Unfortunately, no it isn't once a passport has been issued - probably because there's no way that it could be done that couldn't also be replicated in stolen passports? Probably the best you could do is leave renewing it until as late as you can yet still be in time to apply for your visa etc.

When renewing a passport before it expires you can do this up to 9 months before it expires and the remaining time is added to the validity period of the old one but I'm not sure whether you would still get 9 months added if you renew more than 9 months before the old one expires.

You always used to be able to request that a new passport be issued with double the standard number of pages in it but as it cost twice as much as the standard one I was never sure why anyone would bother. I couldn't work out what advantage there was other than saving on the time spent re-newing it once it was full - there was no cost saving at the time but I suppose it would save you money if the prices had gone up in the meantime.

SM

I believe the cost for a 48 page passport is now £120.50 as opposed to the £112.50 for a 32 page one. When I last renewed my passport I used the one day fast track service and the person who dealt with my application asked if I wanted the 48 page one as my old passport was crammed full with stamps and visas.
Not much help for you at the moment BrenzLiz but worth considering in the future.

Thanks for that, it seems a bit of a rip off to lose 2 years on the passport but I don't suppose I have much choice if I want to go to Goa again. Will leave it as long as I dare before applying for a new visa for December. I will have to make sure I get a bigger one next time. The annoying thing is I have 2 pages which have got one tiny stamp on in the bottom corner. Thanks once again for the advice.

I believe the cost for a 48 page passport is now £120.50 as opposed to the £112.50 for a 32 page one.

Definitely a much better deal than it used to be! Thanks for the info Judith, I'll bear that in mind the next time I need to renew. Previously, I took the view that I might as well just renew it early if I ever filled the standard one at the price they were charging when I last looked into it.

SM

Same happened last year with our passports BrenLiz they were up untill
June 2013 but only one clear page,its really annoying when they use a
new page nearly every time,[to lazy to look]we did get 9mths extra on
the new one,s so not to bad

annx

I know how you feel Brenliz we still have 4 years left on our UK passports ..and we had to get a new one we got the Irish passport this time 66 pages and a lot cheaper than it would have been to renew our UK passports ..colleen

I suppose I should think myself lucky then IC if I only lose 2 years. I think I could spin it out and and hopefully it won't be too bad if they put the 9 months on which is what happened last time I renewed. I will get one with extra pages this time though. Thanks to everyone for your advice.

looking on the bright side brenliz we can always use our Ukpassport to visit spain egypt places like that it was all the visits that ran away with the pages out of the uk one as you know you need two pages for every visit 11 visits did not help Colleen

I lost 3 years on my passport Brenliz, there is no way around it, I purchased a 'jumbo' passport this time , hopefully it will actually last the 10 years

Shirley how many pages are in the jumbo passport and is it much more than the norm one .....colleen

IC

Judith wrote:

I believe the cost for a 48 page passport is now £120.50 as opposed to the £112.50 for a 32 page one. When I last renewed my passport I used the one day fast track service and the person who dealt with my application asked if I wanted the 48 page one as my old passport was crammed full with stamps and visas.

We are in the exact same position. When I got my Indian Visa this year I only had four pages left and that is two used up now so only two left and we have other holidays planned in for this year. We still have 4 years left on our passports very annoying.
Once we come back from Goa I will need to renew them again but will definitely opt for the jumbo passport this time.

you definitely have to get a new one, i lost loads of time off my other one and was not happy! i've got the bigger one now.