What I mean is that if I was a loner, who had taken distance from family, friends, work (the person identifying me has to be someone like a friend or a collegue who has known me for two years at least, and who has a recognised job or status in society).

So being a loner is not a right, right :)

Presumably you have dual nationality – Swiss and British ?  Otherwise, how would you have been able to travel without a valid ID?

Quite frankly, if you haven’t bothered to renew your British passport since 1997 until now, I think you’re getting off pretty lightly with only the requirements you mention.  I’ll wager that the Swiss wouldn’t be so lenient if you’d neglected to renew your Swiss documentation.

Nationality is a precious commodity.  Many of us receive it as a gift that we don’t have to earn while millions of people on our planet would give their all to be citizens of even one of the world’s poorest countries.  So don’t quibble because you’re asked to contribute a little cash and effort to regain a document that might just turn the tide in your favour in a precarious situation.

Ritchie

Dear Ritchie, I think we're on a different wavelength...

Sorry, but Ritchie is quite right to enquire.

Your profile says you are Swiss so it is obvious that there must be a number of people on this website who are questioning what you have written - rightly so.

Perhaps you would like to clarify some of the details before anyone else gets the wrong end of the stick?

Indeed you are. Ritchie is trying to help you by explaining the realities and rationales faced by the rest of us, who operate on the same wavelength as her.

UK passports, like those of most countries, are valid for 10 years (5 years only if you are under 16, and your facial features change more quickly than an adult's). Since your passport expired 22 years ago, they require that you either go for an interview so they can confirm your identity, or that someone who is a UK resident over 18 years old who holds a current passport and works in a "recognized profession" and has known you for at least two years, confirms your identity.

The reason they want to confirm your identity is for YOUR protection. Imagine that I submit an application on line or by mail for a first UK passport under the name of Viviane using information you have put in the public domain online. I submit the application with a photo of myself (if I was a woman) or of a woman who is not a UK citizen and wants to buy a passport from me so she can live in the UK and enjoy the benefits of UK citizenship. If this person commits any crime and uses your identity, you are stuck.

If you are not willing to go for an interview, the reason they require that the person who confirms your identity has UK residence, a UK passport and works in a "recognized profession" is because those are professions where there is a register, and thus, they can follow up and confirm that that person is legitimate.

The world has not gone mad and you do have a right to be "a loner." Of course we all wish that it was different, but given the imperfections of some of our human brethren, and our own, there are good reasons some safeguards have been adopted.

It sounds like your problem is that you cut your ties to the UK, and people in the UK, and hence you have difficulties finding someone who can vouch for your identity and fits the required profile. That was your choice, and unfortunately, it makes it more difficult for you to claim the rights and protections afforded by a UK passport.  In this case, however, you still have the option of going in for an interview. It sounds like you can do that at the UK embassy in Bern. 

Best of luck.

The form countersign and photo sign is standard procedure. That was necessary last month to renew my friend's (still valid) child's passport.

Now it's online form, print, sign with photos, countersign and send directly to Durham who courier directly back to home address. It was sent Friday and received the following Thursday.

A lot simpler than previously when it was paper forms given to the consulate to send to Paris who then sent to UK who sent back to the consulate for collection in person.

I agree that the procedure is now much simpler but there are still some folk out there who are unable to use the internet.  Agreed, most of them are elderly but if they ask around they can usually find someone who can process the application for them.  And, at the worst, in Switzerland they can always telephone the UK Consulate in Bern one weekday morning for advice.

Best wishes to all, R.

I wasn't seeking information through this post / conversation, maybe I wasn't clear enough, this may be have been disconcerting to some :). I was just sharing a thought... one leading to another...

In my personal view, the world is hell in the sense that although it's advancing technologically, it's system and people unfortunately tend to be impregnated with fear, paranoia, lack of tolerance, also when making new rules and laws (or using these emotions for it's interests?), this contaminating people, who forget to use and apply science without conscience.

Science with conscience is using true intelligence, discernment, knowledge and wisdom, questioning one's parameters, schemes of thoughts, stagnating intellectual processes, false beliefs.

Closer to home, intelligent behaviour is demonstrating compassion, love, humane non ambiguous service, through sharing (info, facts, helping hand), not only to persons close to one, such as family, friends, partner, but also to other fellow beings. And not doing to others what you wouldn't like be done to you or people closest to you.

The power of love tends to offset seemingly unsolvable conflicts, tensions, and should be included in the necessary process of an inner, personal reeducation, and will often win over tactical, psychological or intellectual forces.

I meant "...who forget to use and apply science with conscience" (end of second paragraph).