1. Application for Foreign Office Passports must be made on a special form which will be supplied on application. Husband and wife, and children under 16, can be included on one Passport if travelling together.
2. Passports are issued in London between the hours of 10 and 4 (Saturdays, 10 to 1), and in Liverpool between the hours of 9.30 and 4 (Saturdays, 9.30 to 1). The Passport Offices are closed on Sundays and Public Holidays (except in London between the hours of 10 a.m. and noon for cases of special emergency only). Applications should, if possible, reach the Passport Office not less than four days before that on which the Passport is required.
3. Foreign Office Passports are granted—
i. To natural-born British subjects, and to British subjects by naturalisation in the United Kingdom, in the British Dominions or Colonies, or in India.
ii. To the wives and widows of the above persons.
iii. (a) To married women who were British subjects at the time of their marriage and have not, by reason of marriage to an alien, acquired the nationality of their husbands.
(b) To married women whose husbands have, during the continuance of the marriage, ceased to be British subjects, unless by reason of the acquisition by their husbands of a new nationality they also have acquired that nationality.
4. Passports are available for five years, in the first instance, unless otherwise stated. They may be renewed from time to time for further consecutive periods of one to five years from the date of expiry, provided the total period of validity of ten years from the original date of issue is not exceeded.
5. (a) British Passports are not available beyond ten years from the original date of issue. Thereafter, or if at any time the Passport contains no further space for visas, a new Passport must be obtained.
(b) A Passport including particulars of the holder’s wife is not available for the wife’s use when travelling alone.
(c) Children who have reached the age of 16 years require separate Passports. When applying for a Passport they should send with their application the written consent of parent or guardian.
6. (i) The Passport declaration of the applicant must be verified by a declaration made by a member or official of any Banking Firm established in the United Kingdom, or by a Mayor, Magistrate, Provost, Justice of the Peace, Minister of Religion, Barrister-at-Law, Notary, Solicitor, Physician, Surgeon, etc., resident in the United Kingdom and being himself a British subject. The applicant’s Certificate of Birth and other evidence may also be required. Applicants serving in His Majesty’s Forces may have their declarations verified by their Commanding Officer.
(ii) In the case of children under the age of 16 years requiring a separate Passport, a declaration must be made by the child’s parent or guardian in a Form (B).
(iii) In the case of persons naturalised in any of the British self-governing Dominions, a recommendation should be produced from the High Commissioner or Agent-General in London of the State concerned. Persons naturalised or ordinarily resident in any of the Crown Colonies may be required to obtain a letter of recommendation from the Colonial Office.
7. If the applicant for a Passport be a British subject by naturalisation, the Certificate of Naturalisation must be forwarded to the Passport Office with the declaration or letter of recommendation.
British subjects by naturalisation will be described as such in the Passports.
8. British Passports are only available for travel to the countries named thereon, but may be endorsed for additional countries. The possession of a Passport so endorsed does not, however, exempt the holder from compliance with any immigration regulations in force in British or foreign countries, or from the necessity of obtaining a visa where required.
9. Passports endorsed as valid for the British Empire are also available for travelling to territory under British protection or mandate, not, however, including Palestine, for which a special endorsement must be obtained.
10. A Passport cannot be issued or renewed by the Foreign Office on behalf of a person already abroad; such person should apply, in a foreign country, to the nearest British Mission or Consulate, or, within the British Empire, to the nearest Passport-issuing authority.
11. Persons resident in the Irish Free State should make application for their Passports to the Passport Department, Ministry of External Affairs, Dublin.
Examinations are generally made at the station nearest the frontier. Passengers must always be present at the Custom House Examinations, and hand their keys to the examining officer.
As a general rule, passengers have to descend from the train at the frontier and go through the Customs’ House, but in the case of a number of expresses the examination takes place in the train.
At Calais, Boulogne and Dieppe, licensed facteurs can be engaged to assist in passing hand baggage through the Customs at a fixed charge per package.
Travellers should condense their luggage as much as possible, for a passenger cannot claim more space for his hand baggage than the space in the netting overhead. On the mountain railways there are frequently no racks. All luggage should be marked with the owner’s name and place of destination in full, and fastened with locks. Canvas coverings are also undesirable.
CHARGES AND FREE ALLOWANCE.—Free allowance on ordinary tickets in France, 30 kilos (66 lb.). In Belgium, Holland, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Italy all luggage is charged for, except small packages carried in the hand. In Italy, handbags or parcels conveyed free with passengers must not exceed 20 kilos in weight, or 18 in. by 9 in. by 12 in. in measurement.
(By Rail and Steamer)
Below we give a list of Continental Air Services, together with the names and addresses of the air companies who run them.
We give no detailed time-table, for the reason that such a time-table would be sure to be modified long before the next issue of our Annual was due to appear, and the intending traveller is therefore advised to apply for all necessary information to the companies as and when the occasion arises.
LONDON-PARIS, Dally (2¼ h)
Imperial Airways
Victoria Station, London, S.W.1.
Tel.: Victoria 2211.
LONDON-PARIS (Smoking Permitted) (1½ h.)
British Airways
Terminal House, Grosvenor Gardens, London, S.W.1.
Tel.: Sloane 0091.
LONDON-PARIS, Weekdays (1½ h.)
Air Dispatch
Croydon Airport.
Tel.: Croydon 5122.
LONDON-PARIS, Daily (1½h.)
Air France
52 Haymarket, London, S.W.1.
Tel.: Whitehall 9671.
LONDON-BASLE-ZÜRICH, Weekdays only (3¼ h.-½ h.)
