Child passport charge

[PigeonPie]

When we got DS1's passport five years ago I'm sure we paid the full price and then it would be renewed without charge after five years when we have to replace the photo.

However, I've just looked at the passport charges website and it appears we now have to pay.

Did I dream that we paid the full price (of course I can't find that documentation) or has it been like this for years?

We're about to renew DS1's passport and we have to pay £49 and I'm rather .

Thanks.

I think you dreamt it. But try living abroad - if you have to renew via the consulate it costs a LOT more! I have known families find it more cost effective to go to London on the Eurostar.....

I think you might have dreamt it as I have always thought child passports lasted 5 years and then you needed new ones. Does seem unfair they cost more per year than adult ones (and wondering whether to renew DS and DD's which are coming up to 5 years old)

You dreamt it. I am have just renewed The DS's passports and have paid both times. In fact, DS1 is nearly 14 and when he is 16 he needs an adult one and I will have to pay again...

Oh well thanks folks - must have been in my sleep deprived time when DS1 was only six months old!

Portofino - you know, the funny thing is that DH used to be in the FCO and apparently they used to get the Paris Consulate to do the office ones because it was cheaper than getting the passport office to do them - but this was a loooong time ago!

DH/DD renewed theirs through the consulate in Paris last year. I can assure you it was NOT cheaper

Ah yes but this was in the days when they did it 'in house' as it were so it was just their admin rather than paying the Agency to do it.

But I am talking almost 20 years ago!

PP

I also bought DS's passport 5 years ago and I am sure that it was sold as a 10 year passpor ha you just updated with a new photo. It is now clear that this was not the case from 1998 onwards but having googled there are many of us from 2005 who were told the same

You've always had to pay to renew after 5 years as it isn't just the photo.

We just renewed ds' after 5 years and he only has another 5 year one by which time he'll be 18 and could get a 10 year.

DD got her first passport aged 10 days. It cost the same as an adult one and was valid for five years. Her next one was renewed in Bangkok and we are just about to apply for her third.
The cost, IMO is unjustifiable, as Porto said, the Belgian ones go to Paris and must be couriered back.

Ben10isthespawnofthedevil - thank you. Maybe I wasn't going mad after all.

Now do I contact the Passport Agency and ask?

No point.

They almost hung up on me when I called to ask as I was so sure and they were so sure that I was wrong!

Thanks - oh well, I'll just have a !

and hope that we aren't paying one and a half times for a new passport for DS1.

It costs more to get passports via the consulates overseas because the FCO's operation is more expensive than IPS's (for lots of reasons). But there's no profit in it, just covers the costs.

But in recent years there has been much more flexibility in the system. For example, I think you can apply to renew if you have anything under 12 months' validity left in your old one and you don't lose out, so if you have 11 months left, your new one will be for 10 years and 11 months. And, if you know in advance when you're going to be in the UK, you can make an appointment with IPS to get it while you're visiting instead of having to do it via a consulate.

FCO get theirs via Paris because they get them for free instead of having to pay IPS (staff don't pay if they need passports for their work, which, obviously, the majority of FCO staff do).

Alas I'm afraid I agree, you were dreaming. I got ds' passport at 3 months and would definitely have paid full whack if it would have reduced the charge when I renewed last year.

Still, quite glad we're not now travelling with him on a photo of a 3 month old when he's nearly 6! Esp as customs officers tend to pronounce his full name (which he doesn't use) in a European style and he looks round like "who are you talking about" - hey ho.