UK: Passport applicants will have to attend personal interviews

[rainbow4321]

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2087-2496768,00.html

PASSPORT applicants are facing a looming crisis of delays, inconvenient journeys and “intrusive” personal interviews, according to a leaked Whitehall memo.

They will have to wait up to six times longer for their documents and travel up to 80 miles for face-to-face interviews at passport offices under changes paving the way for the government’s ID cards.

By 2008-9 this requirement will be extended to all those seeking to renew their passports, causing millions greater inconvenience by forcing them to travel to one of 69 new passport offices for face-to-face interviews. The changes are being introduced in preparation for ID cards, which will include biometric data such as fingerprints, eye or facial scans.

Tony Blair has hailed the scheme as the centrepiece of efforts to combat terrorism, illegal immigration and crime. Critics, however, said the memo confirmed their fears that it would be an expensive and bureaucratic system.

[Greeby]

1. Finally got one this year

Haven't been abroad since I was young enough to go on my parents' passports. Won't have to deal with the mess described above till 2016

[jannyk]

2. So will those of us in the US all have to fly

to LA to renew, 'cause that's where they're issued from now?

[TechBear_Seattle]

4. This is in Britain, not the US.

At least, not yet :yoiks:

[jannyk]

6. I know, and I'm a British Passport holder

currently they are only issued from the LA Consulate - none of their other consulates issue passports.

[magellan]

7. Not so, according to the British Embassy US site

They say only the British Embassy in Washington DC issues passports. See BritainUSA Passport & Consular Services.

Surely they'll handle this some other way. Forcing all Brits living in the US to turn up in DC for face-to-face renewal interviews is ludicrous; expecting people to travel potentially hundreds of miles to their nearest consulate isn't much less so.

[jannyk]

8. They must have changed it (again) 'cause mine

was definately issued in LA.

[magellan]

9. Yeah, I got my UK fiancée visa in LA

...back in the early 90s. It was all very straightforward and speedy back then. Now my husband is here so this new rule may mess him up...though getting to DC from FL isn't as bad as from CA!

[muriel_volestrangler]

3. Strangely, The Times reported this 7 months ago

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=191&topic_id=16304

The unlucky burghers of Hay-on-Wye face a trip of 45 miles each way to Newport, their nearest centre - one and a half hours by car, or 2 to 3 by public transport, according to the government's own website. What with waiting, and allowing for delays, they'll have to devote a whole day to this.

No idea what those who live abroad are expected to do. Probably turn up to their nearest consulate - which will be a plane trip for a lot of expats in the US, I'd imagine. There are 9. Tough break for any in Alaska or Hawaii.

[nealmhughes]

5. Hell, they ought to at least get tea with Liz and Phil while they are there.

at least they'd be earning their keep for a change.