Concurrent passports what are they, why I need one and how do I get them?

What is a concurrent passport?
A concurrent is passport is a second passport that many western countries can issue to their citizens on request, generally it is of lesser duration than your primary passport. Eg for US citizens it is only for 2 years and for Australian citizens it is 3 years.

Why would I need one?
The primary reason for having one is to allow you send a passport away for a visa, while still having a valid a travel document. (eg you are in Thailand and need to apply to the Pakistan embassy in Australia for a visa to go there). Other benefits would be avoiding showing a say a Israeli visa stamp to an Arab country and being able to apply for more than visa at a time.


How do I get one?
Generally speaking countries that issue concurrent passports require a travel itinerary with a covering letter of some sorts and where applicable a employer letter also.

So the purpose of thread is provide information on what various countries require and how to go about it, the experience of others doing this would beneficial also.

So to kick this off
For US citizens see http://www.state.gov/documents/organization/94669.pdf

For Australian citizens see Passport Manual

Below is a copy of the letter that I used for DFAT in Australia


Craig Iedema
Address

Date

Australian Government
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade

To Whom It May Concern:

My wife and I will be overseas on an extended holiday that begins in from and will extend to to or longer.

Due to the requirements of a number of countries we intend to visit to apply for a Visa from the applicant’s home country, we will at times need to send our passports back to Australia.

To enable us to continue to travel we are requesting that we are provided with a concurrent passport so that when we apply for the required Visas we are still in possession of a valid Australian Passport.

We are applying for both a new passport and the concurrent passport simultaneously and as such do not have a passport number to provide for the attached form.


Our approximate itinerary is as follows:-

Itinerary

The countries that we need to apply for a Visa from Australia are:-
• Countries and application dates

Visa’s for the remaining countries are either not needed, can be obtained at entry points or the respective consulate in a bordering country.

The dates above are approximate and may vary depending on the local conditions at the time of each of the countries we plan to visit.

I can be contacted on phone or via email on email. Thank you for you consideration of this request.


Yours Faithfully,



Craig Iedema

We applied for 2nd passport from UK Passport office about a month ago and got them through after only 10 days.
We sent a covering letter similar to the one above (but based upon traveling for work reasons, stating that we were freelance and needed to be in a number of countries over the next 2 years that would not look favourably on certain stamps in the passport eg USA / Iran, Israel / N Africa, etc).
We spoke to the passport office and they couldnt have been more helpful - even talked us through how to fill out the application form (in UK you have to apply on the standard form via the Post Office as if applying for a first passport and enclose your current passport with the application).

__________________
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www.wearthefoxhat.us

I got 2nd passport from Finland just by saying that I will visit so many countries that my passport will get full too fast.
Also used this Israel comment in same application.
No problems at all.

__________________
www.whereishemuli.eu
Riding round the World

Facebook:WhereIsHemuli

I sent off an application for a second UK passport last Saturday and received it today the following friday, I now look forward to crossing many more borders without let or hindrance.
Funnily enough I also seem to be a freelance travel writer, there is a lot of it about.

Thank you for your enquiry.

In some exceptional circumstances, you may be issued with an additional passport. For our office to consider this, you will need to:

· Complete an adult passport application (Do not use the Adult Renewal form).
· Complete the Statutory Declaration page stating why you need an additional passport
· Enclose any proof to support this (e.g. a letter from your employer, your travel itinerary etc.)

You will be advised within one week whether you are entitled to hold an additional passport.

Additional passports have limited validity (usually only two years).

We advise discretion if you are travelling with an additional passport.

For information on the fees for a New Zealand Passport, please visit our website: <http://www.passports.govt.nz/Fees-and-charges---adult-passports>

An application form can be downloaded from our website: <http://www.passports.govt.nz/Apply-for-or-renew-a-New-Zealand-passport>

Our Contact Centre is open Monday - Thursday 8.00am - 7.00pm; Friday 9.00am - 7.00pm and Saturday 9.00am - 2.00pm.

If you have any further enquiries, please contact us again by email or phone Call Free (NZ) 0800 22 50 50, or if overseas (+64 4) 463 9360 or visit our website: <http://www.passports.govt.nz/>.

It worked the same for us, but they wanted a letter from an employer.
Kind of a tricky situation when you are actually not a freelance but we just called into the office of our local Rag, making sure the paper had just come out so no deadline to meet. Talked to the Editor and asked for a letter to say that we were supplying copy as requested. He said fine if we would give him a story to bank for future use. The passport office were happy and we got our 2nd passports. Very helpful people at the PP office, shame all Gov offices aren't the same !!

Paul

Very helpful .. thanks guys ..
tschuess

Thanks so much for the information.

I will answer soon, the process for Spain citizens. What i heard so far, must be the same.

I am UK citizen in France and have to send my passport back to UK soon to get it renewed. This leaves me in a foreign country for several weeks without a passport. I haven't been able to find a way out of this. Problem is I have family in UK and if whilst I am waiting I couldn't travel back.

Official UK position (response to email to Passport Office, April 2015)

"Dear Mr ...........

Thank you for your enquiry.

Her Majesty's Passport Office will only issue second passports for extensive business travel or extensive business travel to incompatible countries.

Your application will be reviewed by the Passport Office for eligibility.

To obtain a second passport your application must be supported by a letter from a Senior Manager by whom you are employed detailing the necessity for this passport. This letter must be on company headed notepaper.

If you are self employed a letter from a client, on company headed paper, explaining why a second passport is required should accompany the application.

If you have already been issued with a second passport and wish to renew either your original or second passport you must support your application with a letter from your employer/client detailing the necessity for two passports.

In order to apply you can complete the form online at http://www.gov.uk/apply-first-adult-...for-a-passport or you can pick up a form from selected Post office Limited branches, or request a form from the website www.gov.uk/get-passport-application-form. The forms will be posted out for you to sign and submit with the supporting documentation.

You will need the following documents:

1. Passport Application form completed in black ink, capital letters (if completing a paper application form).
2. Sections 1,2,3,4,5,9 and 10 need to be completed. Section 1 needs to be completed as a first adult unless you are applying to renew your second passport.
3. Section 10 must be completed.
4. Two recent identical passport sized photographs (only ONE certified at the back as a true likeness of applicant) these must comply with our photo standards. Information can be found on-line at the following link: https://www.gov.uk/photos-for-passports or detailed in the application guidance booklet (enclosed with the application pack)..
5. Name change document if name has changed.
6. Fee of £72.50
7. Current passport* or your Birth Certificate (Full Birth Certificate if born on or after 01/01/1983) if your current passport is not available.
8. Letter from employer stating the need for a second passport.

We would advise you not make any travel arrangements until you receive your passport.

*If you are required to use your current passport for travel whilst you are applying for a second passport, you need not submit the same with your application. Please enter your current passport number in section 3 of the form and give details in section 8 as to why your passport is not available.

Alternatively, you may enclose a separate letter detailing your current passport number and why you are unable to submit the same.

Thank you"

My 2nd US passport was not difficult to get, I just wrote a letter listing my rough travel plans including most countries in Africa and including Israel. There was no proof at all required.

However I had to mail off for it, the local government passport office had never heard of such a thing.

Do you happen to have any links (gov website) to the directions or process you used to do so? I'll be needing to get my original renewed - maybe its possible to get both at the same time??

I used http://www.visahq.com/ for my second US passport. You have to submit your current US passport with your second passport application so I don't think it's possible to do both at once.

Thank you!