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AIBU?

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Original poster

AIBU to be surprised that when you renew a British Passport, you have to send any passports off you have from other countries?

112 replies

PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 10:05

Just renewing British passport. In the last few years, have gained an Irish passport. I was surprised to find that in order to renew my British passport, I need to send my Irish passport to the British Passport office as well. The only alternative to sending off the Irish passport, is to do a colour photocopy of all the 30+ pages, which would be a massive task.
Is anyone else surprised by this or is it just me? I had thought that one of the advantages to having a second passport is that you can use it when the other one is not available. Yes, I know that I could photocopy the second passport if desperate, but what a faff, and why does the British Passport Office want my Irish passport anyway?

OP posts:
LadyLindaT · 23/01/2025 16:56

I was also told that I shouldn't have declared another passport to save the hassle, but I decided that it wasn't worth the risk. Passports are important things. Making false statements sounded potentially trouble.

HipToTheHopDontStop · 23/01/2025 15:33

EmmaMaria · 23/01/2025 11:51

Well that is the decider then. I have three passports - dual citizen and also Irish - and I was thinking that at my age three passports really aren't necessary and are expensive. British passport is binned when it comes to renewal - I use the other two more anyway!

You can't be.a dual citizen with three different passports...you'd have three citizenships. Your wording implies you don't see the Irish one as a real citizenship?

LemonBossy · 23/01/2025 15:16

They being the passport office 😊

LemonBossy · 23/01/2025 15:13

This happened to my son and they "lost" his other country passport for months. He had to contact his MP to get help to get it back. I'd say the colour photocopies sound pretty good in comparison!

Original poster
PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 15:08

SlipperyLizard · 23/01/2025 15:02

@Tomatotater i expect my DDs will mostly use their Irish ones when they’re older, but only they have them at the moment (I can get one, but haven’t got round to it, DH can’t) and so for our recent holiday I renewed DD’s British one so we’d all have the same.

I have no idea if any eyebrows would be raised at immigration if we had one child with a different passport, but if they were DD would not take it well!

Probably wise not to risk it!

OP posts:
SlipperyLizard · 23/01/2025 15:02

@Tomatotater i expect my DDs will mostly use their Irish ones when they’re older, but only they have them at the moment (I can get one, but haven’t got round to it, DH can’t) and so for our recent holiday I renewed DD’s British one so we’d all have the same.

I have no idea if any eyebrows would be raised at immigration if we had one child with a different passport, but if they were DD would not take it well!

Knowitall69 · 23/01/2025 14:54

PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 10:05

Just renewing British passport. In the last few years, have gained an Irish passport. I was surprised to find that in order to renew my British passport, I need to send my Irish passport to the British Passport office as well. The only alternative to sending off the Irish passport, is to do a colour photocopy of all the 30+ pages, which would be a massive task.
Is anyone else surprised by this or is it just me? I had thought that one of the advantages to having a second passport is that you can use it when the other one is not available. Yes, I know that I could photocopy the second passport if desperate, but what a faff, and why does the British Passport Office want my Irish passport anyway?

I'm sorry.... WHAT?

Having root canal is "a massive job", having a new roof fitted is "a massive job", cylinder head gasket on an E-type Jag is "a massive job" as I can't skim the head as the motor on the big Mill burnt out last week.

Photocopying 30 pages ......

HAVE A WORD!!!!!

GoldenSunflowers · 23/01/2025 14:38

DD had to do this recently. Our home printer was useless, as usual, and I couldn’t find anywhere locally. I’m sure I did some photocopies at a local photo shop years and years ago but that shop’s no longer there, nothing at the Post Office, nothing at Tesco, she was on holiday from Uni so no access there. Where do you even look for this if you don’t have a colour printer at home? I know it’s a 1st world problem when you have 2 passports.

Tomatotater · 23/01/2025 14:23

Do you actually need two passports though? You are still a citizen even if you don't have a passport. My DH got an Irish passport and just hasn't bothered renewing his British passport. He travels on his Irish passport ( which allows all of us to go through the EU queue with him.

Original poster
PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 14:18

SlipperyLizard · 23/01/2025 14:13

That would make sense but, alas, is not an option. It would also be ok if they just wanted the photo page of the other passport, but every page is OTT.

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Agreed!

