My own current experience....
 

Like the original poster I had heard that it was possible to obtain a second passport without it being necessary to have any business link.

The IPS have insisted that this is not the case, has never been the case and that I will not be issued a second passport, end of.

So, has the policy changed, or am I not being told the whole truth? If I need to obtain a second passport what is the best way of doing so?

Print out the applicable law and show it to them. Small town officials are often full of themselves and believe what they haven't seen doesn't exist. Stand your ground.

The situation is similar in Germany. I've had a second passport for more than a decade now. Makes traveling so much easier. First time I fell for the old "must be for work, need letter from employer" chestnut. Nowadays I just write my own. Saying that I will go to Israel and Arab countries or Iran and US is enough.

Interestingly, last time I got a new one I got a massive lecture that my second passport is illegal because it was valid for 10 years instead of 5 (as a second is supposed to be in Germany). I asked her to clarify whether she was accusing me of falsifying the passport or she was accusing one of her colleagues to have made a mistake. After that she changed her attitude completely and asked me if I wanted a third one now. So I got a third, valid for 10 years, just like the other two. Go figure! I made the point that my other passports had valid visas for other countries in them and they couldn't legally destroy these. Seems to have done the trick.

Yes, never ever let on to an US official that you have more than one passport. They just can't get their heads around that one, although it is perfectly legal in their country as well.

hi im looking for some up to date info please . in 2009 i wanted a second passport but was told not possible in any way so i had the corner cut off a good passport and had a new jumbo 1 issued . a few weeks later i found out that i had been given bad info . i will be needing another passport again as im not to shore if i have enough pages left . can sombody please tell me what the situation is now for a second UK passport.
thanks david

The Passport Saga
 

Hi David
I had heard that you could only get the second passport with an employer's letter to back you up saying it was for work that it was needed ie getting multiple visas whilst being out of the country. I faked my own work letter.

However Gabe (Overland Zen) at the HU Autumn meet said that he had not needed to say it was for work - he was very clear about this and I'm pretty sure he got his second one this year.
I know he and Char are currently on the road heading to Iran as we speak (lucky people:scooter:) so may not be able to reply for while - I'll forward this to them, although you may have an answer before they reply.

Good luck

It's like anything where there are a bunch of rules - the people enforcing them are mostly aware of the ones they have to apply regularly - i.e. needing a second passport for business purposes.

Needing two for countries that don't like each other is perfectly valid and it's not just Israel vs the rest of the middle east either. You could also use the Armenia/Azerbaijan problem - and I'm sure there are more out there!

I managed to get one from the Newport UK Passport Agency Office in 2007 - overlandcruiser.net then goto travel tips. The point about it needing to be to incompatible countries for business purposes is correct (and the need for a supporting letter, but you can sort this) and I also had to make some hotel bookings in each of the incompatible countries (Israel and Iran / other Arab countries) to show that I was truly going to them.

But be careful how you use the second passport. It can cause hassle of its own.

Our experience (easy) and covering letter (link included)
 

Hi Dave, glad to hear you'll be travelling again and needing more passport pages! On that nice new BMW I assume?

Here's the link to the letter we wrote when we applied for the second passport:
LINK HERE
www.GABE-RTW.co.uk

Though bear in mind this was back in Jan 2009 (before I left on the trip when I met Kito and Tiffany :-) so things may have changed?

best of luck,
Gabe

We got ours in under 2 weeks. We supplied a letter on headed paper from an "employer" even though we have both quit working. It was painless. You have to treat it as your first passport and supply all the required paperwork (birth certs etc) but it was very simple.

The below is a copy of my letter. I recived no other questions. Please don't just use it verbatim, alter it at least a bit otherwise everyone might suffer. If your too lazy to alter it then you don't need a second passport as you will never get through the first border.

<<<<<>>>>>

xxx is becoming a more frequent traveler and is in need of a second passport. I anticipate a significant ongoing need to travel over the next two years at least. Several countries that xxx will be travelling to require visas that have extended application processes and I therefore would request a second passport to expedite these while he is travelling. Some of these visas can take six weeks or more to obtain and xxx may be out of the country when these applications need to take place. xxxx may also be required to apply for visas at foreign Embassies whilst he is out of the UK as the trips will encompass multiple countries and will be some months in duration. xxx will also be travelling to the Middle East and certain country stamps once inside a passport cause additional issues in African countries. I expect xxxx to travel to these places this year.

I can confirm that xxx will return to the United Kingdom after these trips are complete. Please assist us obtaining a passport allowing for these journeys.



<<<<<>>>>>

Like the above posters I too have a second passport and found the process very easy.

I got my father to write a letter from his company saying I was a buyer and had to travel for business often needing a visa. I stated that my passport would often be at an embassy for a visa application when I needed to travel at the same time. This was not questioned and they didn't check to see that I actually worked for dad (which I don't!).

I didn't have to send in a birth cert etc as I had a current passport. You will need new photos etc.

I find it very useful as I have an American visa in one passport and keep that one 'clean' - non-controversial countries so that the delightful folks at Homeland Security have less reason to hassle me (which they do whenever I go to the States).

Also for the record - I have entered the States on both passports in the last year and they do not seem to have linked the two in their system... this allows me to keep juggling passports and stay for much longer than the allowed 3 months (visa waver in one passport) or 6 months (visa passport).

thanks for all the good info as always on HU . so you are putting me at ease that it is not to difficult to acheave but i am a self employed joiner .will a letter from me as the employer be ok .i dont have any company letter headed paper (yet) .

I'm gutted, just had my second passport application rejected and that was with a letter from my employer. What is going on? So much for freedom!

Spoke to a lady at the passpirts office and she said they need to know what countries my employer will be sending me to and exact dates, so may still be a chance. When I explained about requiring multi visa applications I was advised they need to be issued in the country of residence!! These people have really no clue, can't say that though as need to keep them sweet. The lady sounded totoally stressed. Wish me luck and best regards to all for crimbo. Tommy

As per my last post, make sure you tell them which incompatible countries and exactly when you plan to visit. Good luck

I got my second passport about a month ago. Once I'd winkled out what to do and got all of the documents together, including the passport details of my parents - who don't like me at the best of times and so needed some susbtantial charming - it was straightforward. Do exactly the same as you would for a first passport, fill in the form as neatly as possible, supply all the right docs, and don't draw attention to yourself by forgetting something or writing outside the boxes. I got an occassional employer to write a supporting letter, although I too mostly work for myself, which is perfectly OK. Good luck.

When I got my second UK passport, they required not just details of my planned visits to incompatible countries, but also proof in the form of non-refundable hotel bookings in each.

I am a self employed joiner .will it be ok for me to write my own letter ?? I dont realy want to ask others were i work to write the letter. the less they know the better