Some things are easier these days. Before yesterday, I got my last passport just over 10 years ago, and it was valid for 10 years. What's changed in the process of acquiring a new one, as a Swedish citizen?

• You don't have to bring a photograph of yourself with you

• Passports must since June 2009 contain your fingerprint.

• Passports are now only valid for 5 years.

In essence:

You bring your old passport and your ID card with you and go to the nearest passport office (in my case this place). There, I took a number for new passport applicants, sat down in a sofa and waited in queue for my turn. I was then called to a booth where a policeman sat behind a glass window. He asked me what I wanted (which should have been obvious). I gave him my old passport and ID. He asked me if I wanted to keep the old passport (yes, please) and told me to turn 45 degrees to my right and show a "neutral face". The camera snapped twice as I strained not to look strained.

I was then asked to place both of my index-fingers on two fingerprint readers, one to the left and one right. First, I pressed too hard. Second time was ok. I then wrote my autograph on paper that was placed on pressure-sensitive material and suddenly was presented with a big image of what would be my passport. Was I happy, he asked? Fair enough.

I gave them my mobile phone number and will get an SMS when the passport is ready. Wee! Any problems with this?

Yeah, apart from every imaginable authority in the world having my index-fingers fingerprints, my friend Andreas told me that there were technical issues with old and sick people, as their prints can be very hard to swipe; some medicines against cancer are said to be fingerprint-eradicating in some sense as well.

Why a new passport, I hear you ask? Because...in September X and I are going to London to see Okkervil River, wee! We'll hook up with Agnes too.

update: it took me 28 hours from being photographed until I had my passport in my hand. Impressive!