OP posts:
SlipperyLizard · 23/01/2025 14:13

ILikeDinosaurs · 23/01/2025 12:10

Instead of photocopying could you not scan/photograph the pages of your Irish passport and email them that as a PDF document?

That would make sense but, alas, is not an option. It would also be ok if they just wanted the photo page of the other passport, but every page is OTT.

Precipice · 23/01/2025 13:30

mindutopia · 23/01/2025 13:06

I am a dual national as are my dc. We are always and forever having to send off all the passports to various places. It’s no big deal. I’ve never had a lost passport yet in all this time.

Do you not see the issue in it leaving you passport-less for a period of time that could end up significant? It's all very well to say 'don't do it right before your holiday', but some people have to travel more frequently, e.g. for work.

I think the UK passport procedures are crazy. The other country whose passport I have has this procedure: you go to a passport office (there's going to be one in your city), you sign the form, and only when you collect the passport do they invalidate your previous passport, so you're never left without a passport. They don't care about your other passports either, because they don't care about your other citizenships. No chance of anything getting lost.

mindutopia · 23/01/2025 13:06

I am a dual national as are my dc. We are always and forever having to send off all the passports to various places. It’s no big deal. I’ve never had a lost passport yet in all this time.

CanadianInLondon23 · 23/01/2025 13:00

You cannot have different names in the passports which is why they want to see them. I know that this is often an issue for Europeans who have maiden names included in passports.

Original poster
PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 12:57

I have just checked on Royal Mail tracking that both my passports have arrived at the passport office. Fingers crossed that they will get back to me without any problems!

OP posts:
Chemenger · 23/01/2025 12:48

SlipperyLizard · 23/01/2025 12:01

I recently had to do this to renew DD’s passport as she’s recently got an Irish one, I agree it didn’t take too long to photocopy but it was a faff and I’m not sure what they gained by seeing lots of blank pages! No way was I trusting them with the actual passport.

The Irish passport process doesn’t require you to send your other passports, so I wonder why the UK does?

I did have to send my British passport with my Irish passport application. I don’t know if the same applies to renewal of the Irish one. They had my British passport for weeks, I had to fly to Ireland on my driving licence, so I had to ditch a Ryanair flight and go Aer Lingus because Ryanair needs a passport.

ZZTopGuitarSolo · 23/01/2025 12:44

JHound · 23/01/2025 12:25

Is that a very new thing? I have an Australian passport and they have never requested to see it.

We’ve had to do this for several passports over the last 8 years.

We just photocopy any pages with actual info on them, but not every blank page. It’s never been a problem.

Original poster
PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 12:43

JHound · 23/01/2025 12:25

Is that a very new thing? I have an Australian passport and they have never requested to see it.

Not sure.

OP posts:
Original poster
PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 12:42

coldcallerbaiter · 23/01/2025 11:56

At what point did you admit to it?
On the UK application for a passport? Or before that eg. When you got the Irish one, did you have to report it to the UK authorities?

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Admitted having an Irish passport during the online application for renewal of UK passport. It is one of the questions that they ask.

OP posts:
Original poster
PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 12:38

ILikeDinosaurs · 23/01/2025 12:10

Instead of photocopying could you not scan/photograph the pages of your Irish passport and email them that as a PDF document?

That wasn't offered as an option on the online renewal application process. It's a good suggestion though.

OP posts:
Original poster
PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 12:36

TheCrowPeople · 23/01/2025 11:59

So you've already sent it?

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Yes!

OP posts:
Staringatthemoon · 23/01/2025 12:34

I think that must be why the Irish government also offer the identity card option.it covers you for travel if your passport has been sent off firva visa, etc. Good initiative on their part, imv.

JHound · 23/01/2025 12:25

Is that a very new thing? I have an Australian passport and they have never requested to see it.

ILikeDinosaurs · 23/01/2025 12:10

Instead of photocopying could you not scan/photograph the pages of your Irish passport and email them that as a PDF document?

snowlady4 · 23/01/2025 12:05

Isn't it so the passport office know what passports you have?. If your passport is seized for any reason, legally they need to be aware if people will try to leave the country on one of their other passports.(like if involved in a police investigation/taking children out of the country etc.) Or if they have passports/visas in different names.
You are signing a document to either say you have provided the documents or you don't have them. Unlikely to be revoked, but it can be if you are fraudulent!
I would just do the photocopying, as requested!