I went today to apply for a UK Citizen Identity Card. I’ve been meaning to do it for ages but finally got round to it because of the chance that I might not be able to after the election if the conservatives cancel the identity card. I doubt that if the scheme was cancelled there would be the appetite to recall all the cards and provide refunds for the people that got them, so it ought to be a cheap way to extend the life of my passport (which expires in a year’s time). I can use the identity card for travelling to Europe, which is the only place I seem to go these days.
The process was pretty smooth, and in fact I spent longer waiting in reception than I did being dealt with by the staff. I turned up 5 minutes early for my 14:00 appointment, got seen when I should have been and was out of the office before half past two. It cost me £30 and I am told that I should have my freshly minted card in 10 working days if I pass all the checks smoothly (which I’m pretty sure I will).
If you want an identity card then first up you need to register your interest on the Direct.Gov Identity Card website so that you are eligible. Once you’ve done that you can phone the call centre (0300 330 0901) and get them to send you an application form (and book your appointment).
You can get more info from here http://idsmart.direct.gov.uk/index.html
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My brand new Identity Card arrived today, six days after I applied. Pretty good service, much faster than the advertised rate. Next thing is to see if I can use it when I go on holiday to Spain in a couple of weeks (although I will still have my passport as backup).
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