View Full Version : Black or Blue?
There has been lots of talk over the past few weeks of reverting to the old style hard-back British passports. Everything I have read tells me that we can look forward to the return of the traditional blue passport. I have my old passport in front of me at the minute. It's definitely not blue, it's black. I've tried looking at it in different lights, turned it over and over, wondered if maybe it's a very dark blue, or if time has just faded it, but always come back to deciding no, it's not blue, it's black. I have never had a blue one.
Does anyone have an explanation? Possibly, because I am originally from Northern Ireland and that is where it was issued, the colour there was different from mainland UK, but I can't find anything online to confirm this. Anybody know the answer?
E. Cosgrove
02-04-2017, 22:31
I,m with you on this one, appears to be black!
When I was reading about it yesterday on line I was wondering as well why they were saying it was blue as it definately looks black to me.
My old ones date back to the 60's and before the change they are all very dark BLUE.
christhear
03-04-2017, 08:06
Didn't have one until Mid 80's but it was black
I have all my old passports and mine were a very dark blue.
ujpest doza
03-04-2017, 12:25
I still have my very first passport for posterity issued in 1988 and it is definitely Navy Blue.
I can't see what difference it makes what colour it is personally, as long as it allows you travel.
Just checked my old passports and they are dark blue with a much stiffer cover than the existing passports
My first passport is from 1980 and it's a dark blue.
floridageoff
05-04-2017, 13:46
Definitely dark blue
I am sure my one was black
It seems crazy to me that some people are so set on wanting it to go back, really can't understand that. So long as it does the job it is intended to do that is the most important thing Though a bright yellow might be a bit much :rolleyes:
My old passport was definitely more robust than the modern flimsy ones we have today
sunseeker
17-04-2017, 08:51
Mine was blue, very similar in colour to the Australian passport.
Dave
sunseeker
17-04-2017, 08:56
I am sure my one was black
It seems crazy to me that some people are so set on wanting it to go back, really can't understand that. So long as it does the job it is intended to do that is the most important thing Though a bright yellow might be a bit much :rolleyes:
Should we go back to pounds ,shillings and pence too :p. My parents still use the old imperial system, they have never understood decimalisation.
Dave
houseandmouse
17-04-2017, 09:12
Another vote for dark blue.
Gerry Reed
17-04-2017, 09:39
I use a mixture. My weight in stones, hight in ft and inches and bra size in inches etc- no idea what they are in metric. When I cook/bake, I am happy with either oz or grams but I do think of an egg as 2oz so if I am not using a recipe I would use oz when making a cake etc. I still buy veg, meat etc in pounds and milk in pints but petrol in litres and my garden watering can is in gallons !. Hot temperatures in F - 80. 90 etc, this is reenforced by time in Florida - our A/C is set in F, but cold 0 - 15 in Celsius (usually in UK for cold temp). How weird is that ? And of course, distance is in miles not kilometres.
I was at school in the 60/70s and I guess that is how we did it then - a bit of a mixture, but my science degree in the 70s should have got me into metric. When it comes to £, shillings and pence, I do remember them but as I was about 12 when we went decimal, I am also comfortable with that.
florida4sun
17-04-2017, 13:31
I have an old dark blue one but it is ver dark. I wish they would do away with them and simoly have a credit card with a chip. Anyone done the global entry thing for the USA yet? If so is it much of chore, I really need to get it.
So, this in The Times today, turns out it wasn’t only me who was puzzled.
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/red-faces-at-home-office-after-black-passport-turns-blue-6b9fz2g58
cook22uk
30-12-2017, 14:46
Yes agree - dark blue (very dark..)
Mo Green
30-12-2017, 16:06
We did the Global Entry Martin and it was quite easy to do. Partly done online from the UK. Once our application had been conditionally approved we had to schedule an interview at a Global Entry Enrolment Centre of our choice (Tampa, Orlando, Miami Airports). I think it had to be done within 6 months. We chose Miami Airport and turned up at the office with plenty of time. Walked in and surprised to discover the waiting room full but apparently they had had a computer breakdown. They soon caught up and we were only 30 minutes late being called in. We were interviewed separately but had much the same questions "why did we want it" and the usual sort of immigration questions, passport check, photo and finger prints. Ten minutes and we were given an Approval number receipt immediately and told the official letter would be emailed.
