UK Passport Application

[atkuzmanov]

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of filling in my United Kingdom Passport Application for my first adult British passport after naturalisation.

I have the following questions:

In Section 10 I am asked to ask a countersignatory to endorse my application and one of my photos.

I intend to ask my manager to do the countersignature, he ticks all the boxes, he has a valid British passport, we have known each other for more than two years both professionally and as friends outside of work.

However we both work for the BBC, and I am confused as to whether or not he ticks the boxes for any of these, taken out from the passport application instructions (https://www.gov.uk/countersigning-passport-applications):

- "director/manager/personnel officer of a VAT-registered company" - I do not know if the BBC is VAT-registered.

- "manager/personnel officer of a limited company" - I do not think that the BBC is a limited company.

My manager is also a software engineer, so I was wondering if he qualifies for this one:

- "engineer - with professional qualifications" - However I do not know what "with professional qualifications" means, does he need to be part of a professional body, like the British Computer society?

Any help and clarification on this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
atkuzmanov

[noajthan]

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of filling in my United Kingdom Passport Application for my first adult British passport after naturalisation.

...

My manager is also a software engineer, so I was wondering if he qualifies for this one:

- "engineer - with professional qualifications" - However I do not know what "with professional qualifications" means, does he need to be part of a professional body, like the British Computer society?

Any help and clarification on this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
atkuzmanov

You could take a lead from guidance on referees for naturalisation which includes:

British Computer Society (BCS) Professional grades, which are
Associate (AMBCS), Member (MBCS), Fellow (FBCS)

Ref https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... ersons.pdf

[atkuzmanov]

Hi @noajthan,

Thank you very much for your quick reply!

Unfortunately as far as I know he has not renewed his membership to the BCS for some time now, so he is no longer a member.

I guess that means that he does not qualify as a coutnersignatory at all?

Thanks,
atkuzmanov

[noajthan]

Hi @noajthan,

Thank you very much for your quick reply!

Unfortunately as far as I know he has not renewed his membership to the BCS for some time now, so he is no longer a member.

I guess that means that he does not qualify as a coutnersignatory at all?

Thanks,
atkuzmanov

Well if HMPO objects to a referee they will ask you for another - so you could use this person as referee with profession as 'Engineer' & see if it is questioned (risk of some delay).

Or else seek out another referee.

If you have worked at BBC for 2 or more years there must be another engineer who knows you (& who is in BCS).

Incidentally BBC Worldwide is VAT-registered so at least parts of BBC are - try for a personnel/HR manager?
Articled clerks, legal secretaries are also on the list, BBC must employ those roles too.
How about your local pub (if BBC has Friday drinks culture?), a licensee can also be referee.

[atkuzmanov]

Thanks @noajthan, your suggestions make sense!

I will explore them and see what happens.

[atkuzmanov]

I might try and use my Referee from my Naturalisation Application, he is a lecturer and ticks all the other boxes.

[atkuzmanov]

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of filling in my United Kingdom Passport Application for my first adult British passport after naturalisation.

I have the following questions:

In Section 5 I am asked to provide details of my certificate of registration or naturalisation.

My confusion comes from the requirement about "Place of issue".

This is not specified on the certificate itself, so what should I write?

Should I write "London" or "Tower Hamlets London" or "Home Office London"?

On the certificate it does say: "Issued on the direction of the Secretary of State HOME OFFICE LONDON".

In the guidance notes (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... s_4_14.pdf) it does say - "Provide details from the certificate of registration or naturalisation here.", so I am guessing "HOME OFFICE LONDON" should be the right thing to write?

Any help and clarification on this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
atkuzmanov

[noajthan]

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of filling in my United Kingdom Passport Application for my first adult British passport after naturalisation.

I have the following questions:

In Section 5 I am asked to provide details of my certificate of registration or naturalisation.

...

On the certificate it does say: "Issued on the direction of the Secretary of State HOME OFFICE LONDON".

