New Passport Application Arrangements 

UK passport applications from customers living in Slovakia are now provided by the British Passport Processing Centre in Düsseldorf - which is part of the British Consulate General, Düsseldorf.  For more information about this change please click on the British Consulate General in Düsseldorf website.

Please note there will be no change to other services provided by our Consular Section in Bratislava.  Click here for more information on the services we provide.

New Passport Arrangements for British Nationals in Slovakia

Why has this happened?
These changes are part of a global initiative to rationalise passport services and reduce administration costs - while ensuring that the quality of service remains high.

What do these changes mean to me?
Passport applications should be sent by courier or registered post directly to:

British Consulate General,
Yorckstrasse 19
40476 Düsseldorf
GERMANY

Contacting Passport Information Helpline

For applications in Bratislava, Slovakia, please call +44 208 082 4740 between the hours of 9:00 AM and 6:00 PM local time, Monday to Friday.

• Calls will be handled by Careline Ser vices.  Calls will be charged at GBP 0.69 per minute for the duration of the call. (Telephone service providers will also charge for the cost of the international call)
• Please ensure you have your credit card details ready before calling.
• For customers with hearing difficulties, a Textphone service is available by contacting +44 1750 725 368.  This is a credit card payment service, charged at the same rates as above

Complaints/Feedback

If you feel that your experience with Careline Services was below the high standards the Foreign and Commonwealth Office aim to provide, please email Careline Services directly at: ukpassportservceeasterneurope@careline-services.co.uk
All complaints will be acknowledged within 1 working day.

The passport team in Düsseldorf aim to issue new passports within 10 working days of receiving the correct documentation (excluding transit time).

CHANGES TO THE PASSPORT SERVICE FOR BRITISH NATIONALS IN Austria, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Germany, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovak Republic and Slovenia

Passport Move - Frequently Asked Questions

Will I have to travel to Düsseldorf to get my passport?
No. The entire process can be done by mail. Send your application directly to British Passport Processing Centre in Düsseldorf (part of the British Consulate General) and they will return your new passport and other papers by courier.

How long will it take to receive my passport?
The British Passport Production Centre in Düsseldorf will aim to process passports within 10 working days of receipt of the completed application form, payment, photos and any supporting documents. This does not include transit time in each direction.

What if I need a passport urgently?
The front page of the passport application form invites you to enter your date of travel. Please do this if you are travelling urgently and we will aim to meet your deadline. In an emergency the office in Düsseldorf will have the discretion to issue passports more quickly than usual. Alternatively, the British Embassy in Bratislava can still issue an emergency travel document for a single journey to the UK. This will cost at least the Euro equivalent of £55.50p.    On arrival in the UK you would need to apply for a full passport before travelling abroad again. 

Where exactly in Slovakia can I obtain an emergency travel document?
Please contact the British Embassy in Bratislava to discuss your case and emergency travel document requirements. Depending on the urgency of the case, you will need to visit the Embassy to process your application.  Our contact details are on the Home Page of this website.

How can I be sure that my passport and personal documents are safe while in transit?
We would recommend that you send your application and accompanying documents by (insured) registered mail or courier. Completed passports and other documents will be returned by courier, for signature on delivery. We do NOT use unregistered mail.

Is it illegal to send a passport across borders?
No. Sending passports across borders is standard practice elsewhere - a large number of our passport issuing posts process applications from neighbouring countries. This practice is also common in other countries: Australia, Canada, the USA and most of our EU partners process passports across country borders. For example, all US passport applications overseas are sent back to the USA. The latest passport application form no longer requires that "you must be in the country where this application is being made".

I am a frequent traveller and use my passport constantly. Is there any way to minimise the time I am without my passport?
You can minimise transit times by sending your application to Düsseldorf by courier, or by calling into the office in Düsseldorf in person. Our system also allows you to apply up to nine months before your current passport expires without losing any validity (we can add the unused validity of your old passport onto the validity of your new passport e.g. add nine months plus 10 years). This gives you the flexibility to apply at a time when you are not travelling for a while. Alternatively, you can apply to hold two passports at one time, on presentation of a letter from your employer setting out the professional reasons for requiring a second passport. Or you could consider applying for your passport in the UK using the premium or fast-track services available there. For details see http://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/apply-urgent.asp.

Will the cost to me of obtaining a passport change?
The cost of a passport issued overseas is set by Parliament in sterling and is the same everywhere. Registered mail to Düsseldorf from Slovakia  is likely to cost about €6 depending on how many passports and how much supporting documentation is enclosed. You will also pay for the return of the new passport by courier from Düsseldorf: the current charge is €30 for everyone applying in Slovakia.

Can my new passport be sent to a PO Box?
No, you must provide an home or office address, where you can sign for the package containing your new passport

Why is it more expensive to apply for a passport abroad than it is in the UK?
The issuing of British passports is divided between the Identity and Passport Service (IPS), which works in the UK, and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), which works overseas. The IPS issues approximately six million passports every year from seven locations. The FCO issues fewer than 500,000 passports a year from over 100 locations. The full costs of issuing must be met through the passport fee. Although we run an efficient operation, we cannot match the economies of scale that the IPS benefits from. Passport fees have been frozen in 08/09. Centralising passport production in fewer locations is one way for the FCO to cover costs without any reduction in service to the customer. Please note that when you are making an application for a British passport overseas, the background of the passport photograph required can be white. The photographs also do not have to be printed on plain white photographic paper.  This differs from IPS requirements, but otherwise the information in the link is correct.

I’ve heard that older people are entitled to free passports. Will that still be the case under this new system?
Yes, anyone born before 2 September 1929 is eligible for a free passport. You will need to obtain the relevant form from the British Embassy in Bratislava. You should then send them the completed form and attachments. They will then arrange for the passport to be processed in Liverpool, as is currently done for such applications.

How can I make an enquiry about the progress of my application? 
Any enquiries about the status of our application should be directed to the passport center in Dusseldorf.  Tel.: 0049-211 9448 226

Are these changes to the passport application process happening elsewhere in the world?
Yes. We have already rationalised production in large countries such as the US, Canada and Australia, affecting over 120,000 customers a year. Since October 2007 all passport applications from Portugal have gone to Madrid, and Paris already handles applications from Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Passport services for Canada and the US have recently been centralised in Washington.  All the moves so far have worked well, and have not affected our commitment to process 90% of passports within ten working days.

Can I apply directly to the IPS (UK based passport office) instead of Düsseldorf?
Yes, but only if you are going to be in the UK at the time you make the application. To do so, you need to make an appointment at a UK passport office, and you must provide an address in the UK to which the passport can be posted. Please note that when you are making an application for a British passport overseas, the background of the passport photograph required can be white. The photographs also do not have to be printed on plain white photographic paper.  This differs from IPS requirements, but otherwise the information in the link is correct.

Full details are available on the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) website : http://www.ips.gov.uk/passport/index.asp. The Passport Adviceline on 0870-521-0410 also operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

How will I manage while my passport is in Düsseldorf for renewal?
You should carry your Residence Permit and/or other photo ID with you (e.g. driving licence), along with a photocopy of your old passport and evidence that you've requested a renewal (copy of your application form, proof of postage etc).   Should you encounter a problem with the local authorities concerning your inability to provide your valid passport please call the Embassy on 421-2 5998 2000. If call is out of hour, zou will be given the number (local rate) of the Global Response Centre in London who will be able to give you advice.