Grandson Passport Interview/Jamaican TomTom

[Fugitive]

I didn't realise until now that every new adult passport application does mean an interview for identity protection. I really thought it was a random selection but I was wrong.

[JoM]

I wonder if the checks are this stringent on those coming into the country to live...

[Kaz]

That would be good wouldn't it? I doubt they even get the grilling that I did

I was actually quite upset and annoyed about it at the time. I have never ever put a foot wrong, not a blemish on my record, and yet I was sat there in a formal interview room having questions fired at me in a very officious manner

It made me think that maybe ID cards, from birth, aren't such a bad thing

[Diflower]

Bb was the same Kaz, he couldn't believe it, especially the tone.
If the questions had been the same but asked 'nicely' it wouldn't have been quite so bad.

[Kaz]

Not pleasant at all Di, it was as though they would be pleased to trip you up. They asked me the age of my friend who sponsored me - you know, the referee who has to be a professional in some way - and my mind went blank, but thankfully it came to me. Then afterwards I thought, how many people do know the exact age of all their friends? Really tricky

[Kaz]

I did wonder afterwards what would have happened if I'd somehow 'failed' - I mean they can't refuse a genuine British Citizen a passport, surely?

[Fugitive]

I wonder if the checks are this stringent on those coming into the country to live...

I wondered the same too Jo. First thing Grandson said to me when it was over were 'I felt like a terrorist!'

Somebody would have to be a very skilled identity thief to get through the bombardment of such personal questions.

I think you have to go through the same interview if you let your passport lapse so a warning to always renew passports.

[Diflower]

I know, that's what he said Kaz.
He got really flustered because of their attitude and got his mother's year of birth wrong at first, but he never uses that!
We'd both assumed, since it was questions about him, that he'd automatically know the answers

[Diflower]

Well mine has lapsed because I'm not spending all that money until I know I can use it

[Suff]

Hint to self, if I let my passport lapse.

Go to a Solicitors and take one of their business cards. Then hand it over as the very first thing. Then tell them that this is the firm they will be dealing with for the damages claim if they don't do their job properly, efficiently and in a respectful manner.

I DO NOT put up with that kind of thing since leaving the Army....

It's unlikely my passport will lapse, but I'll give them hell if they ever try that on me. Including asking them why they didn't feel patriotic enough to join our armed forces and put their life on the line for the country....

This kind of thing makes my blood boil.

BTW Fugi, I almost always ignore the satnav when it goes off on a stupid set of directions. If I have any knowledge of the area I'm going to and I think it's going the wrong way, I ignore it. After about 6 or 7 attempts and recalculates the route on your new heading. I did that when I decided to come south of Gatwick and cut across country for the A3 to get to Liphook. It was quite a job to ignore the thing and just keep on following the route I'd identified for myself. It came out about 5 minutes longer than the route it had worked out for me and that route included going north from Gatwick and joining a completely blocked M25....

Kaz, I talk to my Satnav too, like Mick. "No I'm not going there". "What do you think I am Stupid???" "Shut up and get on with it". My satnav is also voice activated. Coming back form Zurich was hilarious. "I have found a route with is 3 minutes faster, do you want to take it?". "No". "do you want to take it?" "NO" "Do you want to take it". "NO you bliddy idiot" That did it.....