I bet it happened when the bloke in Ranong took it from me to get it stamped on the in and out of Maynmar bit

I have just decided to change my flight and stay in LOS for another 4 weeks. I can't face flying back to blighty in 7 days time after 8 months of fun . So it looks like have to do another run to Ranong. I can have a word with that bloke that got my passport wet too

[roscoe]

It mainly applies to the USA and it's territories,if your passport is ISSUED after October and has no biometrics(retinal scan ect) the usual visa waiver agreement will not apply between the UK and the USA .

This is interesting, and the first I have ever heard of it. I'd like to know more information.

Is the USA the only country that will require the "biometric" passport?

You state that the visa waiver agreement will not apply between UK and USA. Will any other countries / all other countries be in the same situation?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I believe it applies to ALL european countrys after October, but I do not know what others it applies to, I must assume it will apply to ALL others .Or the new requirements would be easy to curcumvent.Read this Euro passport requirements hope it helps