# Renewing British Passport from Italy



## MikeItMo

Has anyone done so ?

Seems as well as submitting current passport one needs to send an original proof of residency and /or name and address plus an official translation of this, which can be done only by the UK passport authority recognised translators in each Italian region. 

One of the accepted documents is "medical/health card".

I asked the passport advice line if this can be translated and submitted even though no address is printed on it. He said it could.

In my region, Emila R, there is only one translator listed, who, fortunately for me, lives in my town. 

If anyone has done this, which document did you submit? Has anyone submitted a tessera sanitaria?


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## xabiaxica

MikeItMo said:


> Has anyone done so ?
> 
> Seems as well as submitting current passport one needs to send an original proof of residency and /or name and address plus an official translation of this, which can be done only by the UK passport authority recognised translators in each Italian region.
> 
> One of the accepted documents is "medical/health card".
> 
> I asked the passport advice line if this can be translated and submitted even though no address is printed on it. He said it could.
> 
> In my region, Emila R, there is only one translator listed, who, fortunately for me, lives in my town.
> 
> If anyone has done this, which document did you submit? Has anyone submitted a tessera sanitaria?


My daughter renewed hers from Spain a few weeks ago & the only documentation she had to send was the old passport & new photos. She received her new passport 2 weeks & 2 days after sending in the application. 

She didn't send anything else, though I see under the 'supporting documents' section you should send proof of address - one option is colour photocopy of residency card - if you're 'group 2' .

I have no idea what 'group 2' is, but when she went through the application she didn't have to send any supporting documentation.


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## MikeItMo

xabiachica said:


> My daughter renewed hers from Spain a few weeks ago & the only documentation she had to send was the old passport & new photos. She received her new passport 2 weeks & 2 days after sending in the application.
> 
> She didn't send anything else, though *I see under the 'supporting documents' section you should send proof of address - one option is colour photocopy of residency card - if you're 'group 2' .*
> 
> I have no idea what 'group 2' is, but when she went through the application she didn't have to send any supporting documentation.


Maybe your looking at something Spain-specific, as my list of accepted documents under the 'Name and address and/or residency evidence' catagory it says 'Visa or residence permit (or colour photocopy)'. Nothing about groups. 
I wonder if a colour copy of my Italian ID (which includes my address and photo) would be accepted...? (But maybe not as this is specified under the other, 'Photo Evidence', catagory.
When you say residency card is this another term for ID card in Spain?
I find it rather surprising when you say she just sent old passport and 2 photos. Sure a return of address for the passport, but that wouldn't prove she was living in Spain. DId she send it to Madrid or somewhere in Spain, or Durham as mine?


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## MikeItMo

I've done a dummy run on the passport site, entering Spain as country of residence instead of Italy.
It appears that there are different requirements.
SPain directs to the supporting documents PDF table which is for Group 1 countries (passport and 2 photos); Italy Group 2, thus the differing ID requirements.


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## xabiaxica

MikeItMo said:


> I've done a dummy run on the passport site, entering Spain as country of residence instead of Italy.
> It appears that there are different requirements.
> SPain directs to the supporting documents PDF table which is for Group 1 countries (passport and 2 photos); Italy Group 2, thus the differing ID requirements.


In that case it says that you can send a colour photocopy of your resident card, doesn't it?


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## xabiaxica

MikeItMo said:


> Maybe your looking at something Spain-specific, as my list of accepted documents under the 'Name and address and/or residency evidence' catagory it says 'Visa or residence permit (or colour photocopy)'. Nothing about groups.
> I wonder if a colour copy of my Italian ID (which includes my address and photo) would be accepted...? (But maybe not as this is specified under the other, 'Photo Evidence', catagory.
> When you say residency card is this another term for ID card in Spain?
> I find it rather surprising when you say she just sent old passport and 2 photos. Sure a return of address for the passport, but that wouldn't prove she was living in Spain. DId she send it to Madrid or somewhere in Spain, or Durham as mine?


Hers went to Belfast.

How odd that applications from two EU countries should require different documentation!


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## MikeItMo

xabiachica said:


> In that case it says that you can send a colour photocopy of your resident card, doesn't it?


It does specify this but I don't have a resident card per se: maybe it's more a Spain document. I have an ID card. Also an old permesso cert. which I got when I first arrived but which are no longer issued to EU nationals.


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## NickZ

Your ID card is your resident card.


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## MikeItMo

NickZ said:


> Your ID card is your resident card.



Yes, I would like to think my ID card is my Residence card. Applicants are required to send ONE from each category.
On the passport document checklist is listed in the 'Photo evidence ' category:
-Your British Passport (if renewing), 
National Identity card or equivalent (or colour photocopy), 
Driving licence,...
...
From this (Photo evidence) group I am obviously submitting my British Passport for renewal.

In the second evidence category,'Name and address and /or residence evidence' :- Visa or residence permit (or colour photocopy), 
Tax record, 
Education record,
Employment record
Letter sent to you from a central, regional or local government department
Medical/health card
Voter's card
Immigration documents

It seems to me that an ID card is in the first 'Photo Evidence' category . But as I'm sending the passport from the first category, how can I also send my ID card?
I understood a residence permit is a Carta di soggiorno. Maybe I am wrong.
It would be convenient if my ID card could be used as address evidence ( As it has my address of 6 years ago maybe I should accidentally lose it and get a police report to obtain a new one with my present address in...)

On top of all this, one must get anything in Italian translated, even a medical card which simply states obvious fields such as 'Cognome-' etc. I could send a letter from INPS from the second catagory, but I figured the translation fee for a medical card will be cheaper.

Last time I did this in 2009, it was as different. A counte-rsignatory was needed, but no translation of anything.


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## NickZ

I'd assume the residence permit is a certificato di residenza but considering the price you might not want to. 

Are you in the same town? If not your ID card should have been changed when you moved.


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## MikeItMo

Just some feedback on this recent UK passport renewal
I got my tessera sanitaria translated (under the 'residence document' evidence catagory)
Used a very efficient translation service in Tuscany. I did the translation (as she advised, to reduce cost) and she just formatted and gave it her official stamp. Cost- €5 for stamp, €9 for registered mail back to my address.
Passport office in Durham rec'd it on a Tuesday, I got it back on Friday same week. The returned expired passport and health card came under separate post following Monday.
I understood the renewal was sent to Durham due to the 'issuing authority' being 'FCO'. I reckon other issuing auth. codes would require less evidential documentation (as per Spain instance) and be sent to another office, Belfast possibly.


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