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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:
UnhappyAndYouKnowIt · 23/01/2025 10:22

My daughters have dual passports. I photocopied every page rather than send the actual passports. They cost way too much money to trust them to a postal service and a big office.

Semiramide · 23/01/2025 10:20

My husband I have (different) secondary nationalities.
I sent in colour copies of all pages.
He sent a B&W copy of the bio page.
Both were renewed without problems.
Don't overthink this.

Original poster
PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 10:19

Completelyjo · 23/01/2025 10:17

A photocopy is literally seconds per page.

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Not on my printer/copier it isn't! Goodness only knows how much it would cost to do that many colour photocopied pages if I paid for someone to do it or did it in Boots!

OP posts:
Completelyjo · 23/01/2025 10:17

PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 10:16

It's over 30 pages long, so hardly a five minute task!
I now wish I just hadn't admitted having the Irish Passport now as many of you have suggested!

Edited
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A photocopy is literally seconds per page.

Original poster
PassportQuestionxoxo · 23/01/2025 10:16

Everythingisnumbersnow · 23/01/2025 10:13

Well it's expensive if you have to pay for colour print

Still don't know why anyone would bother it's not like they can refuse you a passport if you don't

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It's over 30 pages long, so hardly a five minute task!
I now wish I just hadn't admitted having the Irish Passport now as many of you have suggested!

OP posts:
Everythingisnumbersnow · 23/01/2025 10:13

Completelyjo · 23/01/2025 10:11

How is photocopying a passport a massive task? It’s realistically 5 minutes work.

Well it's expensive if you have to pay for colour print

Still don't know why anyone would bother it's not like they can refuse you a passport if you don't

Completelyjo · 23/01/2025 10:11

How is photocopying a passport a massive task? It’s realistically 5 minutes work.

LadyLindaT · 23/01/2025 10:10

Like you, I was surprised that I had to supply my other passport to renew the British one. I was very reluctant to do so, especially when we were in and out of lockdown, as I worried if I would ever see it again. I was not offered the option to supply a photocopy. In the end, I sent it, and it was returned surprisingly quickly!

Everythingisnumbersnow · 23/01/2025 10:09

I wouldn't bother either (but tragically don't have one)

Panickingnowhelp · 23/01/2025 10:08

I'd be very worried they'd lose it, having dealt with the incompetent passport office myself.
For me it would be worth the faff and cost of photocopying each page.

KrisAkabusi · 23/01/2025 10:08

How do they even know you have one? I wouldn't bother.

Semiramide · 23/01/2025 10:07

I know it says you 'have to' send in other pass8ports.

But you don't. Just send a copy of the bio page.