In the guidance notes (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... s_4_14.pdf) it does say - "Provide details from the certificate of registration or naturalisation here.", so I am guessing "HOME OFFICE LONDON" should be the right thing to write?

Any help and clarification on this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
atkuzmanov

Yes: HOME OFFICE LONDON
(I stated same in family applications recently)

[atkuzmanov]

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of filling in my United Kingdom Passport Application for my first adult British passport after naturalisation.

I have the following questions:

In Section 5 I am asked to provide details of my certificate of registration or naturalisation.

...

On the certificate it does say: "Issued on the direction of the Secretary of State HOME OFFICE LONDON".

In the guidance notes (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/s ... s_4_14.pdf) it does say - "Provide details from the certificate of registration or naturalisation here.", so I am guessing "HOME OFFICE LONDON" should be the right thing to write?

Any help and clarification on this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
atkuzmanov

Yes: HOME OFFICE LONDON
(I stated same in family applications recently)

Awesome, thank you again for your quick response @noajthan!

[atkuzmanov]

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of filling in my United Kingdom Passport Application for my first adult British passport after naturalisation.

I have the following questions:

In Section 4 of the form I am asked to provide details about my parents.

It also says:
"If both parents named below were born after 31st December 1982 OR were born abroad, we will also need the full name, town, country, date of birth and date of marriage of your grandparents (or details of your parents claim to British nationality)."

Both of my parents were born abroad in an European country, which is not the UK.

Also all of my grandparents were born abroad in the same European country, as my parents, which is not the UK.

I am confused as to whether I should provide the details of my grandparents in a Cover Letter enclosed with the application, as the space for additional information in Section 8 is too small, or should I just say something along the lines "My parents do not have a claim to British nationality.", as they are not British, and I have achieved British Citizenship by naturalisation?

I assume that if I write a Cover Letter, including the information about the grandparents in this format should be acceptable:

"Please find the additional information for Section 4 of the passport application form below.

Grandparents

Grandmother on my mother’s side
Full name (surname first):
FULL NAME IN CAPITAL LETTERS
Town and country of birth:
TOWN AND COUNTRY IN CAPITAL LETTERS
Date of birth:
dd/mm/yyyy

Grandfather on my mother’s side
Full name (surname first):
FULL NAME IN CAPITAL LETTERS
Town and country of birth:
TOWN AND COUNTRY IN CAPITAL LETTERS
Date of birth:
dd/mm/yyyy

Date of marriage or civil partnership:
dd/mm/yyyy


Grandmother on my father’s side
Full name (surname first):
FULL NAME IN CAPITAL LETTERS
Town and country of birth:
TOWN AND COUNTRY IN CAPITAL LETTERS
Date of birth:
dd/mm/yyyy

Grandfather on my father’s side
Full name (surname first):
FULL NAME IN CAPITAL LETTERS
Town and country of birth:
TOWN AND COUNTRY IN CAPITAL LETTERS
Date of birth:
dd/mm/yyyy

Date of marriage or civil partnership:
dd/mm/yyyy"

Any help and clarification on this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
atkuzmanov

[noajthan]

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of filling in my United Kingdom Passport Application for my first adult British passport after naturalisation.

I have the following questions:

In Section 4 of the form I am asked to provide details about my parents.

It also says:
"If both parents named below were born after 31st December 1982 OR were born abroad, we will also need the full name, town, country, date of birth and date of marriage of your grandparents (or details of your parents claim to British nationality)."

Both of my parents were born abroad in an European country, which is not the UK.

Also all of my grandparents were born abroad in the same European country, as my parents, which is not the UK.

I am confused as to whether I should provide the details of my grandparents in a Cover Letter enclosed with the application, as the space for additional information in Section 8 is too small, or should I just say something along the lines "My parents do not have a claim to British nationality.", as they are not British, and I have achieved British Citizenship by naturalisation?

I assume that if I write a Cover Letter, including the information about the grandparents in this format should be acceptable:

"Please find the additional information for Section 4 of the passport application form below.

Grandparents
...
...

