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Passports-Another Great British Rip Off
- Thread starter Nibble
- Start date
coventrygull
the right one
I thought you didn't need a passport when entering this country 
eastlondonseagull
Well-known member
Oooh, be careful if your old one's dog-eared, cos you won't get it back 
Superseagull
Well-known member
- Jul 8, 2003
- 2,122
The fun starts when the little chip in the passport fails before the passport has expired. I understand that the chip is only warrantied for 3 years, so if it fails after that you have to buy another passport, plus have your holiday ruined when you turn up at passport control and it does not work.
sir albion
New member
I paid £18 10 year ago,but just renewed and boy its a rip off,time you get your photo's etc its £75
But no point in whinging as its a must
But no point in whinging as its a must
Rusco
New member
I consider myself to be well versed on this subject, especially after my passport interview on the BBC Breakfast programme
You can thank the Americans for the price rises in passports, as they have driven through the changes to the international air travel standards, which has resulted in the biometric passport. If the Americans had had their way, we wouldn't have one biometric (facial recognition) on our passports but three and that would have seen a huge price hike.
As mentioned on this thread earlier, from June this year first time applicants will have to attend an interview to get their passport, this is designed so that fraudsters who apply for passports to cheat the benefit system etc. will more than likely not bother, this has been proven in other parts of the world, even down under I think.
The problem with these technological advances and extra security requirements is that the cost of the passport goes up and as the Identity and Passport Service is a self funding government department, the costs have to get passed on to the applicants.
as for the Post Office checking service it is a good service and may not be beneficial to you if you're used to completing forms for what ever reason, but there are plenty of people out there who find this a difficult task and therefore rely on this service to ensure their application has gone off meeting the cursory check that is provided over the PO counter. Did you know that 25% of all passports that are taken in directly from applicants through the post get returned to them because of one error or other. Those that go through the PO (over half of all applicants each year) only 1% have an error that have to be corrected, so pretty conclusive evidence that the service does work for some.
You can thank the Americans for the price rises in passports, as they have driven through the changes to the international air travel standards, which has resulted in the biometric passport. If the Americans had had their way, we wouldn't have one biometric (facial recognition) on our passports but three and that would have seen a huge price hike.
As mentioned on this thread earlier, from June this year first time applicants will have to attend an interview to get their passport, this is designed so that fraudsters who apply for passports to cheat the benefit system etc. will more than likely not bother, this has been proven in other parts of the world, even down under I think.
The problem with these technological advances and extra security requirements is that the cost of the passport goes up and as the Identity and Passport Service is a self funding government department, the costs have to get passed on to the applicants.
as for the Post Office checking service it is a good service and may not be beneficial to you if you're used to completing forms for what ever reason, but there are plenty of people out there who find this a difficult task and therefore rely on this service to ensure their application has gone off meeting the cursory check that is provided over the PO counter. Did you know that 25% of all passports that are taken in directly from applicants through the post get returned to them because of one error or other. Those that go through the PO (over half of all applicants each year) only 1% have an error that have to be corrected, so pretty conclusive evidence that the service does work for some.
Lord Bracknell
On fire
The government could just as easily set the objectives of the Passport Agency as requiring them to work within a different budget.Rusco said:
They could decide to reduce the price of passports to a fiver.
Or the government could demand that the Agency made a huge profit. Passports might cost £300.
The same reasoning applies to Identity Cards.
If the state wants a high-tech solution, and the electorate agrees, the taxpayer should pay for it.
I reckon if high-tech compulsory ID cards were free, most people would support the idea.
Cian
Well-known member
Lord Bracknell said:
I'd like you to say that to a room full of No2ID members
No way IN HELL would I take compulsary state ID. As it is I usually have one or two items of state ID on me (driving licence/passport), but they are OPTIONAL, and thats the point
captainmorganrum
Wrexham
MYOB said:
What he said!
Lord Bracknell
On fire
I see where you're coming from. But I think you are in a minority. Free compulsory ID cards would be favoured by a majority of the population, even though they'd be bitterly opposed by a significant number of refuseniks.MYOB said:I'd like you to say that to a room full of No2ID members
No way IN HELL would I take compulsary state ID. As it is I usually have one or two items of state ID on me (driving licence/passport), but they are OPTIONAL, and thats the point
Cian
Well-known member
Lord Bracknell said:
I'd seriously suggest you re-evaluate that statement before using it politically, oh future MP Bassford.... theres significantly more objections to ID cards on grounds OTHER than cost than you appear to be accepting.