I've never travelled abroad before so never really owned or needed a passport, but I will be travelling abroad towards the latter end of the year soon, so obviously I am applying for a new passport.
Whilst reading and filling in the forms over the last few days - I noticed last night that and the very last page in a small paragraph that since March 2007, new first time applicants for passports are required to have an interview.
This interview will apparently help the IPS, confirm my identity.
Can I ask how this will help them as such, they already have as much information through the form you hand in to them? They already have a photo, declaring that this is a true likeness of me, signed and dated by a upstanding member of the community, I ask what is the point of the countersignatory, now that these interviews have come about.
The other thing which gets my goat is the part of the following paragraph in bold and underlined.
Taken from the IPS website:
Quote:
The interview process
Passport applications can be made using the standard application form, as now. These can be sent directly by post or by using the Check & Send service available at selected branches of the Post Office and Worldchoice travel agents. Regional passport offices will then establish that the applicant’s identity exists and that they are entitled to a British passport. This will include checks with independent sources such as the electoral roll and address histories. This verifies a “biographical footprint” of identity and will be used later in the identity interview.
At the end of this initial verification process, the applicant will get a letter asking them to telephone us to make an appointment for an interview at one of our 69 interview offices. An applicant can choose any office, but appointments are subject to availability*.
The interview process takes about 30 minutes. It will be conducted in a friendly manner and will consist mainly of asking applicants to confirm facts about themselves, which someone attempting to steal their identity may not know.
All personal information used in the interview is destroyed shortly after the passport is issued.
* As the interview scheme is rolled out, we will start with small-scale interviews in a limited number of interview offices. During this period, customers will not have a choice of interview office. However, the location of the interview will be within one hour’s travelling time.
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To me I find it a little suspect that they are making applying for a passport, an extremely awkward process. Are they doing this so that people will find ID Cards more accepting?
