Nick

Hi

Are there any passport office workers on SN? I need to find out if an immigrant to the UK who applies for a UK passport gets their foreign passport marked in some way during the application paperwork.

darlodge

I'll ask a guy at work, he is apply for his full UK passport at the moment. Remind me later today (post here or PM) if I have not posted anything up.

Dazza

Schumacher

This might help?

-Schuey

AdiM

David Blunkett's your man !! He's bound to know.

Nick

Thanks Schuey, I've read the site, howevere it doesn't say what they do to your old passport.

Phil

You have to submit any existing passport with your new application and IIRC they keep it

darlodge

I've just checked and Phil is correct, although some countries allow you keep your existing pasport. I know Mayslaia you can't but others you can apparently.

The only people that will know for sure is the Passport Adviceline: 0870 521 0410

Darren

Phil

Just applied for passports for my Kids and renewed the Wifes I have read most of the info

Brendan Hughes

Nick - you want to know if the foreign passport is clearly marked, visible to all (great big stamp) - or if it's marked visible only to UK authorities (some hidden code / UV pen) - or if it's marked visible to only any passport authorities (UV pen in approved section)?

I don't have the answer, but I think I can guess why you're asking.

Nick

I just phoned the passport advice line who told me that the passport has it's corner cut off (it's invalidated) & returned with the other documents.

This is a problem.

Phil

Can I ask why you would want 2 passports

Brendan Hughes

WHAT? I think you/they're confused. They invalidate an old British passport by cutting the corner off - I don't think they have the right to invalidate a foreign passport, surely? Aren't British allowed to hold dual nationality?

philc - 2 passports is common (but in some countries illegal) for someone with dual nationality, particularly when the "other" nationality would need a visa to get into that country. Say my wife's Russian and English - with an English passport she needs a visa to get to Russia, and with a Russian passport she needs a visa to get to England. With both, you just show the appropriate one at Customs and get in.

MJW

I had to have two passports a while back - Israeli immigration don't like to see arabic stamps in your book !

Nick

I spoke to a British person, (rather than a call centre in India) I asked the question carefully & gave them full details, but I agree it seems odd that they would destroy the property of another country. I would have expected them to make a note or something in the foreign passport. I did ask about dual citizenship (example US) & they said that they would also invalidate a US passport & the owner would have to apply agin to his/her embassy.

I agree that they may have been mistaken & I will ring again this afternoon to speak to them again.

Nick

My wife & daughter are Ukrainian. They now have British nationality. However to visit family in Ukraine on a British passport, they would have to get a visa. To get a visa they would have to officially revoke Ukrainian nationality. This takes 3 years & requires substantial amounts of paperwork, including documents from the Ukrainian parents & all previous employers in Ukraine. Yes, it's crazy!

Nick

I also understand that you can't enter many Arabic countries if you have an Israeli immigration stamp.

Brendan Hughes

Nick, as I'm involved in an almost identical situation (as you can see), please could you keep us informed? Many thanks

I'm very surprised, I thought Brits were allowed dual nationality.

Nick

Sure, PM me, maybe it would be useful to keep in contact by email?

Brits are allowed dual nationality, but Ukrainians are not....

Brendan Hughes

...which might suggest that the UK has an agreement with Ukraine to invalidate the passports of any Ukrainian receiving British nationality?

EvilKyote

So can you just confirm something for me then, Brits CAN have duel nationalities?!

Anyone know if this is the same for china?!

Nick

I am not an expert on China, but I doubt that Chinese people can have dual nationality. Brits can have dual nationality, but it relies on the other country also allowing dual nationality, eg UK-USA.

Flatcapdriver

Yes. Provided there is a reciprocal agreement such as with Australia, then it's possible for a British citizen to hold/have dual nationality.

Brendan Hughes

I'd be very surprised if mainland China allow it. Ex Hong Kong and perhaps Taiwan is a different story.

Brendan Hughes

Nick, you've a couple of PMs.

Jerome

Brits can have dual nationality (I'm British/Canadian), but only if the other country allows it. My sister-in-law is from Czech and she can't have dual nationality because Czech won't allow it.

Nick

I called the Passport advice line for a second time. This time the guy "checked with his supervisor" & frankly, they both don't seem to know what happens.

He suggested that we provide the passport with the application documents & an enclosing letter stating that they should not cancel or mark the Ukrainian passport in any way. After more questions, he said that during the application, the Passport office would call us to tell us what we should do with the Ukrainian passport. He agreed that the UK Passport office cannot deface the Ukrainian passport as it is the property of the Ukraine government. He asked what the Ukraine embassy had told us & during a short discussion on this, he seemed to accept anything that WE SAID the Ukrainian embassy would want.

So basically, he didn't know. I will call them again later in the week.