Renewing American Passport.

According to the US Embassy site for Paris (as of today), they still accept credit cards. The site for the US Embassy in Brussels now has a notice similar to London:

"Effective November 24, 2017, the Consular Section of the U.S. Embassy in Brussels, Belgium will no longer accept credit card payments for passport applications by mail."

https://be.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/passports/renew-passport-by-mail/

On my way to the old embassy today so will update on what I learn. I had to beg to get an appointment as they had nothing open at all and I have 1 open page left. Plus the whole money order issue.

I got an email at 09:38 this morning saying “be at the embassy at 11:00” to which I replied “I live on the south coast 90 min by train I can’t be there that quick.” They replied “get here asap to argue your case..” so I’m now on my way. Keep fingers crossed!!

Maybe you'll see history, today might even be the last day the embassy on grovesner square is open.  Perhaps they'll be selling desks and stuff.

Went to the embassy today; was told I am one of the last to submot passport at old location.

So here is the deal. Yes the money orded/bank draft change is permanent. What you can do is: if you bank in the UK with a bank that has branches in the US; i.e. Lloyd’s, Santander, Barclays etc you can go in and ask for a bank draft in USD and they will issue it.

The embassy guy said that when you get out of London into the smaller branches they may not know the process but it can be done. I did suggest the language on the website be changed as it was confusing and he said he would make a note of it.

Hope this helps!!

Thank you for that link! I was aware of the changes with charges for credit cards going away, it hadn't occurred to me that some agencies would no longer accept credit, although I understand why they would do that!

Many thanks for the link-my husband is employed but did some freelance work he needs to pay taxes on so this actually is the impetus to get it all done!

Just booking a little 'holiday' up to Edinburgh during the February half term-I'll let people know how the counter service goes if anyone is interested! Fingers crossed there isn't an emergency I need to get to the USA for!

We have our passports to renew this year.  My wife has a sister living in Edinburgh so I am very interested in your experience with the over-the-counter service as it sounds like that may be a good option for us since we live in N Yorkshire.

Went to the embassy today; was told I am one of the last to submot passport at old location.

So here is the deal. Yes the money orded/bank draft change is permanent. What you can do is: if you bank in the UK with a bank that has branches in the US; i.e. Lloyd’s, Santander, Barclays etc you can go in and ask for a bank draft in USD and they will issue it.

The embassy guy said that when you get out of London into the smaller branches they may not know the process but it can be done. I did suggest the language on the website be changed as it was confusing and he said he would make a note of it.

Hope this helps!!

Glad you’re sorted! Huge help! Thank you! 

So here is the deal. Yes the money orded/bank draft change is permanent. What you can do is: if you bank in the UK with a bank that has branches in the US; i.e. Lloyd’s, Santander, Barclays etc you can go in and ask for a bank draft in USD and they will issue it.

I would assume that this incurs some terrible exchange rate... 

I would assume that this incurs some terrible exchange rate... 

I just look at like getting something to eat at the airport......WAY too expensive, but "I don't do it very often so what the heck". I have 3 more years....but I think I would rather do it this way than drive to Edinburgh. We use Lloyds....so by the previous info it should be ok to get the payment through them. But who knows.....I haven't been to Edinburgh for ages so it might be good for a day out.

I just look at like getting something to eat at the airport......WAY too expensive, but "I don't do it very often so what the heck". I have 3 more years....but I think I would rather do it this way than drive to Edinburgh. We use Lloyds....so by the previous info it should be ok to get the payment through them. But who knows.....I haven't been to Edinburgh for ages so it might be good for a day out.

If you decide to make the trip, train might be easier. Book ahead to get cheaper tickets. 

If you decide to make the trip, train might be easier. Book ahead to get cheaper tickets. 

+1

You can get some good deals for a day return to Edinburgh and the train station (Waverly) is only a 10 minute walk to the US consulate according to Google Maps.

+1

You can get some good deals for a day return to Edinburgh and the train station (Waverly) is only a 10 minute walk to the US consulate according to Google Maps.

Yep, it's just right down the road.

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I have 3 more years....but I think I would rather do it this way than drive to Edinburgh. We use Lloyds....so by the previous info it should be ok to get the payment through them. But who knows.....I haven't been to Edinburgh for ages so it might be good for a day out.

Last time we needed a US notary for something we had to go to the Edinburgh consulate. We made it into a long weekend there. Great fun! 

I was looking this up the other day on Google maps.....maybe somebody who knows Edinburgh will tell me....I thought it would be fairly simple (in my head....it's a happy place ) to drive up the A1, zip into town and park somewhere like the Meadowbank shopping area and walk a mile or so to the Embassy without having to drive into the main part of Edinburgh. Bad idea?

I was looking this up the other day on Google maps.....maybe somebody who knows Edinburgh will tell me....I thought it would be fairly simple (in my head....it's a happy place ) to drive up the A1, zip into town and park somewhere like the Meadowbank shopping area and walk a mile or so to the Embassy without having to drive into the main part of Edinburgh. Bad idea?

For us it is a 3.5 hour drive, 4 hours with a break.  We can catch a train from Middlesbrough for £40 same day return which only takes 2hrs 35mins. I looked up Harrogate and it is almost twice as expensive - £81.80 for a day return, travel time 3hrs 44mins.

To drive it looks like 4 hours driving time, up the A1, distance of 198 miles. 400 miles round trip so you can figure out the cost of gas or diesel, and I don't know how much parking costs.

We have family in Balerno and the buses run every 10 minutes or so and are very cheap (~£1.60 each way) so I don't really know what driving in Edinburgh is like or how much it costs to park.

I was looking this up the other day on Google maps.....maybe somebody who knows Edinburgh will tell me....I thought it would be fairly simple (in my head....it's a happy place ) to drive up the A1, zip into town and park somewhere like the Meadowbank shopping area and walk a mile or so to the Embassy without having to drive into the main part of Edinburgh. Bad idea?

There are several Park & Ride options that link up well with the bus/train/tram.

Since we were always staying overnight, previously, we'd stay in the Edinburgh Park/ Gyle area. There's a Premier Inn right next to the train station, and it puts you at Waverley in under 15 minutes.



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