Internaut

Moderators,

I'm posting here because this board has the highest concentration of members who'll understand what I'm asking. Please feel free to move (but please, not too soon).

Because I could conceivably travel to incompatible countries (i.e. Israel and any of the gulf states), and sometimes have to apply to a visa in one country, while on business in another, I'm one of the lucky ones who have two British passports. Both are now pretty full*, and I'd like to ask a couple of questions about renewing:

Is there any special procedure for renewing, or can I just renew each passport individually? Secondly, when applying for my second passport, I needed to bring along a covering letter from my manager. Will I need it when renewing, or is it just treated like a normal passport?

* And surprisingly, one ended up with all the passport stamps from countries in need of regime change (eek).

corporate-wage-slave

You can just renew in the normal way, but so long as you have 2 passports you will need to send a covering explanation letter for every renewal. You can leave it out if you wish, just on the off chance they don't ask, but that will risk holding up processing, so I would send it in. If your old passport indeed has a collection of dodgy stamps you should be fine. I don't think Israel does stamps now, if I recall correctly, you get a bus ticket thing instead to get you out of the final gate. Keep that to deal with any hotel VAT nonsense, then chuck it away.

Moriarty

I believe it's just a regular renewal for your primary passport but expect the letter may be necessary for the second passport to show it's still required. You should be able to confirm this by calling the passport office.

V10

Yes - they give you a ticket rather than stamp passports now.

I'd think that now the main driver for having 2 passports is when travelling to countries that take their time processing visas, and you don't want to be unable to travel to other countries in the meantime.

OxfordBlue

I'm not a subject matter expert but follow these things closely because nationality, passports and HMPO performance are of interest to me.

I would have though you can renew each as needed. I wouldn't have thought any special procedures would be required, so I would do the online application to renew in the normal way and send it off. If either are approaching expiry - although I note you said they are full - remember you can have up to 9 months unused validity added to the new one. I take it you also know you can apply for a 48-page passport to delay the fullness problem.

Now is a good time of year to apply, demand is low and turnaround quick. For pictures, I can recommend Paspic - they have some special algorithm for checking the pics will comply and I've never had one refused.

In the "other info" section on the form, I would make mention of the fact you have a second passport, citing the reasons, and quoting its number and issue date. That should prevent any queries or rejections.

FatnLoud

I've renewed both of mine over the last 18 months or so and was not asked for any additional info - it actually never occurred to me that they might, so I just sent them off as normal.

Interesting and potentially contradictory data point. A colleague of mine lost his "second" passport and when he went to get a replacement they required a covering letter.

windowontheAside

But doesn't the application ask if you have any other passports?


I've wondered about this issue so am glad the OP asked the question here.

womble88

I just renewed one of my 2 passports and all I needed to do was include a colour photocopy of my other passport (form actually asks you to send all passports with the application but passport office confirmed it was fine to send a copy given I needed the other one to travel on). Got the new one back within a week!

paulwuk

I renewed both on the same day with the "4 hour" deal, which they failed to meet (took 24 hours). Took both passports in, filled in the forms to get a new one, took in the covering letter. Nothing special, no referal to the other passprt on the form from memory. Hopefully will be a good 3 or 4 years before I need to do it again.

AA_EXP09

or have a client there that can reclaim the VAT for you

Internaut

Thanks everyone. By the sounds of it, renewing both at the same time, with a covering letter, seems to be the most straightforward option. Thanks for noting travel to both Israel and the Gulf states should no longer be an issue. My real reason for wanting two passports is that I don't turn up the border, of a nice country, with a set of stamps an arms dealer or diamond smuggler would be proud of.

mgiarc

I've also renewed a second passport recently and followed the same procedure I followed to obtain the second passport in the first place i.e. enclosed an explanatory letter from my employer. No need to send in your other passport.

leaveamessage

I had to make an urgent phone call from the passport office and get a letter emailed (she wouldn't accept it via fax!) last time I renewed both at the same time. I had the letter with me that I had received via email and printed off, but bizarrely she wouldn't accept it as the signature was printed and not hand signed in ink....it must have been jobsworth day!

I was told that standard policy is that you have to have a cover letter for a renewal of either one (or both), or the other will be cancelled.

I can't comment on whether this is the same if done via mail as I always do the same day/4hr service.

Internaut

Yep - been discussing it at the office today. Our HR person knows what to do. So, late April (after my holiday), I'll be off to Liverpool for a four hour double renewal (always a nice day out, btw).

paulwuk

That's not a valid reason for 2 passports. Don't mention that on your cover letter.

And while Israel no longer stamp at Tel Aviv (I don't know about land borders), they do still anoint you with a hard to remove Israeli security sticker, which will raise flags in some gulf countries.

More to the point, stamps from Saudi, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan, etc. are going to raise questions when you turn up at security in Israel.

Renewing in person is the easiest way of getting any problems sorted. The extra cost of the 4 hour service (£137) over a normal passport (£85.50) seems insignificant compared with 48 pages or 10 years of visas, let alone the travel cost of that.