Any help and clarification on this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
atkuzmanov

I did exactly the same as you have outlined.
I cross-referenced the cover letter from the 'additional info' section of the form.

In the letter I also commented that as the application was based on naturalisation the grandparents info should be irrelevant.

Any of the dates we didn't know we wrote as 'Unknown'.

Note Keep a copy of what you send as you may not be familiar with all the details & they may come up in the mandatory passport interview.

[atkuzmanov]

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of filling in my United Kingdom Passport Application for my first adult British passport after naturalisation.

I have the following questions:

In Section 4 of the form I am asked to provide details about my parents.

It also says:
"If both parents named below were born after 31st December 1982 OR were born abroad, we will also need the full name, town, country, date of birth and date of marriage of your grandparents (or details of your parents claim to British nationality)."

Both of my parents were born abroad in an European country, which is not the UK.

Also all of my grandparents were born abroad in the same European country, as my parents, which is not the UK.

I am confused as to whether I should provide the details of my grandparents in a Cover Letter enclosed with the application, as the space for additional information in Section 8 is too small, or should I just say something along the lines "My parents do not have a claim to British nationality.", as they are not British, and I have achieved British Citizenship by naturalisation?

I assume that if I write a Cover Letter, including the information about the grandparents in this format should be acceptable:

"Please find the additional information for Section 4 of the passport application form below.

Grandparents
...
...

Any help and clarification on this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
atkuzmanov

I did exactly the same as you have outlined.
I cross-referenced the cover letter from the 'additional info' section of the form.

In the letter I also commented that as the application was based on naturalisation the grandparents info should be irrelevant.

Any of the dates we didn't know we wrote as 'Unknown'.

Note Keep a copy of what you send as you may not be familiar with all the details & they may come up in the mandatory passport interview.

Thank you @noajthan for coming up with a useful and prompt reply yet again!

Cross referencing Section 8 sounds sensible, so I think I will put something along the lines:
"Please find the Section 8 additional information for Section 4 of the passport application form below."

Also a comment that the application was based on naturalisation sounds very sensible.

Thanks for the tip about taking a copy, sounds good!

[secret.simon]

I did not put in a cover letter, just a note in Section 8 stating something to the effect that "Application based on naturalisation, hence grandparents data irrelevant". Got my passport with no issues.

[secret.simon]

I might try and use my Referee from my Naturalisation Application,

I did just that.

[atkuzmanov]

I did not put in a cover letter, just a note in Section 8 stating something to the effect that "Application based on naturalisation, hence grandparents data irrelevant". Got my passport with no issues.

Thank you so much for you reply @secret.simon!

This makes sense to me as it is based on naturalisation.

[atkuzmanov]

I might try and use my Referee from my Naturalisation Application,

I did just that.

Thanks @secret.simon for your reply, sounds promising!

[geriatrix]

Topics merged

[atkuzmanov]

UK Passport - Biometrics

Hello everyone,

I am in the process of filling in my United Kingdom Passport Application for my first adult British passport after naturalisation.

I have the following questions:

How do I apply for a biometric passport?

I have not had any biometric data collected at any of the stages of the process.

Any help and clarification on this matter is greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
atkuzmanov

[secret.simon]

Your British passport will have the biometric data of your face. It is collected from the photo that you submit. So make sure you submit a really good photo

[atkuzmanov]

Your British passport will have the biometric data of your face. It is collected from the photo that you submit. So make sure you submit a really good photo

That's fair enough then.

Thank for the reply @secret.simon!

Will it be one of those e-passports that you can go quickly through airports?

I thought they needed fingerprints for that?

[atkuzmanov]

So, will I automatically get one of those e-passports that you can go quickly through airports?

[geriatrix]

HMPO issues ePassport only (and has been doing so since 06-Mar-06), so there is no other type of passport that can be issued.

[atkuzmanov]

HMPO issues ePassport only (and has been doing so since 06-Mar-06), so there is no other passport that can be issued.

Awesome!

Thank you very much for your quick reply @sushdmehta!