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Transporting another person's passport across the border

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Dawie
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Transporting another person's passport across the border

Post by Dawie » Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:21 pm

Can anyone tell me the legality of transporting another person's passport?

I'm currently in South Africa, and a South African friend of mine in London has asked me if I could bring to London his newly issued South African passport which is currently in South Africa too.

He applied for it the last time he was in South Africa (because his current passport was getting full) and had to return to London before it could be issued (which takes months in South Africa).

Does anyone know if there are any issues with transporting another person's passport on their behalf with their permission?
In a few years time we'll look back on immigration control like we look back on American prohibition in the thirties - futile and counter-productive.
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parvus1202
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Post by parvus1202 » Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:46 pm

If they found it out, they might raise a suspicion why you are carrying another person's passport. Better to mail it to London, or seal it into an envelop and ask your friend to pick you up. He will be your witness that it is his. But still I go for DHL it.
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Vanadil
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Post by Vanadil » Fri Aug 21, 2009 1:51 pm

Use FedEx. It's not worth the potential hazard / hassle of getting stopped at the airport with a Travel Document that isn't yours. = Not good :shock:
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Dawie
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Post by Dawie » Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:25 pm

From the research I've just done on Google, it seems that it should be OK to be in possession of another person's passport as long as you have a letter of authorisation from the owner of the passport, and of course as long as you don't attempt to fraudulently use the passport.

To be safe I'll seal the passport in an envelope to make it clear that I'm not attempting to use it.

There doesn't seem to be any actual laws against this, but obviously one can see how, under the right circumstances, being in possession of another person's passport can be suspicious.
In a few years time we'll look back on immigration control like we look back on American prohibition in the thirties - futile and counter-productive.
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Vanadil
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Post by Vanadil » Fri Aug 21, 2009 2:33 pm

Let us all know how you get on as this could come up for a lot of us in the future :)
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UKBAbble
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Post by UKBAbble » Fri Aug 21, 2009 4:34 pm

It's an extremely unwise move to carry someone eslse's passport. It may well be seized and returned to the issuing authority.
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doesnotcompute
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Post by doesnotcompute » Mon Aug 24, 2009 4:47 pm

Why not ask the South African passport issuing authority to arrange to send the passport to the South African High Commission in London by diplomatic bag?
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newperson
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Post by newperson » Mon Aug 24, 2009 4:57 pm

doesnotcompute wrote:Why not ask the South African passport issuing authority to arrange to send the passport to the South African High Commission in London by diplomatic bag?
Something tells me that might take a very, very long time and ultimately end up at the Tongan Embassy in Bolivia...
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magsi23
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Post by magsi23 » Mon Aug 24, 2009 9:53 pm

I fail to understand this, if his passport was getting filled etc, South African embassy in London can issue one? why apply for one in South Africa then transport it?
Magsi
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Vanadil
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Post by Vanadil » Tue Aug 25, 2009 8:35 am

The current processing time for South African Visas from the London Embassay is 5 months. It may have been quicker to do it this way round?
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Rozen
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Post by Rozen » Tue Aug 25, 2009 8:38 am

magsi23 wrote:I fail to understand this, if his passport was getting filled etc, South African embassy in London can issue one? why apply for one in South Africa then transport it?
Some embassies take a long time to issue new passports, so some people prefer to send the application to friends or relatives back home, where it is done much quicker. The new passport is then sent back with someone who is coming to the UK. People do it all the time!
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