** ALL ** Passport Related Questions in here! Please Read Post#1 first!

AGC

WoollyRedHat wrote: »

Hello, if someone can please help me or advise me. This summer I lost a third passport, having lost the previous one last year, and then another one was robbed about five years prior to that. The passport I lost this time had already been a restricted 2 year passport
I had to apply for an emergency travel document to get home.

I'm just wondering what should be my next move now? What are the chances that I will just get another restricted 2 year passport, or could it be worse than that? Would I be best e-mailing the office and seeking clarification? I don't want to have to go through the rigours of a passport application, including the monetary loss, only to be informed I will not be granted another passport, with a potential delay up to 5 years.

My other option is to try and apply for a British passport as my mother was born there. Is this my best option, or should I proceed with a new Irish passport application?

Thanks

You will get another restricted one and they may ask you in for a chat before issueing it.

ToadVine

I've been having problems finding out if I qualify for a UK passport, and I've also been getting conflicting information on this.

I was born in London in 1967 to Irish parents. We came back to Ireland to live permanently in 1968. I have a UK birth cert, and I currently hold a full Irish passport.

So do I qualify for a UK passport? And what are the advantages of holding both Irish and UK passports?

Batgurl

Flicking through my passport and something has just occurred to me.

I flew to the East Coast last year and went through immigration in Ireland - passport stamped admitted, all fine.

When I was leaving I departed via an internal flight to San Francisco and a connecting flight to New Zealand.

Because my flight to SFO was domestic I didn't have to go through passport control and the way SFO is set up, once you land you can go straight to your terminal without needing to go through any security.

So technically I never "checked out" of the USA. I've doubled checked my passport and their is definately no departed stamp. I've been to a few others countries since and no one has even noticed it.

Is this going to be an issue for me in future if I want to return to the USA? Has anyone else not had a departed stamp in their passport?

coylemj

They don't stamp your passport when you exit and never did, either the airline check-in clerk or US Immigration used to just extract the stub of the entry visa but now that it's all electronic they don't even do that.

Somebody must have looked at your passport in SFO, even if it was only an airline employee, to make sure that you were good for entry to NZ, otherwise they (the airline) would have had the expense of bringing you back to SFO.

So I find it hard to accept that you left the US without showing your passport to someone??

But if you really want to avoid any difficulties next time you present for entry, bring some credit card bills to show that you have been out of the US since the date you left and the stamps of other countries in your passport will also prove that you did leave and have been out of the US, in particular your entry stamp to NZ will establish the date you left the US because leaving before the 90 days expired is important.

Batgurl

Thanks for the quick reply.

It was that long ago I couldn't be 100% sure but I know for definate that I didnt have to go through like an immigration queue or anything.

I believe my passport was scanned when I boarded the plan but would that suffice to notify homeland security that I was leaving the country?

Every other country Ive been to stamp you in and stamp you out. Just seems strange that I was stamped in but not out...

hdowney

ToadVine wrote: »

I've been having problems finding out if I qualify for a UK passport, and I've also been getting conflicting information on this.

I was born in London in 1967 to Irish parents. We came back to Ireland to live permanently in 1968. I have a UK birth cert, and I currently hold a full Irish passport.

So do I qualify for a UK passport? And what are the advantages of holding both Irish and UK passports?

Yes you would qualify I would have thought. You are British, you have a British birth cert. As to the advantages. Hmm. I have both and I don't know of many advantages other than British have better access to commonwealth countries (some not all) than Irish I think (but don't quote me on thaT)

coylemj

ToadVine wrote: »

I was born in London in 1967 to Irish parents. We came back to Ireland to live permanently in 1968. I have a UK birth cert, and I currently hold a full Irish passport.

If you were born in the UK before 1 January 1983, you are almost certainly a British citizen. The only exception is if you were born to certain diplomatic staff of foreign missions who had diplomatic immunity.

