Passports

[eastlondonseagull]

Have just got back from a wasted morning at the Passport Agency in Victoria, trying to renew my passport.

It's rammed with visas and stamps from around the world and so I want to keep it for posterity. Nothing wrong with that. But because it's dog-eared, they're saying it's damaged and that it will have to be destroyed! What the f***?!

Why destroy damaged passports but return the others? All old passports, whatever their condition, are cancelled, so what's the f***ing problem?

Officious bitch in their office wouldn't give me an explanation as to why they destroy so-called 'damaged' passports - she just told me it was the law. Why destroy it? All it's got is 10 years of wear and tear.

Am gutted, cos I wanted to keep it to show my future kids where I'd been on my travels etc etc etc. Wankers

 

[Stinkers Bridge]

Am gutted, cos I wanted to keep it to show my future kids where I'd been on my travels etc etc etc. Wankers

You could just tell them

 

[sully]

You should have photocopied it before you went.

 

[London Calling]

you should have recommended one of your dodgy plumbers

 

[eastlondonseagull]

You should have photocopied it before you went.

I've still got the passport, cos they sent me packing to get the forms / photo counter-signed, so I will photocopy it now.

But why destroy it? I why not offer an explanation? I want to keep the original document, not some poxy photocopy.

 

[Cian]

I dunno how strict they are in the UK, but the first time you lose a passport here you just have to pay another 100 quid and get a shouting at from a police officer, so you could "lose" the original.

Second time is a bit more embarrasing (you get a one-year, different coloured "emergency passport") and the third time is even worse (need permission to go further away than the UK each time on a special single-journey document) mind.

 

[The Large One]

My tale. I couldn't say anything because Seagull73 would have read it...

Last Sunday, I took my brother, sister and father to lunch. What I didn't tell them was that it was in Brussels.

Rewind back to the Thursday 10 days before. My partner walked into the room with a purple pulp in her hand. "You're not going to like this." she said. That purple pulp was my passport that had gone through the wash.



So I immediately phoned the passport people, and got through to a completely unhelpful automaton. In order to get a new passport urgently, I needed to make an appointment with my nearest passport office (Victoria), and there wasn't an available slot until the following Wednesday. Then, after that, it would be seven days. No f***ing good.

Cut a long story short, I went to London (I was going anyway for the Seagulls over London meeting), and headed for the Victoria office. They were VERY helpful, and, because my new form had not been countersigned, all I needed to do was get that done, and return 7.45am the next day with the countersignature and they would see me.

Next day, depsite 30 people ahead of me in the queue, I got seen and was out by 8.30am. My passport arrived 4 days later.

The moral is that if I listened to the prat on the phone, I would have been screwed and missed out on my day in Brussels. Instead, I went straight to Victoria and got it sorted by a very helpful bunch of people.

 

[Wardy]

My tale. I couldn't say anything because Seagull73 would have read it...

Last Sunday, I took my brother, sister and father to lunch. What I didn't tell them was that it was in Brussels.

Rewind back to the Thursday 10 days before. My partner walked into the room with a purple pulp in her hand. "You're not going to like this." she said. That purple pulp was my passport that had gone through the wash.



So I immediately phoned the passport people, and got through to a completely unhelpful automaton. In order to get a new passport urgently, I needed to make an appointment with my nearest passport office (Victoria), and there wasn't an available slot until the following Wednesday. Then, after that, it would be seven days. No f***ing good.

Cut a long story short, I went to London (I was going anyway for the Seagulls over London meeting), and headed for the Victoria office. They were VERY helpful, and, because my new form had not been countersigned, all I needed to do was get that done, and return 7.45am the next day with the countersignature and they would see me.

Next day, depsite 30 people ahead of me in the queue, I got seen and was out by 8.30am. My passport arrived 4 days later.

The moral is that if I listened to the prat on the phone, I would have been screwed and missed out on my day in Brussels. Instead, I went straight to Victoria and got it sorted by a very helpful bunch of people.

A very very nice man

 

[Barrel of Fun]

I've still got the passport, cos they sent me packing to get the forms / photo counter-signed, so I will photocopy it now.

But why destroy it? I why not offer an explanation? I want to keep the original document, not some poxy photocopy.

Can you not 'lose' it, now? You will get a replacement and they can't prove that you have kept it. I lost a passport in Fiji and all my stamps etc. with it. I was gutted.

