Lay My Hat

I am in the throes of renewing my son's UK passport and there are significant changes since I last renewed mine several years ago.

I may have to include a non English document for which the bumf states that any non English document must be translated by 'a professional translator'.

I have contacted a friend who is a member of a professional body of translators and also a simulteous interpretor and translator at European Parliamentary level. She asks that I enquire which sort of translation is needed: a simple translation or a sworn translation in a Magistrates office.

This latter is commonly used here in Italy, I myself did many such sworn translations in my younger days, and is generally accepted.

However, I was wondering if any members can give me further insight into what HM Passport Office actually requires on this issue.

Have you tried looking here?
https://www.gov.uk/overseas-passports

Yes, this takes me to the application itself where it states that non English documents must be translated by a 'professional translator'. Not very forthcoming....

I wish I had a precise answer for you, pambon. A few years ago OH and I renewed our UK passports and submitted the applications plus existing passports to an outlying branch of the British Foreign Office situated in Spain. There was no requirement to send a copy of a utility bill.

I have looked on: https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport and it says:-

To apply online you'll need:
• a credit or debit card
• a printer
• your previous passport (if you have one)

At a later stage it said: "You may be asked to provide further information to complete your application". Perhaps this is where your son's problem started, where they ask for a translated utility bill.

I did a mock application for a renewal and got quite far before quitting. The fact that I stated that I lived in Greece didn't flash any red lights or ring alarm bells with them.

I've just renewed mine from France and didn't need to send any documents.

Before I started the application I read the guidelines and thought I would need translated documents & a countersignatory, but when I actually applied I didn't need either.

Maybe if your son's passport is a straightforward renewal you won't need them either.

Finding a countersignatory took me ages as well because they have to have an EU passport themselves and all our French neighbours travel throughout Europe using their Identity cards.

Andrew, I have already done everything and had to pay (!) and my son has only to take new photos as the ones he has are not the required size. My problem is possibly,and hopefully, hypothetical as I am sending in his baptism certificate which thankfully is English since we have an Anglican Church here. However should this not be accepted (in spite of being on the list of documents deemed acceptable ) I will have to get a letter from his employer which will need translating.
Utility bills are not on the list any more........the other documents deemed acceptable will obviously all be in Italian so I wish to be prepared..........

Living in Switzerland and married to a non EU, I've also had to provide "professional" translations for a few things in the past. I used a company in the Philippines and documents could simply be emailed. They come back with with "certified" translations and these were fine for the visa requirements in Switzerland.

The company was http://lexcode.com.ph/translation/

Thanks kev.

louloup wrote:I've just renewed mine from France and didn't need to send any documents.

Before I started the application I read the guidelines and thought I would need translated documents & a countersignatory, but when I actually applied I didn't need either.

Maybe if your son's passport is a straightforward renewal you won't need them either.

Finding a countersignatory took me ages as well because they have to have an EU passport themselves and all our French neighbours travel throughout Europe using their Identity cards.

Interesting, this is my son's third renewal and is straightforward but I have to include ONE document from a given list. He also does not need a countersignature on the photo as in past years either.. there may be a difference because my son was born here and his father, my OH, is Italian. He was born just after the law came in (1981) allowing us ladies to pass our UK nationality to our offspring born abroad. Vive la difference!

Oh crikey, they do make it complicated! Good luck with it.

louloup wrote:Oh crikey, they do make it complicated! Good luck with it.

Ha Ha!!

It seems that the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.

On downloading yesterday all the info entitled : Your Passport Application - What to do now.. followed by my son's name and application number, the check list for documents to be provided included Baptismal certificate. Great, thought I.......

Being a rather careful and perhaps somewhat pessimistic person about these things I rang the Passport Office to confirm this but was told that it doesn't figure on their list!!!! So I willl have to supply his employer's letter and get it translated

I have just searched on their (jumbled up) site for the document checklist and came across yet another page with the list that this guy obviously was looking at as it did not have the Baptism certificate included.

I can't believe the UK has now as tortured and conflicting red tape as Italy. Unbelievable.

Has the lad shaken off this climbing malarkey?

I can't believe the UK has now as tortured and conflicting red tape as Italy. Unbelievable.

Like the rest just blame the EU

Paul Carmel wrote:Has the lad shaken off this climbing malarkey?

Absolutely not Paul. He is now a fully qualified free climbing instructor...... And his day job is working on ropes up a mountain; rope access technician....... And I wobble on a step ladder!!!!

pambon wrote:

Paul Carmel wrote:Has the lad shaken off this climbing malarkey?

Absolutely not Paul. He is now a fully qualified free climbing instructor...... And his day job is working on ropes up a mountain; rope access technician....... And I wobble on a step ladder!!!!

Good for him, keep him away from Licata!