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/britishcitizenship/othernationality/Britishcitizenship/borninukorqualifyingterritory/

ToadVine wrote: »

So do I qualify for a UK passport?

Yes, according to the UK Border Agency you are a British citizen so you qualify for a British passport.

ToadVine wrote: »

And what are the advantages of holding both Irish and UK passports?

These days probably none. Before the US allowed the Irish in under the visa waiver program, there was an advantage to having a UK passport because it meant you didn't have to apply for a visa to go to the US but that's gone now.

Most third countries apply a common set of entry conditions for all EU passport holders so I don't believe there is any advantage in holding a UK passport.

One small practical bonus in having two passports is that provided they don't expire at the same time, you're pretty much guaranteed to always having a current passport so you won't get caught out discovering that your passport has expired a day or so before you travel!

who the fug

What coylemj says is correct, there use to be an advantage when visiting Bahrain, UAE and Oman, which is why I got mine.

But now both passports are six of one and half a dozen of the other


One possible advantage is Saudi Arabia, as work visas are issued in a block and the Saudi company are more likely to have a space on their UK block visa instead of the their Irish one

coylemj

who the fug wrote: »

What coylemj says is correct, there use to be an advantage when visiting Bahrain, UAE and Oman, which is why I got mine.

But now both passports are six of one and half a dozen of the other


One possible advantage is Saudi Arabia, as work visas are issued in a block and the Saudi company are more likely to have a space on their UK block visa instead of the their Irish one

That's a good point (I know, mutual back slapping!), if you're thinking of going to a country that has quotas for work visas based on country of origin then having multiple passports allows you to use the one that on a given day increases your chances...

hdowney

coylemj wrote: »

That's a good point (I know, mutual back slapping!), if you're thinking of going to a country that has quotas for work visas based on country of origin then having multiple passports allows you to use the one that on a given day increases your chances...

The only downside there is if you have to have been resident in a country before applying for the visa. Such as the Canada IEC WHV. You have to have a passport and be resident in the country to apply (hence why I had to get an Irish passport - cos I live here and can't use the British one) which can be a bit annoying

coylemj

Batgurl wrote: »

Thanks for the quick reply.

It was that long ago I couldn't be 100% sure but I know for definate that I didnt have to go through like an immigration queue or anything.

I believe my passport was scanned when I boarded the plan but would that suffice to notify homeland security that I was leaving the country?

Every other country Ive been to stamp you in and stamp you out. Just seems strange that I was stamped in but not out...

The US don't seem to have the same obsessive interest in checking you when you're leaving the country as other countries do but if the passport was scanned then it's almost certain that Homeland Security was notified.

When I was on my first trip to the US in 1986, I never met anyone from US Immigration when leaving but I discovered that the Aer Lingus check-in lady had extracted the stub of the visa that had been stapled into my passport on entering the country, Aer Lingus then passed the stubs back to the immigration people so my exit was recorded even though no US official checked me on my departure.

Look at your passport, the NZ folk should have stamped your entry so there's the proof that you need that you left the US.

Mr Simpson

AFAIK, the airline passes all passenger details to Customs & Border Protection, who then log you in their system as having left the country.

Kotek Besar

ToadVine wrote: »

I've been having problems finding out if I qualify for a UK passport, and I've also been getting conflicting information on this.

I was born in London in 1967 to Irish parents. We came back to Ireland to live permanently in 1968. I have a UK birth cert, and I currently hold a full Irish passport.

So do I qualify for a UK passport? And what are the advantages of holding both Irish and UK passports?

Yup, you're British.

One advantage of being a British citizen resident in Ireland is that you can marry a pomegranate and have him live with you in Ireland without much hassle or any fee.

JamBur

Hi guys,

I'm thinking of going to New York for a week in late November\early December. The only worry I have is that my passport expires in Feb 2013. Would this be an issue?

I've been looking around online, but am finding conflicting answers

Maggie 2

If memory serves me correct, you need 6 months on your passport, so you'd be better off renew it now.