A friend of mine lost about 3 passports in two years, and got some stern words, and was told he would not be eligible for another for five years if he lost it again. So they are strict.


There must be some way around it. That is out of order. I assume a passport would be defaulted if yuou snipped a corner of it.

 

[Dandyman]

Have just got back from a wasted morning at the Passport Agency in Victoria, trying to renew my passport.

It's rammed with visas and stamps from around the world and so I want to keep it for posterity. Nothing wrong with that. But because it's dog-eared, they're saying it's damaged and that it will have to be destroyed! What the f***?!

Why destroy damaged passports but return the others? All old passports, whatever their condition, are cancelled, so what's the f***ing problem?

Officious bitch in their office wouldn't give me an explanation as to why they destroy so-called 'damaged' passports - she just told me it was the law. Why destroy it? All it's got is 10 years of wear and tear.

Am gutted, cos I wanted to keep it to show my future kids where I'd been on my travels etc etc etc. Wankers

You could "ahem" lose it and then apply for a replacement.

 

[eastlondonseagull]

Re: Re: Passports

You could "ahem" lose it and then apply for a replacement.

Could do, I suppose, but wouldn't they have a record of my first application?

Or am I just too honest?!

 

[readingstockport]

Just say you lost the sodding thing and keep hold of it. It's what I always do if there are visas I want to keep for history.

Oops, beaten to it by a couple of mninutes.

Just lie to them, the ghovernment lie to you all the time. Pay them back

 

[Arthur]

Have just got back from a wasted morning at the Passport Agency in Victoria, trying to renew my passport.

It's rammed with visas and stamps from around the world and so I want to keep it for posterity. Nothing wrong with that. But because it's dog-eared, they're saying it's damaged and that it will have to be destroyed! What the f***?!

Why destroy damaged passports but return the others? All old passports, whatever their condition, are cancelled, so what's the f***ing problem?

Officious bitch in their office wouldn't give me an explanation as to why they destroy so-called 'damaged' passports - she just told me it was the law. Why destroy it? All it's got is 10 years of wear and tear.

Am gutted, cos I wanted to keep it to show my future kids where I'd been on my travels etc etc etc. Wankers

Feck!! I've literally just got back in from the post office where I went to buy a stamp to post my passport application. My old passport got damaged by an exploding hip flask during the great toilet battle of Le Havre.

You can still make everything out, it's just got a little bit of a dried paper feel to it oh and stinks of Brandy!

You reckon they'll say it's damaged and therefore return my application?

Better not as I'm off to throw plastic chairs at Germans in a month.

 

[Arthur]

I dunno how strict they are in the UK, but the first time you lose a passport here you just have to pay another 100 quid and get a shouting at from a police officer, so you could "lose" the original.

Excuse me der officer I appear to have mislaid me passport

YE FECKIN EEEEEEEJJIDT. GO STRAIGHT TO FECKIN JAIL, IF YA PASS GO DO NOT COLLECT 200 PUNTS. FECKIN EEEEEEEEJJJJJJJIIIIDT!

Second time is a bit more embarrasing (you get a one-year, different coloured "emergency passport") and the third time is even worse (need permission to go further away than the UK each time on a special single-journey document) mind.

What happens on the fourth and fifth?

I would have thought in a nation renowned for being stupid losing stuff would have been a common occurence?

 

[tedebear]

When I got a new passport my old one just had the bar code cut out of the front cover and had been stamped as cancelled without prejudice?? I've got all my old ones from all my travels!!

 

[Cian]

What happens on the fourth and fifth?

I would have thought in a nation renowned for being stupid losing stuff would have been a common occurence?

If you lose the single-use documents, we leave you where you lost them.

Oh, and considering you're in a country where its considered de rigure not to finish secondary school, I don't think you can talk about "stupid".

 

[eastlondonseagull]

When I got a new passport my old one just had the bar code cut out of the front cover and had been stamped as cancelled without prejudice?? I've got all my old ones from all my travels!!

You bugger

 

[tedebear]

You bugger

of course mine has a emu and a kangaroo on the front too

 

[eastlondonseagull]

of course mine has a emu and a kangaroo on the front too

Grrrr

 

[tedebear]

Grrrr

far more efficient the Australian immigration and visa services