HMG Ripping Me Off!

HMG is basically withdrawing from its responsibilities. Its all about cost saving. Its all very Conservative.

But it means, for me and for my family, that here in Belgium, we have no real consular facilities.

Personally I have no problem the guys at the embassy here in Brussels, but they cannot help me any longer. If a member of the royal family turns up here, then they are standing by to spend as much of our taxes as it takes to make that person feel like a descendent of God, but if I or another real person needs some help .... different story! Wait and see what happens when we want some return on our investment!

So..... I had to renew my passport. Actually, I had to renew two passports this week.

There are no real consular facilities here in Brussels now, they have been shut down by HMG in order to save money, so we must go through Paris.

I don't actually need to physically go there apparently, (although I did when this new system started).

When this new system started, I did go there, to renew my son's passport. They told me, at the consulate in Rue d' Anjou, Paris, that I did not actually need to have gone there, I could have dropped my documents off at UKREP (Foreign Office) in Brussels. OK, a wasted trip. A wasted day, and a lot of wasted money, but that doesn't matter, it was my money, not government money.

So having called them (UKREP) this time. A pleasant gentleman told me that this may or may not be true, but anyway I must send my documents to Paris. I must say at this point that I suspect that this is because he simply could not be bothered talking to me any further. But why should he?

Bottom line. No Consular facilities in Belgium. €179 for a new passport. Let me repeat that.€179 for a new passport.

Actually, I will repeat that again: €179 for a new passport. How much profit is built into that, and who gets it? Mmmmmmm...........