Mr Simpson

Maggie 2 wrote: »

If memory serves me correct, you need 6 months on your passport, so you'd be better off renew it now.

Nope, the US will offer a visa waiver up until your expiration date (max 90 days). This means you can stay in the US until the expiry date on your PP or expiry on the waiver, whichever is first.

newmug

Who can apply for a British passport? AFAIK Irish people can vote in Britian, does that count for anything? Also, what if you bought a house up the North, or even just rented there for a while?

Raladic

http://dublin.usembassy.gov/mrpassports.html doesn't say anything about 6 months, I think this isn't required to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver program (but for travelling to most EU countries), but you could just call the embassy to double confirm.

JamBur

Most information I can find online says that it doesnt need any validity beyond intended duration of stay

UK Gov advice

US embassy in Dublin, not very clear

JamBur

Maggie 2 wrote: »

If memory serves me correct, you need 6 months on your passport, so you'd be better off renew it now.

Trying to avoid this, have very little spare time at the moment to even get something like this done

Raladic wrote: »

http://dublin.usembassy.gov/mrpassports.html doesn't say anything about 6 months, I think this isn't required to travel to the US under the Visa Waiver program (but for travelling to most EU countries), but you could just call the embassy to double confirm.

I was reading that as well, seems a bit unclear

coylemj

There is no issue if you intend to return before your passport expires. I travelled to the US last Thanksgiving (Nov 2011) on a passport which was set to expire in Jan. 2012, the agent didn't even draw my attention to it and I was approved for entry.

Instead of a 90 day visa, you will be given a visa which expires in Feb 2013.

Here is the official answer to your question, I have emboldened the relevant sentence which should reassure you....

Validity of Irish/EU Passports

In most cases, to enter the United States, you must have a passport that is valid for at least six months after the date you enter. However, the United States has an agreement with some countries (including Ireland) that allows you to enter on a current passport up to the actual date of expiration. An Irish passport need remain valid only for the duration of the holder's stay in the United States.

However, if you are traveling visa-free on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) and your passport is valid for less than 90 days, you will be admitted only until the date on which the passport expires. If the passport is not valid for the duration of your stay, you will be required to apply for a new passport from your Embassy while in the U.S.

http://dublin.usembassy.gov/consular/validity-of-irish/eu-passports.html

coylemj

newmug wrote: »

Who can apply for a British passport? AFAIK Irish people can vote in Britian, does that count for anything? Also, what if you bought a house up the North, or even just rented there for a while?

Irish people have had rights of residency and the right to vote in GB under the UK Ireland Act 1949 since we became a Republic in 1949. That in itself does not grant someone from the south the right to British citizenship.

On the issue of how you might achieve the necessary qualifications for British citizenship, start here...

http://britishembassyinireland.fco.gov.uk/en/help-for-british-nationals/passports/passports-eligibility

JamBur

thanks very much for that!

Kotek Besar

newmug wrote: »

Who can apply for a British passport? AFAIK Irish people can vote in Britian, does that count for anything? Also, what if you bought a house up the North, or even just rented there for a while?

Renting a house in a country for a while entitles you to be a citizen? Jaysus don't tell the asylum seekers..

watermark

just an update, have rang the passport office twice in the last week. On Tuesday, lady said not to worry. It will go through in time. Give us a ring on Thursday if you havnt heard anything. But ill put it down for collection on Monday.

Today I was told that I more than likely wont have it by Tuesday, and she said sorry about that. Emergency passports only for funerals/medical emergencies. Even though website says immediate travel is enough to get a rush on.

Pissed off.

an_damhan

watermark wrote: »

just an update, have rang the passport office twice in the last week. On Tuesday, lady said not to worry. It will go through in time. Give us a ring on Thursday if you havnt heard anything. But ill put it down for collection on Monday.

