# When applying for a new passport do they take your current one?



## casiopea (13 Apr 2011)

Hi guys,
I will be home and was thinking of renewing my passport in the Dublin passport office rather than going via the irish consulate in switzerland.  Ive been reading the passport office homepage and it is not clear to me if when you apply for a new passport (mine will expire in September) do they take your current one? If they do I wont be able to travel back to Switzerland.

Thanks in advance
cas


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## Kerry Gooner (13 Apr 2011)

Yes they take it with your application but return it with your new passport ten days later if you use passport express from an post


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## casiopea (13 Apr 2011)

Thanks Kerry,
That rules out that approach so - Im only home for a week.
Off to the irish consulate in Basel I go!
Cas


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## Time (13 Apr 2011)

It will take 6 weeks that way.


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## horusd (13 Apr 2011)

They cancel the existing passport, and return the cancelled document. Given your circumstances they might be flexible about this. Maybe give em a call (tho their phone service is terrible) or send an email.  Worth a shot if it's more convenient.


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## 26cb (13 Apr 2011)

Not entirely true....they look for a photocopy of the ID page to be submitted with your application and ask you to return your old one for cancellation when the new one arrives...I am just goint through this at the moment.


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## horusd (13 Apr 2011)

26cb said:


> Not entirely true....they look for a photocopy of the ID page to be submitted with your application and ask you to return your old one for cancellation when the new one arrives...I am just goint through this at the moment.


 
Fair enuf. That's a recent change then. They took my one off me, maybe I'm just a bit dodgey looking!


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## Bronte (13 Apr 2011)

You just explain that you are travelling and they will make a photocopy. I live abroad and that's what happened to me.

Also depending on the circumstances they can issue emergency passports, or temporary passports or travel documents. The important thing is to find out , in writing, from your local embassy, consular office etc.


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## Newbie! (13 Apr 2011)

I went to the guards last night to get my new form signed and had my two new pictures. They told me that new regulations stipulated that you now have to submit four pictures to passport office so wouldnt sign my husbands as he only had two. I cannot find this anywhere online. Has anyone else had this problem?


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## purpeller (13 Apr 2011)

Yeah, I know someone that happened to last week: 4 photos now apparently.


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## Tintagel (13 Apr 2011)

Newbie! said:


> I went to the guards last night to get my new form signed and had my two new pictures. They told me that new regulations stipulated that you now have to submit four pictures to passport office so wouldnt sign my husbands as he only had two. I cannot find this anywhere online. Has anyone else had this problem?


 
Form says two photos. Local garda says four photos. Form says that garda not to stamp passport photo on back. Garda proceeds to stamp passport photos on back. Only in Ireland....


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## Time (13 Apr 2011)

They must be wanting to build a dossier on people hence all the extra photos.

Like in the USA when a person gets a passport a FBI file is started on them.


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## Jim2007 (13 Apr 2011)

casiopea said:


> Thanks Kerry,
> That rules out that approach so - Im only home for a week.
> Off to the irish consulate in Basel I go!
> Cas



Hi There,

I'm not aware of a consulate in Basel, but I would suggest use the Embassy in Bern.  It is a few years ago since I got mine renewed, but I just popped in and they did there and then.

Jim (Switzerland)


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## Time (13 Apr 2011)

Not anymore. All passports are sent back to Ireland for processing and issuing.


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## Bronte (14 Apr 2011)

A couple of years ago the US went crazy about passports and I seem to remember my husband had to get new passports about 3 times in one year to comply with the US rules, I think due to that the embassies no longer issue them as they have to be machine readable etc and a special machine manufactures them in Ireland.  

Last year the passport office went biserk in relation to photos.  I had two sets rejected and was told that the machines for taking photos were not good so I got a photoshop to do them and still no good but third time lucky.  

Also had the problem in relation to who signed the form, in my case the secretary of the school who signed for the director, which is legal here.  Try explaing the rules to the school about where to sign and stamp and who may or may not.  The police point blank refused to sign as they didn't understand the form etc etc   But my embassy somehow managed to get that one through Dublin.  Foreign languages are great sometimes !

