Irish passport size

barnaby · Post by **barnaby** » Fri May 31, 2013 8:31 pm

I was highly pleased to receive my Irish passport (after FBR) several weeks ago, but I was dismayed to find that its size is weird: about 125x92mm. The standard passport size is 125x88mm and all other passports I've seen are this size. Was I sent a dud passport or are all Irish passports this size?

This sounds like a silly question but I haven't been able to find the answer, and would like to be certain before I actually try to use it!

CitationCj2 · Post by **CitationCj2** » Fri May 31, 2013 8:48 pm

When you were filling the application form, there is choice of 2 different types. One is long type for people needing extra pages for visas, stamps,etc and one is the standard EU size.
You must have chosen the Big passport

barnaby · Post by **barnaby** » Fri May 31, 2013 8:56 pm

CitationCj2 wrote:When you were filling the application form, there is choice of 2 different types. One is long type for people needing extra pages for visas, stamps,etc and one is the standard EU size.
You must have chosen the Big passport

No, I chose the small thin (cheaper) version. The problem is that it's (nearly) 92mm wide. You may be right: maybe they used a cover intended for a big passport?

barnaby · Post by **barnaby** » Fri May 31, 2013 10:38 pm

To put it another way, could anyone tell me the width of their passport? If other people have one that is 92mm wide I will stop worrying.

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Fri May 31, 2013 10:53 pm

Irish passports are exactly the same size as they're meant to be.

What are you comparing it with?

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Fri May 31, 2013 10:56 pm

It should comply with this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passports_ ... pean_Union.

Ask the issuer for an explanation.

barnaby · Post by **barnaby** » Fri May 31, 2013 11:13 pm

EUsmileWEallsmile wrote:Irish passports are exactly the same size as they're meant to be.

What are you comparing it with?

The ICAO standard size is 125x88mm. UK passports are 125x88mm. Chinese passports are 125x88mm. My Irish passport is 125x92mm.

Post by **EUsmileWEallsmile** » Fri May 31, 2013 11:20 pm

There is no noticeable difference between Irish and other country's passports.

If you have one that does not conform, ask the issuer why.

barnaby · Post by **barnaby** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 12:32 am

EUsmileWEallsmile wrote:There is no noticeable difference between Irish and other country's passports.

If you have one that does not conform, ask the issuer why.

Thanks a lot. That's very disconcerting. In that case, I will call the passport office to ask why and report back here.

jeupsy · Post by **jeupsy** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 5:24 pm

You are not crazy. My Irish passport is definitely wider than my French one - and the Irish one definitely is the one which is wider that most other countries' passports I have has the chance to see.

barnaby · Post by **barnaby** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 5:28 pm

jeupsy wrote:You are not crazy. My Irish passport is definitely wider than my French one - and the Irish one definitely is the one which is wider that most other countries' passports I have has the chance to see.

Thanks jeupsy. That's encouraging: I thought I was crazy. Could you measure your passports when you get a chance?

jeupsy · Post by **jeupsy** » Sat Jun 01, 2013 6:08 pm

I am away for the weekend and don't have it with me. I'll check on Monday, but the difference between the two is pretty much what you described.

jeupsy · Post by **jeupsy** » Sun Jun 02, 2013 11:19 pm

I can confirm; my French passport is 88mm wide and my Irish one is 92mm.

I was trying to have a look at people's passport on the queue to board the plane in London today, and I am pretty sure the Irish ones were all wider. With just 4mm difference it is difficult to be absolutely sure just looking at people holding them, but when you put them next to each other the difference is obvious.

Good thing about the Irish one is the fact that the photo page is made of plastic and more damage resistant than other passports I have seen. This possibly is the reason why the passports is wider: if you look carefully the hard plastic sheet without the more flexible part that is holding it to the booklet does measure 88mm.

barnaby · Post by **barnaby** » Mon Jun 03, 2013 11:29 am

jeupsy wrote:I can confirm; my French passport is 88mm wide and my Irish one is 92mm.

I was trying to have a look at people's passport on the queue to board the plane in London today, and I am pretty sure the Irish ones were all wider. With just 4mm difference it is difficult to be absolutely sure just looking at people holding them, but when you put them next to each other the difference is obvious.

Good thing about the Irish one is the fact that the photo page is made of plastic and more damage resistant than other passports I have seen. This possibly is the reason why the passports is wider: if you look carefully the hard plastic sheet without the more flexible part that is holding it to the booklet does measure 88mm.

Thanks jeupsy. I'm glad I'm not crazy. I was pretty sure the passport was "too wide" as soon as I opened the envelope, even though the difference is only 4mm. Since other people haven't observed this, maybe it is a new format.

Yes, the extra 4mm may be for binding. My 2010 UK passport also has a hard plastic picture page, without an extra 4mm, but is hard to open, while my wife's 2013 UK passport has a more flexible picture page.

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Irish passport size

Irish passport size