SECOND UK PASSPORT APPLICATION GUIDE
United Kingdom allows their citizens to hold second UK passport alongside
their current passport. Individuals are allowed to use both these passports
simultaneously.
It should be noted that these passports will have two different passport
numbers, and they are considered totally unique to each other. It is not the same as passport renewal.
Interestingly, most of the UK citizens do not even know that obtaining a 2nd
UK passport is possible. Even if you visit the UK Passport Authority’s website,
you will not find sufficient details about obtaining a second passport, and the
reason is very simple; authorities do not like to give out second passports,
and as a result, they are not publicizing the availability.
However, if you need one, there is an option to get a second passport, also known as ‘Concurrent
Passport’. The UK provides
two types of passports to its citizen depending upon the frequency of travel -
jumbo passports and regular passports.
A jumbo
UK passport contains 48 pages and is advisable for very frequent travellers. A
regular passport, on the other hand contains 32 pages.
Who needs
a Second UK Passport?
- If you are not a very frequent traveller,
then a single passport will suffice but if you are a very frequent traveller,
then it is advisable to carry a second passport as the pages of your first
passport will fill up rather quickly and you will have to re-apply for
passports all the time. In such cases it is better to keep 2 passports to avoid
yourself from the stress of passport application all the time
- If you do business and your work
requires back to back travel to different countries, there might be a chance
that if you apply for visa to one country, it may take weeks for the passport
to come back to you and if during that period you have to travel some other
place then having a single passport will impede your travel. To avoid such
situations, applying for a second passport is advisable.
- Second passport is also necessary
for those who frequently travel to incompatible countries or those countries
which are in conflict with each other. To understand this better, let’s just
says that for example if you have travelled to Syria for some work and now you
want to visit Saudi Arabia (both the countries are hostile to each other), your
visa will be rejected if your passport carries a Syrian stamp. Same way, if
your passport has an Israeli stamp on it, your visa will be rejected for Iran
and Lebanon. To avoid such situations, it is better to hold 2 passports so that
your visa is not rejected on account of hostile countries. Such passports can
be requested on the ground of ‘Incompatible Countries’
- Second passport is also advisable
for those who are regularly on move such as pilots, flight attendants, and people
who are working on oil rigs
How to apply for a second UK passport?
The process to obtain a UK second passport is very similar to the process
of applying a regular passport. However, the process to obtain a UK second
passport may seem pretty complicated. Please find below the detailed steps to
get a second passport.
- Initially, you
should call the Passport Advice Line on +44 (0) 300 222 0000, and should book
an appointment at a centre convenient for you. The current available centres
are London, Liverpool, Belfast, Durham, Glasgow, Newport and Peterborough.
- It will be at
this point that the applicant will be asked to pay the fee. It should be
noted that this fee is not subject to a refund, and even if your
application gets rejected, your paid money will not be returned.
Important: When applying for a second
passport, make sure that you choose the option ‘Apply for 1st adult
passport’. At the same time you must request not to cancel your already
existing passport. The application form is filled in the same way as if you are
applying for the passport first time.
- Later, the
applicant should go to the nearby post office, and should collect the
passport application form.
· The passport
application form should be filled very carefully.The section ‘other passports’ should be
filled with your existing / first passport number
- You should also
submit two passport sized photographs.It should be noted here that you will
need a counter signatory to counter sign your photo and your form.
- You should also
submit a letter from your UK employer that details the necessity to obtain
a second passport.You need to justify your request of Second Passport. This is done by
showing detailed travel plans which should provide a full list of the
countries you intend to travel. This letter should be duly signed by your
employer and should be dated no earlier no earlier than 4 weeks before your
application and is needed to produce in original form.
Below is
the application template that you can refer to:
To whom it may concern.
Subject: Second passport application
This is to confirm that Mr Peter Smith has been
working in my company as an operations manager in L&D infotech since August
08, 2013.
Peter Smith is a frequent traveller, and he has been
visiting many countries for business purposes for the past few months. However,
in the coming months, he needs to visit some countries that are‘Incompatible Countries’.Therefore, we request a ‘Second
Passport’ to avoid such circumstances which could hinder his/her meetings.
In the coming months, Alex will be required to travel
to countries mentioned below.
· India (May 2019)
· Pakistan (June 2019)
· Saudi Arabia (August
2019)
· Israel (September
2019)
· United Arab Emirates
(November 2019)
· Russia (December
2019)
· Kenya (January 2020)
· Algeria (February
2020)
We, L&L infotech confirms that Alex Smith will
return his normal domicile at his home address in Southampton to resume regular
employment with us after the trip.
We hereby request you to grand him a second passport
so that he can travel for our business purposes without any hassles.
If you need any more details about Alex’s employment
in our company, do not hesitate to contact us.
Sincerely
Joe Bloggs - HR Manager
Who is
eligible to countersign your UK passport application and photo?
Either
you are applying for a First Passport or a Second Passport; you need someone to
sign the applications and 2 photos to establish your identity
A counter
signatory must:
· A resident of UK
· Holds a current British or Irish
Passport
· Have known you for at least 2
years
· Is able recognize you personally
and not on professional end
· Should be 18 years or above
· Has worked or is working in some
recognized profession
· Is not related to you either by
birth or marriage nor should they share the same address as yours
· Such person should not work in Her
Majesty’s Passport Office
Dual
Citizenship & Second Passport
People
are often confused between the concepts of dual citizenship and second
passport. When an individual is a legal citizen of two countries simultaneously,
it is called Dual Citizenship. Many countries do not allow its citizens to have
a dual citizenship and they even renounce the citizenship of such person.
However,
UK gives freedom to its citizens to keep and enjoy dual citizenship. So, if
your parents are British citizens but you are born somewhere else, in such
case, you can apply for a British citizenship without giving up the citizenship
of other country.
There is on such rule as to apply to for a dual citizenship
in UK, you just need to take the UK citizenship either through naturalisation
or through registration, all the while keeping the citizenship of other country
(only if that country allows its citizens to have a dual citizenship).
Dual
citizenship allows a person to gain access to social service systems and to
have passports of two different countries. Second passport, however facilitate
you to travel to different countries easily and is generally needed by business
travellers.
Dual citizenship allows a person to have citizenship of two
different countries at the same time. Second British passport, on the other
hand allows you to hold an additional British passport mainly used by very
frequent travellers.
Second UK passport: Frequently asked questions (FAQ)
What is the validity of a second UK passport?
Just like a normal passport, the validity of a second passport is ten
years from the date of issue. The passport can be renewed if the passport gets
completely loaded with visa stamps.
Can every UK citizen apply for a second UK passport?
Technically all UK citizens can apply for a second UK passport. However,
in order to get the passport issued, the applicant should convince the
authorities that he or she is a frequent International traveller, especially to
countries that are hostile to each other.
Special note: Travelers should understand that second UK passports will
be not be issued to accommodate tourism-related travel needs. UK citizens who
continuously visit other countries for business-related activities can apply
for a second passport.
Will I get a fee refund if my application for a second UK passport gets
rejected?
No, you will not get the refund. Authorities are charging this fee as the
passport processing charge, and as a result, you will not get the money back,
no matter your application gets accepted or rejected.
Why to choose the service of Visa Genie in obtaining a second UK
passport?
Visa Genie is an entrusted agency that offers impeccable passport and
visa services. Our dedicated team, with their fast track service and expertise
will pre-check your passport application, and will make sure that you have
filled everything needed to obtain a second UK passport. Our team will be there
with you on every step of the process. Once you fill the application form, and
send it to us, we will submit it on your behalf. Altogether, you can sit back
and relax after handing over the documents to us.