The recent decision to no longer renew UK passports at the British Honorary Consulate in Fethiye has led to confusion. The Vice Consul visited Fethiye earlier this week to clarify the process.

The Vice Consul from Istanbul, Nicole Sauvage Utku (pictured above centre), who actually oversees all passport renewals in Turkey, recently visited Fethiye and held a press conference with her colleagues from the local consular offices to clarify the new passport renewal process.

Passport renewals are now being undertaken in Istanbul on cost and security grounds.

Blank passports, complete with numbers, are costly to print and transporting them to locations around the globe where UK citizens have settled is a process fraught with security issues.

You can imagine the value of a numbered British passport into which anyone’s personal details can be entered.

Hence, instead of supplying the local consulates in Bodrum, Marmaris and Fethiye with blank numbered passports for the renewal process, all renewals will now take place in Istanbul.

You can download the necessary forms here and choose to pay in cash at the local consulate, sending your receipt to Istanbul with your application; or complete a credit/debit card form to cover the payment.

Issue of a new passport takes ten working days from receipt of application, and your new passport will be delivered by Yurt Ici cargo – you can collect it from their office if you don’t have a reliable address.

As the spouse of one member of the Fethiye Times’ team has to renew his passport we are going to test drive the new process and report back soon.

So watch this space for a real-life report on renewing your passport.

More information can also be found in our original article here.