I guess this is more of a Travel issue than a Visas and Migration issue. Mods: if I'm wrong, please move the post.

I hadn't seen this information on here or any other forums I frequent so here it is FYI.

The British Embassy are now issuing biometric passports (containing the photo information on a chip.) According to the sign in the Consular section, they've been doing this since May 06. A few things to note:

• Currently they can only issue 32 page passports. Jumbo (48 page) passports should be available 'next year' but the guy could not say exactly when
  
• It now takes 10 working days to get a passport. When I got one for our son last year it was about 5 working days so I assume the chip takes longer
  
• The photo requirements are stricter - your face has to meet the size requirements listed on the UK passport website(PDF file). I got a regular passport photo from the Fuji place near my office but my face was too small so I had to go to a photo place across the road from the British Embassy (who knew exactly what size I needed and is probably doing quite nicely out of this requirement...)
  
• 32 page passports are B6825. I can't remember how much it was last year and as it was a child's passport it may have been cheaper anyway. I assume that this price is more expensive than the old non-biometric passport
  
• The biometric part is only your photo so they don't take fingerprints, iris scans, etc. (yet)
  

The application process was pretty painless and fortunately I'll get the passport before I need to travel but it is longer than I'm used to so I'm posting it here to stop anyone else getting caught out!

Cheers Graham, there was a thread back in may when they first started issuing the new passports, can't do any harm to remind everyone though

And who's paying for it , you've guessed it .

"British passports fees to rise by 29% from October"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/5210042.stm