AN Islander who has been trying to replace a stolen passport has shared his frustration at being “stuck in limbo” because he has been unable to replace the missing document.
Philip Smale, who was born in Jersey in 1971 and attended De La Salle College, had his passport stolen in December in Spain, where he has a holiday home and spends a lot of time since taking early retirement.
Mr Smale said he had spent much of 2026 trying to get a new passport. This proved impossible when he visited the British Consulate in Malaga, and he has recently been trying to replace it in Jersey after gaining authorisation to travel back to the Island by boat from St Malo.
“The passport would still be in date if it hadn’t been stolen, but the Jersey passport office won’t replace it,” he said. “I have my birth certificate, driving licence and employment records, but I’ve been refused.”
A request from the passport office for a utility bill had proved impossible as Mr Smale does not have a permanent address in Jersey.
“I’m a bit worn out by it all and don’t know where to turn,” he added. “I want to return to Spain but I am stuck in limbo.”
Although saying that it was unable to comment on individual cases, Jersey Customs and Immigration Service provided a general statement confirming that Jersey-variant British passports were only issued to Island residents or to UK residents who were born in Jersey.
The service added that British nationals living overseas (including those born in Jersey) could get a passport by making an overseas application via the UK government website.
