Change in the Delivery of UK Passport Services in Belgium
Statement from the British Embassy in Brussels 22 February 2008:
From Monday 31 March 2008, UK passport services in Belgium and France
will be joined to create a single issuing centre. This will be based
in the British Consulate-General in Paris. This change is being
carefully managed to ensure that service levels remain high: straightforward
applications with correctly submitted supporting documents will continue
to be processed within 10 working days of receipt at the British Consulate-General
Paris.
From 31 March, UK passport applicants in Belgium will need to apply
for a renewal or new passport from the British Consulate General in
Paris by post or in person.
Further details on how to send and pay for your application to Paris
will appear on our website: www.britishembassy.gov.uk/belgium around
mid March.
All other consular services will continue to be provided by the British
Embassy in Brussels who will also continue to issue Emergency Passports
(an emergency travel document for single use to return to the
UK). We will still handle Veteran passport applications.
We are committed to ensuring that the quality of the passport service
offered to British nationals throughout the region remains high. Feedback
from customers on this new service is welcomed and should be sent to:
Peter Cartwright
HM Consul
Consulate-General Paris
18bis rue d’Anjou 75008 Paris
BBCA's response
Dear BBCA Group/ member,
Please find
a
letter for your information, which the
BBCA has issued together with the British Chamber of Commerce
and the Antwerp British Community Association.
Copies of this letter have been posted this evening
(03.03.2008) to the Foreign Secretary, the three British Ambassadors
in Belgium and the British EU Commissioner. It has also been
e-mailed to all British MEPs and the Bulletin.
We assume most of you are already aware of the recent announcement
from the Embassy on passports.
We are also encouraging the signature of the e-petition to
the British Prime Minister
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/brusselspassport/ ,
which we suggest you forward to your own group members to consider,
if you have not already done so.
Please feel free to also forward this information to influential contacts
you have, especially any in the UK media.
Best regards,
BBCA Committee
