Seriously thoughtful Price of a passport?

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel

the new biometric passeports in france cost 88€ for an adult (valid 10 years). but, to travel within the EU, i believe you only need your identity card, which is free.

lucky you - if our powers have their way we'll have to pay for both passport and an identity card !

[HappyMartin]

In South Africa it costs around $20, but boy we get hammered with visa costs after that.

[columbus]

Originally Posted by zelda_pinwheel;

the new biometric passeports in france cost 88€ for an adult (valid 10 years). but, to travel within the EU, i believe you only need your identity card, which is free.

I'm not 100% certain but did the UK not opt out of that - so you still need to show your EU passport ?

anybody know??

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by columbus

I'm not 100% certain but did the UK not opt out of that - so you still need to show your EU passport ?

anybody know??

We don't have ID cards (yet), nor do we have EU passports - it's a British passport!

[krisk]

year before last without a rush request my US Passport was $33

[columbus]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967;

We don't have ID cards (yet), nor do we have EU passports - it's a British passport!

I don't have mine to hand as it is away for renewal, but was there not a large 'who-ha' when the old front page see below was replaced with an eu symbol and red cover as the rest of Europe?

(has anybody a current British passport to hand as I think the wording inside the front cover also changed from; " Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of state . . . " which added to the who-ha)

(You'll have to click to enlarge I have not worked out how to post a larger image yet)

[GeoffC]

Originally Posted by columbus

I'm not 100% certain but did the UK not opt out of that - so you still need to show your EU passport ?

anybody know??

*deleted - ignore me and I'll go away*

[GeoffC]

in the UK, plans are still moving slowly forward for introduction of id cards - but the timetable keeps changing as does the contents of the id cards as does the modus operandi of how it will all happen ...

immigrants, I believe, have had to have an id card for the past 12-18 months. Airside workers at some airports are to be some of the first to be issued. We can voluntarily apply (for £30) in a couple of years, with the plan being for them to become compulsory and issued simultaneously with passports (unless we have a change of government).

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by columbus

I don't have mine to hand as it is away for renewal, but was there not a large 'who-ha' when the old front page see below was replaced with an eu symbol and red cover as the rest of Europe?

(You'll have to click to enlarge I have not worked out how to post a larger image yet)

I think its just a matter of semantics - they are EU style British passports.

Pedantic, me? What exactly do you mean by pedantic?

[columbus]

Originally Posted by GeoffC;

in the UK, plans are still moving slowly forward for introduction of id cards - but the timetable keeps changing as does the contents of the id cards as does the modus operandi of how it will all happen ...

immigrants, I believe, have had to have an id card for the past 12-18 months. Airside workers at some airports are to be some of the first to be issued. We can voluntarily apply (for £30) in a couple of years, with the plan being for them to become compulsory and issued simultaneously with passports (unless we have a change of government).

I am all for the UK to have ID cards, I don't see what the problem is against (apart from the excessive cost).

As an 'immigrant' here in Spain I have at the moment to carry a Spanish 'Residencia', (ID card by another name), but the EU ruled that it was not legal under EU regs. so when it expires I will have to carry my passport at all times instead of the credit card size 'Residencia'

[GeoffC]

cost and compulsion are my main objections .... pay for the original, and then each amendment (photo etc) ....

[Bilbo1967]

Originally Posted by columbus

...I don't see what the problem is against (apart from the excessive cost)...

That's the exact same argument I tried with my wife when she objected to me buying a Ferrari!

Seriously though, excessive cost is a fairly overriding argument, isn't it? Perhaps if they are voluntary, people like you, who have a valid reason for wanting one, can have one, whereas those who don't wish to pay for one don't have to.

I think its the thought that they may be made mandatory that has people up in arms.

[GeoffC]

yep, bilbo has it on the nail .... especially, too, that the other parties have said they will scrap the scheme ..

[columbus]

Originally Posted by Bilbo1967;

That's the exact same argument I tried with my wife when she objected to me buying a Ferrari!

Seriously though, excessive cost is a fairly overriding argument, isn't it? Perhaps if they are voluntary, people like you, who have a valid reason for wanting one, can have one, whereas those who don't wish to pay for one don't have to.

I think its the thought that they may be made mandatory that has people up in arms.

Originally Posted by GeoffC;

yep, bilbo has it on the nail .... especially, too, that the other parties have said they will scrap the scheme ..

I'm also for having them to prove who you are, maybe that would help the UK to remove (lol) the illegals. I am all for them being free to UK citizens.

Do you not also think that the EU machine will not just force the UK to roll over and accept them? as most of the EEC has.

[GeoffC]

Ah ! - BUT - how do I prove to any official who I really am ?