We have used it a few times to enter Miami and Tampa and the machines just take seconds to print off two receipts, one with with your photo to hand in at Customs exit and the second to keep in your passport with date of entry and allowed exit. As yet we have never been asked for our approval letter. The main benefits for us are being able to walk straight through immigration with hand luggage without all the snaking back and forwards waiting to go to the UK passport machines or a manned desk.
Sounds
i,e it is worth doing then Maureen
Definitely dark blue
From March 2019 you will be BACK to U.K. Blue Passports minus the EU Logo
You will be Out of Europe at that time .
You will have to join the Non European Q when travelling to the rest of Europe.
Lesley S
31-12-2017, 11:27
Just looked at one of ours and it is a very dark blue, but almost black looking. Depending on what light you look at.
My last UK one was very dark blue with the nice hard cover. My current one will no expire until 2013 but I will willingly pay for a new one!
Andrena
sunseeker
27-01-2018, 11:30
From March 2019 you will be BACK to U.K. Blue Passports minus the EU Logo
You will be Out of Europe at that time .
You will have to join the Non European Q when travelling to the rest of Europe.
Being a non EU country we won't have a need for an EU point of immigration just a UK one and the rest of the world. It will be you joining the Non European Q if you want to visit here. As for us Brits, we will travel around the EU through the short queues while you stand in those massive EU lines. Of course, we will still be a European country.
Dave
E. Cosgrove
27-01-2018, 16:54
I use a mixture. My weight in stones, hight in ft and inches and bra size in inches etc- no idea what they are in metric. When I cook/bake, I am happy with either oz or grams but I do think of an egg as 2oz so if I am not using a recipe I would use oz when making a cake etc. I still buy veg, meat etc in pounds and milk in pints but petrol in litres and my garden watering can is in gallons !. Hot temperatures in F - 80. 90 etc, this is reenforced by time in Florida - our A/C is set in F, but cold 0 - 15 in Celsius (usually in UK for cold temp). How weird is that ? And of course, distance is in miles not kilometres.
I was at school in the 60/70s and I guess that is how we did it then - a bit of a mixture, but my science degree in the 70s should have got me into metric. When it comes to £, shillings and pence, I do remember them but as I was about 12 when we went decimal, I am also comfortable with that.
You sound exactly like me, similar in age I reckon as well:)
florida4sun
27-01-2018, 17:32
Prety sure the visa waiver is not done on a euro basis. Rather it ncludes teh United Kingdom. It is open to some non EU countries already such as Chile.
The EU is currently considering cancelling the USA visa waiver over some clerical error. Not sure if that has been sorted out.If tehy do you can garentee Trump will hit the EU back harder. It's what he does.
From March 2019 you will be BACK to U.K. Blue Passports minus the EU Logo
You will be Out of Europe at that time .
You will have to join the Non European Q when travelling to the rest of Europe.
Being a non EU country we won't have a need for an EU point of immigration just a UK one and the rest of the world. It will be you joining the Non European Q if you want to visit here. As for us Brits, we will travel around the EU through the short queues while you stand in those massive EU lines. Of course, we will still be a European country.
Dave
All EU passport holders , including me , will have an EU Q.
All other passport holders INCLUDING UK Passports holders will be in a different Q
I have an Irish Passport & so I will be in the EU Q Note I am entitled to have a UK passport one as well
Mo Green
28-01-2018, 12:30
I would have sworn my old passport was dark blue but just come across my very first one (1967) and it is definitely black when compared to black or navy leather (handbags).
Mo Green
29-01-2018, 11:48
I would have sworn my old passport was dark blue but just come across my very first one (1967) and it is definitely black when compared to black or navy leather (handbags).
Amazing what you find when clearing out cupboards! Just come across all our old passports - goodness knows why we kept them! A couple are really black and the rest are dark navy blue. I guess it depends on the year and whether the dyes change with age.