# Do Britons (and I assume Canadians, Australians, etc.) All Have To Get New Passports Now? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 9, 2022, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269 "2022-09-09T14:21:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [September 17, 2022, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/81 "2022-09-17T12:39:31Z")
But at least for the US, every note ever printed is still legal tender meaning I could take a 1863 15¢ note and use it as 15 cents in a store. Very different than currency that is valid meaning I can exchange it for a current bill. ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2022, 9:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/82 "2022-09-23T09:22:09Z")
Interesting, can the store refuse to accept it if they’re unsure of its legality? Also, I realise US bank notes pretty much never get redesigned, but do they have additional security features added and have the materials used changed in line with current security standards you find in other country’s bank notes? ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2022, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/83 "2022-09-23T09:53:26Z")
> [@SanVito](#): > > Interesting, can the store refuse to accept it if they’re unsure of its legality? They can refuse to accept any denomination for any or no reason. As in English law, the concept of legal tender has nothing to do with shopping. > [@SanVito](#): > > Also, I realise US bank notes pretty much never get redesigned, but do they have additional security features added and have the materials used changed in line with current security standards you find in other country’s bank notes? It’s only the $1 and $2 bills that never get redesigned. The others have changed a couple of times since the late 90s, with new designs and security features. The base material is still the same though, and it’s unlikely that it will change. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2022, 10:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/84 "2022-09-27T10:09:08Z")
And the re-labelling process begins: > **[King Charles: New royal cypher revealed](https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-63034255)** > > The symbol of the new reign is being introduced but will only gradually appear on post boxes. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2022, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/85 "2022-09-28T17:21:59Z")
Whats wrong with a classic CIIIR? ---
**Author:** ![slash2k](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@slash2k](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slash2k)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2022, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/86 "2022-09-28T17:36:35Z")
CIIIR would mimic his mother’s, but previous kings have used [multiple different styles](https://www.postalmuseum.org/blog/royal-cypher-appearances/). Charles III’s probably most closely resembles that of Edward VII. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2022, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/87 "2022-09-28T18:10:31Z")
The article says that he chose that cypher from several offered to him, much as a company will be offered various logos by a graphic designer or brand marketing firm so presumably this was his preference. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2022, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/88 "2022-12-20T11:51:16Z")
The Bank of England has now published the new designs of banknotes, for introduction as and when needed. > **[King Charles III banknotes](https://www.bankofengland.co.uk/banknotes/king-charles-banknotes)** > > We expect to issue banknotes featuring the King’s portrait by mid-2024. You will still be able to use all polymer banknotes that feature the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II. ---
**Author:** ![penultima\_thule](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/penultima_thule/32/3833_2.png) [@penultima\_thule](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/penultima_thule)\ **Post date:** [March 7, 2023, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/89 "2023-03-07T21:59:49Z")
Just a bump for a topical anecdote: I have just renewed my Australian passport in [preparation for this trip](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/squaring-the-us-a-grand-tour-idea/821625/96) and as of 1st March it was issued in the name of Queen Elizabeth II. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 6:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/90 "2023-03-08T06:53:51Z")
They’ve probably got a lot of existing stock to use up. I’ve just put in for a new passport, so I’ll see what happens here. ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2023, 9:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/91 "2023-03-08T09:16:21Z")
A Serbian colleague of mine renewed his passport in 2012 and it had Yugoslavia crossed out and Serbia stamped above. Those stocks can take a while to be used up! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stafford_cripps/32/7167_2.png) [@The\_Stafford\_Cripps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stafford_Cripps)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2023, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/92 "2023-03-09T18:39:30Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > They’ve probably got a lot of existing stock to use up. I’ve just put in for a new passport, so I’ll see what happens here. I’ve just got my new UK passport - it mentions “Her Majesty” but there is no other reference to the monarch, so if the new monarch had been a queen you wouldn’t know which one it was referring to. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2023, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/93 "2023-03-12T21:51:43Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > > [@md-2000](#): > > > > Plenty of Georges. > > 1970 kid here, George was not uncommon but Edward was a rarety. How much KEVIII money was produced? > [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > Well it won’t be going forward, it will be [going left.](https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/09/world/europe/king-charles-bank-notes-coins-currency.html) What does that article say? > [@Riemann](#): > > > [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > > > I think that Canada, the States, the UK and Australia make up the exclusive club of nations which have never démonétisée their coins and notes. > > Not true for the U.K. Old banknotes become invalid, in fact this is happening for all paper banknotes at the end of September. Although, as I said above, you can always still exchange them - it appears that you would have to go with your grandma’s stash to the Bank Of England. Didn’t we have to stop using shillings and florins in late '91 or early '92, when the new 5p and 10p coins were introduced? ---
**Author:** ![FinsToTheLeft](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finstotheleft/32/2930_2.png) [@FinsToTheLeft](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinsToTheLeft)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 5:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/94 "2023-03-13T05:36:48Z")
> [@SCAdian](#): > > How much KEVIII money was produced? VI not VII ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/95 "2023-03-13T06:08:12Z")
Assuming Edward VIII was intended, the answer is - not a lot: > **[Edward VIII coins](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_VIII_coins)** > > Edward VIII coins are a series of coins that were produced upon the accession of King Edward VIII. Because of his short reign of just 326 days and eventual abdication, many never entered circulation and remained only as pattern pieces. > The exact number of Edward VIII coins in existence is unknown, with the majority having been melted down by the Royal Mint after Edward VIII's abdication. Many pattern issues are retained by the Royal Mint Museum, with other surviving coins purchased by private ... (The Sovereign’s image didn’t appear on notes, at least in the UK) until about 1960) ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 6:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/96 "2023-03-13T06:23:02Z")
> [@FinsToTheLeft](#): > > > [@SCAdian](#): > > > > How much KEVIII money was produced? > > VI not VII I keep reading that as “Kev 3”. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/97 "2023-03-13T06:38:38Z")
I think the only Edward VIII coins that actually _circulated_ were certain colonial coins that had a hole in the center, which meant all they had was his title. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/98 "2023-03-13T13:02:04Z")
Back to passports - they turned round my renewal in a week\*, and I note it’s one of _Her_ Britannic Majesty’s old stock - and that some of the descriptive text is replicated in Welsh, Scottish and Irish Gaelic, French and Spanish. \*It helps to have the basic paperwork done online, with automated update notifications at each stage ---
**Author:** ![scudsucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scudsucker/32/14101_2.png) [@scudsucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scudsucker)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/99 "2023-03-13T13:44:40Z")
It is astounding to me, in the third world, even though I am in a Commonwealth country, how fast that turnover is. I foolishly let my UK passport expire. That meant a vast amount of original documents, including my maternal grandparents marriage cert, my mum’s birth cert, my dad’s death cert… pretty much everything imaginable. Plus, of course my old expired UK passports, I think I sent 3. But my goodness, they were fast. Sent the docs via courier one day, got a minor query within 3 days, got a passport with all the orgininal supporting documentation couriered to me withing 3 weeks. In comparison my application for South African citizenship - despite both my grandfather and father being born here - took about 2 years. And that - the citizenship application - impressed me, because I was used to dealing with Zimbabwean bureaucracy ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2023, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269/100 "2023-03-13T16:43:38Z")
The UK govt website warns it may take 10 weeks. There can certainly be a backlog and delays in the summer season when so many people leave it till the last minute before they go on holiday. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-britons-and-i-assume-canadians-australians-etc-all-have-to-get-new-passports-now/971269.md?page=4)