The important thing is to get the CURRENT rules directly from the passport office.


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## Katelyn (14 Apr 2011)

Yes they want four photos now.  Apparently the forms have to be updated to state this.

I sent in in four photos two weeks ago for a renewal passport for my four year old daughter.  The Garda signed and stamped two only.  The new passport was sent back to me with two photos, one signed and stamped and the other blank.

The mind boggles.....


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## DrMoriarty (14 Apr 2011)

Tintagel said:


> Form says two photos. Local garda says four photos. Form says that garda not to stamp passport photo on back. Garda proceeds to stamp passport photos on back. Only in Ireland....


My daughter just renewed hers, and only supplied two photos. The form states that the witnessing Gárda should sign and stamp the back of _one _of the two photos, but he did both. Possibly to make up for the fact that we'd had to drive to a different station because our local one — the main HQ in Limerick city — had run out of forms.


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## Sue Ellen (16 Apr 2011)

26cb said:


> Not entirely true....they look for a photocopy of the ID page to be submitted with your application and ask you to return your old one for cancellation when the new one arrives...I am just goint through this at the moment.



Having read this 

*Photocopy the photograph page of any existing passport being renewed, include with the application form and retain the existing passport.  *

on the website during the week I rang them and asked them if it would be ok to keep the present passport and forward on the photocopy

"No way, it only applies to people like pilots or possibly cabin crew who use their passports all the time".

But where does it say this on the website?   Don't ya just love good ol' Irish style.


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## horusd (16 Apr 2011)

I got mine posted back, (it had six/eight months to run) with all empty pages stamped "cancelled". 

Ya know, I wonder if with all dem dastardly forriners (Ruskies, Mossad, African street markets etc) knocking out Irish passports like fake Hermes handbags, someone in de forrin office might be gettin all uppitdy 'bout it. 

Probably the Public Service Unions have put the word out. Mossad & the KGB are cuttin into their "turf". There's a real danger the feckers will break the passport strangle-hold of the CPSU, and people mightn't care less if they all went on holliers together, banned overtime or went on a go slow ( like slower than now). 

If the IMF/EU had any sense we'd contract out passports to the KGB; you'd pick one up for a tenner at the Ruskie Embassy, and if they were bizzy, you could nip round to the Israeli's, problem solved


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## kenko (16 Apr 2011)

Hi
My daughter needed new passport urgently for visa even though old one didnt expire til next feb!

Got form and 2 photos, stamped at Garda station. Went to Cork Passport Office on Tuesday @ 2pm! Colleted passport on Thursday @ 2pm. New cost €95. Couldn't have been easier!!!


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## Sue Ellen (17 Apr 2011)

In case anyone missed it the €80 charge still applies at the moment for the An Post applications whereas it costs €95 to call to the counter or send in a standard post application.


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## Time (17 Apr 2011)

It is €88.50 actually.


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## Jim2007 (17 Apr 2011)

Time said:


> Not anymore. All passports are sent back to Ireland for processing and issuing.



Are you sure that is the case of Switzerland?  Under Swiss law, we are required to carry a valid passport at all times.  And my understanding is that the EU countries have a shared machine in Bern for producing the passports...

Jim.


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## Sue Ellen (17 Apr 2011)

Time said:


> It is €88.50 actually.



Thanks for that.  Missed the bit about the €8.50 administration fee.


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## theresa1 (30 Aug 2011)

Just picked up form from local post office - only looking for two photo's. Have they gone back from four to two?


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## Alias (30 Aug 2011)

Jim2007 said:


> Are you sure that is the case of Switzerland?  Under Swiss law, we are required to carry a valid passport at all times.  And my understanding is that the EU countries have a shared machine in Bern for producing the passports...
> 
> Jim.



I know this is an old comment, but wanted to say that in my experience when renewing through an embassy you get to keep your passport.  I presumed it was because being non-national, you could be required to produce your documentation at any time.  Previously when I renewed in my home country they did not return my old passport at all, I presume it was destroyed.


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