My passport ends in Dec 2008, and as they add on 9 months if you do it early I thought, what the heck, as we're off to the States a few times next year get it done now.......I was under the impression we were using the new Bio one to make US entry easier & quicker...........Silly me, it's the UK, they are still issuing the same type I got back in 1998
it's ok ... bahala na and all that 