Imperial Airways; Swissair
LONDON-BRUSSELS-ANTWERP, Weekdays only (1½ h.-20m.)
Imperial Airways; Sabena
Victoria Station, London, S.W.1.
Tel.: Victoria 2211.
LONDON-BRUSSELS, Weekdays, only (2 h.)
British Continental, Airways
Croydon Airport.
Tel.: Croydon 6101.
LONDON-LILLE, Weekdays only (1¾ h.)
British Continental Airways
LONDON ANTWERP-AMSTERDAM, Weekdays only (2 h.-10 m.)
British Continental Airways
LONDON-ROTTERDAM-AMSTERDAM-BERLIN (2 h.-2½ h.)
K.L.M.
Horseferry House, Horseferry Road,
London, S.W.1.
Tel.: Victoria 6971-4
and
D.L.H.
Victoria Station, London, S.W.1.
Tel.: Victoria 2211.
LONDON-AMSTERDAM-HAMBURG-COPENHAGENMALMö, Weekdays only (1½ h.-3 h.-1½ h.-15 m.)
British Continental Airways; British Airways
LONDON-GERMANY-AUSTRIA, etc., ISTANBUL
Sabena; Imperial Airways; D.L.H., etc.
The following services are run by two or more Companies in association:
•
In most towns, surface transport is provided by the Air Company inclusive in the fare.
Seats should be reserved in advance at the offices of the different Companies or at the principal booking offices.
In the event of the passenger wishing to cancel (or transfer) a reservation giving less than 24 hours’ notice (in some cases 48 hours or even two weeks according to the service), the full fare may be forfeited or a transfer fee charged. The regulations covering a cancellation of a ticket on long-distance bookings are indicated in the time-tables of the Company concerned.
Return tickets are issued at reduced rates, but the holder of such ticket does not receive any preferential claim to accommodation. Reservation for the return journey must be effected in the same way as for the outward journey.
Validity of return tickets varies. As a rule such tickets ire valid for 60 or 15 days on the Continent and for one nonth on the English services.
On most services each passenger is entitled to a free baggage allowance of 33 lbs. or 15 kilogrammes. (Any deviation from this rule is indicated in the time-tables.) Excess baggage can accompany passengers, but is charged for at the rates shown in the tables. Passengers’ baggage must contain personal effects only. Other articles must be declared as merchandise and carried as freight. Arrangements are made by all Companies to send heavy baggage in advance at cheap rates. No free baggage allowance is granted to children.
Passengers should see that their luggage is distinctly labelled. It will be registered and a receipt issued before departure. Passengers must present this receipt when claiming their baggage.
In most countries passengers are not allowed to carry cameras in the cabin, and if necessary they must be handed over to an official of the Company. Enquiries should be made before commencing a flight.
Most Assurance Companies will include air travel on a life policy without extra charge. Personal and baggage insurance may be arranged at a low premium when booking or at station of departure.
Passengers are reminded that passports endorsed for all countries through which they intend to travel, and containing visas where necessary, should be carried on the person. In some cases passports are not required for week-end or short visits. Operating companies cannot accept any responsibility for the correctness of passports or visas. Passengers are therefore advised to verify the validity and accuracy of their passports, endorsements and visas when booking their passage.
Many air liners are provided with a fully equipped restaurant and bar or buffet. On services where such facilities are not obtainable, refreshment baskets will be provided if ordered at time of booking.
Smoking as a general rule is not allowed.
Passengers may send or receive telegrams during flight on many Continental and on the long-distance services. Enquiries should be made at Companies’ offices.
The cabins of the air liners are enclosed and heated, therefore no special clothing is required, similar clothing to that worn for rail or boat travel being sufficient.
BRITISH CONSULS
Or Vice-Consuls are stationed at all important towns, and will gladly help travellers in case of difficulty or misunderstanding with foreign officials.
| Present rate in | ||
|---|---|---|
| relation to the £ | ||
| Unit | (approximate) | |
| AUSTRIA | Schilling | 26 |
| BELGIUM | Franc | 29 |
| BULGARIA | Leva | 420 |
| CZECHOSLOVAKIA | Czech Kronen | 119 |
| DENMARK | Krone | 22 |
| ESTONIA | Kroon | 18 |
| FINLAND | Mark | 226 |
| FRANCE | Franc | 75 |
| GERMANY | Mark | 12 |
| GREECE | Drachma | 480 |
| HOLLAND | Gulden | 7 |
| HUNGARY | Pengoe | 17 |
| ITALY | Lira | 62 |
| JUGOSLAVIA | Dinar | 210 |
| LATVIA | Lat | (gold) 25 |
| LITHUANIA | Lit | 48 |
| MONACO | French francs | — |
| NORWAY | Krone | 20 |
| POLAND | Zloty | 26 |
| PORTUGAL | Escudo | 109 |
| ROUMANIA | Leu | 670 |
| RUSSIA | Rouble | 25 |
| SPAIN | Peseta | 36 |
| SWEDEN | Krona | 19 |
| SWITZERLAND | Franc | 15 |
| TURKEY | Piastre | 626 |
In some cases foreign currency may be obtained at favourable rates in the form of travellers’ or tourists’ cheques. Such cheques are supplied in London by any of the well-known travel agencies for the following countries:
| Travellers’ Cheques | Official Rate | |
| GERMANY | 20-24 marks (50 marks only may be drawn daily In Germany) | 12 |
| HUNGARY | 27-28 pengoes | 17 |
| ITALY | 82 liras | 62 |
| SWITZERLAND | 16 francs | 15 |
| SPAIN | 38 pesetas | 36 |
