It's been a few years so maybe you can't do this anymore, but my last two passport renewals have been last minute. I just explained that I needed to travel at short notice (next day in one case). Turn up at the Victoria passport office around 3.30pm, get in just before they close. Walk out with a new passport an hour or two later.

→ Posted by: Manar at November 25, 2005 7:17 PM

Although it seems a pain, it can avoid bigger pain.

A similarly trivial thing happened with my passport and I didn't have time to replace it.

For some reason I ended up flagged on a US Immigration database that clearly said 'every time this guy enters the country make him sit in a crowded waiting room for an hour or so then send him on his way and mutter something about the damn database needing updating.'

→ Posted by: russell at November 26, 2005 2:27 PM

No, Tom, it's not a pain in the arse; living outside London (or one of the cities with a big passport office) and then needing a fast renewal is a pain in the arse.

→ Posted by: nick at November 26, 2005 5:51 PM

My passport recently expired when I was looking the other way. Time goes so fast. Luckily I'm not going anywhere interesting for a while, but I'm not looking forward to having more passport pics taken.

→ Posted by: Kat at November 27, 2005 3:30 PM

Prior to Xtech05 this year I had the same problem, make sure your pictures are good, you'll need a solicitor to verify that they really are a likeness of you and bring evidence of prior arranged flight and they should do it. The coffee place opposite is good for a snack...

→ Posted by: Gavin Bell at November 27, 2005 9:04 PM

Apparently waiting all day in the passport office is soul destroying.

→ Posted by: Tom at November 27, 2005 11:31 PM

Let's see your passport photos then dude

→ Posted by: Hayduke at November 28, 2005 2:42 AM

i've just attempted to re-do my passport
Application was sent back as i was smiling in the photo, which is apparently against the law here.

→ Posted by: sue at November 28, 2005 10:00 AM

Yes, but it's better than being shut in that little room at the generous hospitality of the US Immigration officers, is it not? I am also on that secret database of "hey, give that girl the hustle every time she crosses our borders" even though I have a US passport. It's best to avoid said database if at all possible. 89 pounds seems a reasonable price for such a service.

→ Posted by: inky circus at November 29, 2005 12:09 PM

Also, if you want UK passport people to be helpful, it helps if you're not Black.

Otherwise your passport application may be refused for such important reasons as a signature being slightly over the line...

→ Posted by: Martin Wisse at November 30, 2005 9:05 AM

Then there's the loveliness of having a new super-duper chipped passport I presume? Find an RFID reader and see what's saying about you...

→ Posted by: Mr K at November 30, 2005 1:40 PM

Just spent a week travelling round Bosnia... on arrival at Sarajevo airport the immigration officers kept me waiting for about 30 mins while they examined my passport- the front cover has been folded back too many times, with the result that the plastic overlay on the photo page was slightly detached so it looks like it may have been tampered with. Luckily they let me through :-)

→ Posted by: sas at December 5, 2005 12:06 PM

i want any to help me because i like uk wen i was small

→ Posted by: mohamed said mohamed at December 28, 2005 1:43 AM