Renewing my English passport in Poland

So I know I have to check the embassy but I was just wondering if anyone here had to do this before. I heard from them that it takes 4 weeks to renew but isnt there anyway I can get it done quicker than that? I would have thought the embassy could do them the same day, however I have to go to the passport office near Palace of culture and not to the embassy.

I AM SURE THAT MY FRIEND RENEWED HIS PASSPORT ON THE SAME DAY. I HAVE TO DO MY OWN ONE NEXT MONTH SO I WILL CHECK WITH HIM AND GET BACK TO YOU WITH INFO :)

That would be great if it is the same day. I need to book my ticket back to Uk for a month and the lack of a valid passport is holding me back.

Thanks!

Hi, I have just checked with my friend and unfortunately, I was wrong as you can get an express passport, which is quicker than normal, and maybe will take one week if you pick it up yourself and the cost will be around ninety pounds. Then there is the other way, which can take up to four weeks (maybe a bit quicker if you pick it up yourself) and the cost is around sixty pounds. One problem that you might have is finding someone to sign your passport photo, as they have to have known you for two years and be a British national, which could be a bit of a problem for yourself being here only a few months.

Either way you must get all the info on the passport application filled in correct as another friend of mine had a problem and it took six weeks because they are don’t process the incorrectly filled forms until the end of the working week, on a Friday. You can find all the passport application forms on the British Embassy website. Hope the info helps.

?????

You have to have someone to witness that it is you in the picture and sign on the back of it as well as make a statement to the likeness in the Passport application form.

I didnt think this was neccesasry if you are renewing a passport?

sorry, but yes it is

My friend was at the Consulate yesterday applying himself. They said it will be ready in ten days, but he went for the most expensive option ( about PLN 700 )

He asked if it must be a UK citizen who must validate the photo, a Polish student validated his and it has been accepted.

Hope this helps

Thanks.

looks like you are correct see below notes from passport application:
Note 8 - Section 10 - Countersignature
When you have completed the form, someone who has
known you personally for at least two years should complete
and sign Section 10. That person should be a British citizen,
other British national or Commonwealth citizen who is a
Member of Parliament, Justice of the Peace, Minister of
Religion, Bank Officer, Established Civil Servant, or
professionally qualified person, e.g. Lawyer, Engineer,
Doctor, School Teacher, Police Officer or a person of
similar standing. Procedures include a check on the
authenticity of countersignatories.
If you do not know a British national or other Commonwealth
citizen locally with these qualifications, a citizen of the
country in which you are residing may complete and sign the
form, provided he/she has a similar standing in that country
has known you for two years and the Consul considers
his/her signature to be acceptable. A member of your family
should not countersign. (See also Note 10,
'Photographs'). In certain cases you may be asked to
produce further documentary evidence of identity.

I would have thought that anybody such as the DOS in his language school would be a British subject and could sign surely? As far as I know, anybody with a British passport can countersign the photograph-it does not have to be an MP or a doctor anymore. Children's passports are different as the picture has to be countersigned as they are growing and their features change a lot with the passage of time. However, I was of the opinion that adult's passports do not now have to be countersigned if there is no major changes to the details held within the original passport these days. I would have thought that there must be an official web page covering all this somewhere.

Im not sure because of all the fake applicants and terrorist problems the rules are changing. Also I was always told on forms the photo had to be signed by someone who is in a respectable postition. Not a builder for example.

I know that in England it always had to be a 'responsible person' such as a doctor. who could then charge a lot of money for the privilege. As far as I know anybody, other than a relative can do it for you as long as they hold a full U.K. passport. It would be pretty much the same, I would have thought, for you being overseas and they could not discriminate as there is all sorts of EU legislation protecting human rights. Phone the embassy or go there in person-you would have to take a day off in the week as I very much doubt if they are open at weekends for those type of queries. There might even be a help line via the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London SW1 where you can post questions and get an answer, try too the Passport Office in Petty France, London SW1-it is the main Passport Office in the UK, they too may have a web site. In fact, maybe there is even a web site now for the British Embassy in Warsaw.

In fact I have just looked at the web site of The Foreign and Commonwealth Office in London and there are many places you can do it in Poland.

There is the British Embassy in Warsaw
There are also British Honorary Consuls in Poznan, Szczecin, Wroclaw, Lodz, Katowice, Gdansk, Krakow and Lublin.

The nearest to you is Poznan, I would imagine, if you are in Bydgoszcz
Ul Kochanowskiego 4/2 60-844 Poznan
telephone (48) (61) 665 8850 They are open Monday to Friday 9.00a.m. to 3.00p.m.
e-mail ukcons@protea.pl

If you want more details, you can go on to the F.C.O. web site for yourself and work through the questions until you find the bit that you want. There is actually a section on 'can I renew my passport whilst overseas' and then you click on the country you want, in your case, Poland and this brings up the whole list.

Well im in Torun but its the same deal. I must say im suprised at your help and I much appreciate it. Have a nice day. I mean that.


Actually after looking at the trains journey times there is about 30 minutes difference between going to Poznan and Warsaw. As the passport office is very close to Warsaw train station and I know where to go in Warsaw I think I will just go there.

So it would appear michal is correct

Who needs to sign it?
Usually only you need to sign if you are applying to renew your passport.

But, if your appearance has changed so much that it would be difficult to recognise you from the photo in your current or last passport, you will need to get your form countersigned at section 10. You should ask someone who works in a recognised profession or has good standing in the community (tell me more about who can countersign my application form) who has known you for at least two years to do this. They must:

This is from the UK passport office. So Im getting different information here. Maybe I should just play it safe and get it signed.

Well im going to take a gamble and not get it signed. Its going to be a wasted journey if they wont do it but I cant travel to my school today to get it signed. Thanks for your help everyone (yes even you Michal) although I dont understand why sites are giving different information.

I know that the reason children's passports are issued for only five years at a time is for the photographs to be renewed as people obviously change with age. A child at six months old would look very different by the time of their fifth or six birthday. Warsaw would probably be your best choice as train communications would be more plentiful and reliable. Phone them first and take the correct documentation, including new photographs if you need them. They may need to wire London for confirmation anyway-they may not give you a new passport on the spot with you being in Poland.

why don't you just call the Consulat befre making the trip?

Did that. Was put on hold for 20 minutes and used all of the credit on my phone.

sorry, didn't know that.

NP...

Well you can take a chance that is always up to you, but I have just put in for my passport and I had to get it signed by someone and I chose the Director of a Company here in Pulawy. And my English friend had to do the same 4 weeks ago.

You are wasting so much time and effort why dony u just call the embassy , they know best !

??

So went to the embassy today and if you are applying for a UK passport outside of UK you must have someone sign it for you. Lucky I have a "friend" who lives very close to the consular office who was able to do it for me.