Consular Connections
The British Consulate Amsterdam
Passport Services
Our passport services are covered by the Citizens Charter. We aim to issue all passports within ten working days of receipt of all the correct documentation and photographs. This does not include postal time and it may take longer if you are applying for a replacement for a lost/stolen passport or where we may need to make other enquiries with the UK Passport Service or another Consulate. Applicants should be aware that delays may occur because of the new biometric issuing system and these delays are completely beyond our control. We strongly recommend that you apply at least 4 – 6 weeks before your travelling date to avoid any disappointment. Please note that we are not able to offer a ‘fast-track’ service at extra cost and will require the full ten working days for production of the new biometric passports.
If you wish to know the progress of your passport application, please do not call us until three days after your passport was due to be ready. If you must contact us then please do so by emailing us on passportenquiries.amsterdam@fco.gov.uk with your full name, date of birth and your enquiry and we shall email you back as soon as possible.
Introduction of Biometric Passports The British Consulate General is now issuing biometric passports. All applications received at the Consulate will be for biometric passports only. Please read the guidance on photograph requirements carefully as wrong photos will result in a delay in your passport production.
A limited number of 48 page (Jumbo) Biometric passports are now available at €192,- each
There are several important points that passport applicants need to know in advance. Please click on the link below for all the relevant information:
Information on Biometrics Passports
Fees The fees can be paid in cash, for personal callers by PIN card, or via the bank to our account to ABN AMRO account number 43.69.90.016 to the attention of the British Consulate-General Amsterdam; please make it clear under ‘other information’ on the application form that you intend to pay via the bank.
The onus is on the applicant to submit the correct Admin/Postage fee. As from 1 October 2007 amounts of 10 Euros and under (for postage) will not be refunded.
Children Children under the age of sixteen are required to hold their own passports and those who are presently included on their parents’ passport(s) will not be transferred on to their parents’ new passports when the expired passports are replaced.
Photographs All passport applications must include two identical recent photographs. The photographs you send us must meet internationally agreed standards and must be a true likeness of you. The guidance in the leaflet that you can download below will help you to provide us with acceptable photographs, and will help avoid the need for us to ask for more photographs. Please note that the background colour is important and we specify white backgrounds. We cannot accept blue/grey backgrounds which are often used for Dutch identity photographs. Please ensure your photographer knows this to avoid any problems. For more information go to http://www.britishembassy.gov.uk
Other Consular Services.
With 1.3 million British visitors to The Netherlands each year and a resident British population of around 40,000, (apparently the British are currently the second largest non-Dutch population in Amsterdam) we provide consular assistance and advice. As a Consular ‘outstation’, we also provide travel advice for The Netherlands and The Netherlands Antilles as part of the Foreign Office ‘Know before you go’? campaign. Details can be found on the FCO website at http://www.fco.gov.uk under Travel and advice for most countries is covered here.
Details of our location, opening hours, and our contact numbers (including out-of-hours emergency number) are available at http://www.britain.nl and by clicking on the Services link, you can access travel advice, passport forms, visa forms etc. which can be downloaded for completion prior to submission at the Consulate. As well as being linked with the Embassy in The Hague, we also work with the British Council and VisitBritain (formerly British Tourist Authority) http://www.visitbritain.nl both in Amsterdam.
Clive Correa, Consul-General.
