Lpowers

Good Day

I wonder if any one has had a similar experience. Long story short, my husband applied from South Africa for his first time UK passport based on both his parents and all his grandparents, etc all being British.

We sent in all the required documents on the 25th of November 2017, these were all received on the 29th of November 2017. At this stage the status on his passport application read as "Declaration form received, being processed". On the 6th of December we were contacted and requested to please send through a new application form with a new counter signatory as well as supply a Vault copy of his birth certificate. After many phone calls and emails back and forth in regards to the vault copy (it is no longer available as it was damaged in a fire) we sent through all the new documents including RSA Home Affairs docs, affidavits from his father and older brother, etc. this was received by Durham HMPO on the 24th of January 2018.

However the status then changed to "please contact us". Now we have been trying for several days and understand that they are having technical difficulties and their phone lines are not working.

We then sent through an email to request an alternative contact number or email and received the below response.

"I can confirm that we received your application at our Durham office.

The office received and accepted your new form on the 24/01/2018 and the department that issued the letter to you has cleared your application. Your application is now back in examination."

Does this mean that we no longer need to contact HMPO? Or do we still need to? Anyone have any alternative way of getting in touch with them? I don't want to delay this process any further than it has already been delayed.

BritInParis

If the status is still showing as 'Please contact us' then that's what I would be doing.

Lpowers

Thanks BritInParis!

It's tough when we get so many different responses from them. However, based on us STILL not being able to make contact with them from here is South Africa, we managed to do a conference call via the UK and spoke with them.

They said that there was no reason for us to contact them as everything was in order and was moving along as it should. We asked why it notified us to call them and they said that they were not sure why. The lady said perhaps it was just so that they could tell us that it had been accepted and moved along to the examination board.

So, ya, five days of stressing and not being able to get through....

P.s. status has still not changed from "please contact us"...

BritInParis

Since you've had both the verbal and written confirmation that your husband's application is with an examiner then I would leave it for the time being. If you haven't heard or received anything by 9th February and the status hasn't changed from 'Please contact us' then I would contact them again.

Lpowers

Thanks BritInParis

Just received an email now from HMPO stating that I application was successful and that the passport is being issued and will be with us before the end of the week.

BritInParis

Glad to hear it!