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Just done my UK passport renewal today. They say it takes at least 8 weeks which is so long- which is close to when my visa expires. Has anybody done a renewal recently and how long did it take to get back?
9 years 32 weeks ago in Visa & Legalities - China
I hold EU passport, and it took less than 2 weeks to get new one from Beijing Embassy in 2011. Mine was full/no empty pages.
Your Embassy will send you new passport in time for visa renewal.
If they couldn't, they would advise you to extend your visa first, or return to UK for new passport.
Icnif77 is wrong in respect to UK passport renewals (please mate only comment on things that you actually know about!)
Last year they stopped issuing passports outside the UK so now all expat passport renewals go through the Liverpool office. There is a HUGE backlog. You're looking at a time of at least 8 weeks unless you pay priority. The South China Morning Post had an article on it this week & The Guardian recently covered this as a whistleblower went to them with inside information.
icnif77:
Sorry, I was guessing wrong! I thought UK is in EU already.
I posted reply as comparison between EU and UK, because 8 weeks wait for new book seemed too long.
Hotwater:
Fully agree with you that 8 weeks is too long. The UK have messed up big style with these changes. They claim it is for security when actually it is a cost saving exercise.
steve0sha:
How do you pay priority? There was only 1 option when i applied online and then went to the Shanghai office.
One of many news articles about this: http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2014/jun/11/passport-delays-applicants-long-wait
icnif77:
It can be really PIA, if you plan to exchange passport a month before expiration of visa.
I wonder, what PSB's advice is on that.
Problems in HK & the additional costs incurred: http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1575162/hongkongers-caught-uk-passport-renewal-chaos-fork-out-hk13m
Mine took 10 weeks in total - go for the express service to avoid renewing the working visa & residency permit twice (1 x old passport because of long lead time & 1x when new passport arrives)... Wish I had....
ScotsAlan:
Yup. This is another example of UK Government cost cutting having a detrimental effect on front line service.
The UK Government should allow consulates to charge a premium for renewing passports in foreign lands. But keep the standard cost UK service available.
I reckon if they let me set up a passport renewal office here, I could process them without a premium and still make a decent profit.
I live in Wuhan and did mine on-line. Mainland China was stopped from issuing passport by the UK Passport Office around three years past due to the fact that the British government realised that over 30.000 unissued passport had gone missing throughout China, assumed by the office staff. UK passports are now only issued out of Hong Kong through the British Consulate-General . This can be done rather quickly. I received mine in 18 working days. I found the on-line procedure very simple and secure. Good fast reliable service. The fee for adults in HK dollars $1.626 for a 32 page, $1.963 42 page, and $ 1,036 for a child a return courier fee will also be required or it can be collected in person if you feel like a trip. A downoad of a secured pdf. 4 page C1 form is required to be completed, as is payment by card. www.gov.uk/overseas-passports
Hotwater:
When did you do this? All the news reports (see links above) are saying that UK passports are only printed in the UK now (even though you apply in HK) and that it is taking up to 8 weeks.
onceaknight:
Hi, It was February. Yes UK passports are only printed in the UK I downloaded the C1 form from the internet, along with a seperate secure payment via the direct debt payment authorisation and the usual required document Birth certificate etc. I then sent the forms by courier to the Consulate General in Hong Kong. My new UK passport was return promptly. Maybe it has since changed.
I applied for my renewal on May 20th. They are now saying it should be in Shanghai in a couple of weeks... They are flat out lying about taking 8 weeks, it WILL take longer. For people whos passports are expiring this year the embassy/consulate can approve a one year extension, unless your application for a new passport has already been made.
ScotsAlan:
Yeah. There was an issue a while back because the head of the passports department was saying there was no problems. But a whilstle blower soon provided evidence to contradict that. Hotwater has posted the links.
I would have thought the UK Government would be doing all it could to help Brits living in other countries.... it helps make the immigration/emigration figures look better if we stay away from the UK .
If all the Brits living abroad went back to the UK tomorrow, the Island would sink .
That's what the guidelines are. They have to send the passport back to the UK, process it there and send it back to China.
I would say that the best thing to do would be to travel back to England, get the express service and come back.
OT/ Houblon's 50 British Pounds purchased in China:
I got 400 UK Pounds exchanged in 2014 in Urumqi China Merchants Bank, but I cannot exchange it anywhere in Europe, because Chinese gave me 50 UK Pounds Hublon notes (withdrawn in 2014).
I'll be able to exchange 8 notes at my return to UK in Bank of England.
So much for convenience of traveling with cash.
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2014/jan/16/houblon-50-note-withdrawn