General Chat

It's a couple of years since I got a new passport but I fronted up at the Passport Office myself as it is in walking distance for me.

I expected simply to hand everything in but they were checking items over if you wanted to make sure that everything was acceptable. I was happy about that because I had always had a photo taken by a photographer and this time I had used the booth in the Co-op so was not sure that I had done everything the PO wanted.

The level of security surprised me - it ought not to have done so but it was reassuring that it was so. Saved me the postage too!

No pressing bells at the moment, Rollo, back of the hand rap is safer. Delivery drivers knock really hard, by the way. No one has pressed our doorbell since lockdown began - all have rapped on the door, as I did on my neighbours when I dropped some thing on her doorstep for her last week.

I wish the Brexit supporters would list the advantages we get from Brexit, other than the meaningless "taking back control" and "making our own trade deals" (which we seem to be struggling with).

Some of the advantages of a UK passport in a brexit world:

1. no longer possible to take family pets on holiday outside of the UK
2. EHICS European Health Insurance Scheme lapses 1.1.2021
additional health insurance essential, expensive for those over 60
3. driving licenses may not be recognised , Intl Licence needed
4. standard car insurance insufficient. shell out for a green card
5. UK Govt may decide against pension index linking
6. long queues at airports, boarding ferries
7. duty free limits likely to return
8. If working in the EU strong poss. that professional qualifications will no longer be recognised
9. End of some or all property rights depending on country.
France is already cancelling UK residence permits for people who have been living in the country for yonks; Spain is ok
10. Younger members of the family will be denied parrticipation in Erasmus
11. No accurate GPS with Galileo
12. End of free phone roaming.
13. Nasty s-tty color to the passport def not blue.
14. Quick passage from the airport terminal somewhat edged out by 14 days quarantine.

UK Govt is trying to neg. some of the above but with no sign of success so far.

My passport, which is a nasty maroony colour, has been in a nice dark blue sleeve since the day it arrived!

Hmmm the plots, as she says thickens!

Well hitherto Dundee was unknown to me for passport matters.
In the past mine has been issued from Petty France, Newport, consular (Middle East, Paris ). Marsham Street was hq of the Transport ministry for many years.

It is an evil not quite black color the same as one of my father's passports issued in Cape Town. The brexit boys claim that it is blue (?).

I have put it in a sleeve which has a nice magenta cover.

Delivery was quite spectacular - two TNT messengers dressed up in Wells Fargo style uniforms banging heavily on the door at 8am - I thought I was about to be arrested for something or the other. There is a large brass bell push but they couldn't use that for some reason. Possibly the hammering is now the usual way for any Home Office employee or agent.

No country for old men.

"HMPO's headquarters is co-located with the Home Office at 2 Marsham Street and it has seven regional offices around the UK, in London, Glasgow, Belfast, Peterborough, Liverpool, Newport and Durham"

It was processed in Dundee, Scotland.
I had wondered if BrightSolid had got in on the act.
Bit of a trek from Peterboro'.

I'm in peterborough so I could run up and give 'em a shake-up..


certs from the passport office???

some kind of rogue operation? wonder if the GRO know.....

Requested a cert at the end of July. It took three weeks and three days
So things seem to be looking up.

Contrary to rumours about long delays my new UK passport arrived today only 10 days after application. Not that I can go anywhere v much.

The cover is super optimistic , expecting Scotland, England and N.I. still to be in a union ten years hence, The reverse is embossed with national symbols so as to emphasize the point.

I wonder if they can now get up to speed with BMI certs - the last one I asked for took five weeks.