Today I was told that I more than likely wont have it by Tuesday, and she said sorry about that. Emergency passports only for funerals/medical emergencies. Even though website says immediate travel is enough to get a rush on.

Pissed off.

Hi Watermark,

Did you apply via passport express?
I applied for my son's passport 9 days ago and it's still not showing on their system. I'm due to travel on Weds morning.

Can't get through to the PP office on the phone and they are not responding to my emails today....

We were told by both the PP office and the post office that the service was running as normal and that we would receive the passport back within 10 days....

I will be getting on the local Labour/FG guys if I don't hear back soon...

watermark

an_damhan wrote: »

Hi Watermark,

Did you apply via passport express?
I applied for my son's passport 9 days ago and it's still not showing on their system. I'm due to travel on Weds morning.

Can't get through to the PP office on the phone and they are not responding to my emails today....

We were told by both the PP office and the post office that the service was running as normal and that we would receive the passport back within 10 days....

I will be getting on the local Labour/FG guys if I don't hear back soon...

no i made a balls of the application, is sent it to PExpress Office by regular post!! serious cock-up. i emailed 3 weeks ago, no reply! dont hold you're breath there.

I rang the PO 3 times and was on hold for 40, 15 and 25 mins respectively. Each person told me different things; u shud be grand, thats down for collection on monday so should be fine, and today....sorry doubt that will be ready!

I just want a straight feckin answer. I showed proof of travel at the office last tuesday and was told it would be sorted. No movement on the tracking.

I rang a local TD (Waterford) and was told he tried to rush his daughters passport (through a fellow TD) with no luck. Im fit to cry tbh!

an_damhan

Ah balls, that doesn't sound good, think I'll take a trip into town in the morning so and start pushing...

watermark wrote: »

no i made a balls of the application, is sent it to PExpress Office by regular post!! serious cock-up. i emailed 3 weeks ago, no reply! dont hold you're breath there.

I rang the PO 3 times and was on hold for 40, 15 and 25 mins respectively. Each person told me different things; u shud be grand, thats down for collection on monday so should be fine, and today....sorry doubt that will be ready!

I just want a straight feckin answer. I showed proof of travel at the office last tuesday and was told it would be sorted. No movement on the tracking.

I rang a local TD (Waterford) and was told he tried to rush his daughters passport (through a fellow TD) with no luck. Im fit to cry tbh!

watermark

i know, wicked upset about it all. the lady in the office said id be sorted tho, thats my main frustration. that and the fact i f**ked up in the first place!:mad:

i will either post from waterford or lanzarote on tuesday evening......hoping:)

Memnoch

A couple of questions.

Firstly, is there any validity to the 'issue' date on the passport tracking website? It says 25/9/2012, how accurate is this in terms of actual processing time? Or is it just something that the computer automatically puts up?

Secondly, I'm applying as a first time applicant on the basis of naturalisation. I initially went to the passport office to apply there, they were unhappy with my birth cert, even though it was original and told me I had to get a new one from the embassy of the country I was born in. The rest of my docs were fine. I got the birth cert and sent the application in by express this time as they said at the office it was 20 working days if you applied in person.

The problem is that I only realised on the morning of posting it via passport express that the lady at the counter had scrawled on the application form. Basically when she had taken it to the supervisor. It's very small, on the top right of the first page of the form, barely legible. Something like 'Query LFBC, name of his parents.'

I wish I had done a new form but I would have had to get four new photos and go to the garda station again etc etc, so I just posted it.

Is there likely to be a problem because of this tiny scrawl on top of the form by the passport counter lady? Is the person who receives the application going to be confused or something? (since they won't know who did that scrawl or why though I'm guessing they'll recognise the jargon)

I'm not due to travel till november but I need the passport a couple weeks before to get a visa so I don't really have a lot of leeway if they mess me around.

Should I ring them tomorrow morning to let them know of this in advance? I have a bad feeling they're going to make me submit the application again because someone has written on the form outside of the margins.