ExPatinIndiana

I am new here, so I apologize ... I can't even work out how to post (only reply

We applied for my son's renewal passport 2/18/2011. My CC was charged 3/23/2001 ... Had to drive to 600 miles/Chicago, 36 hours before his flight for an emergency passport to fly to England 4/13/2001.

I received a phone call at 8 AM yesterday 5/2/2011 - It was the consulate in Washington DC, trying to get hold of my son ... (He doesn't have his smart phone on, because he is in the UK) ... THEY CANNOT process his passport ... hmmm... they have had the application since 2/18/2011 & charged me for it 2 months ago!

the reason: "He only sent a short form copy of his mother's (mine) birth certificate!!!! We sent his long form .... MINE!!!! We only sent a short form of mine!!!!

Please, how many people have easy access to their mother's long form birth certificate?

After 24 hours, numerous phone calls, SKYPE and basically NO help from the UK government - I was able to get his return flight changed for an additional $285 - bloody nightmare! His emergency documents expire 5/15 and his return flight was not until 5/18 ... All the UK told him today ... "We are unable to issue a quick passport, because this is your first adult passport and it will take more than 2 weeks." ~ reminder: This is all over the fact that we sent MY short form birth certificate for my son's passport application ????? - -My son told me 20 minutes ago, "I feel so much of a foreigner in what is supposed to be my own country!"

ExPatinIndiana

Trying to get hold of anyone even at the embassy, is like pulling teeth! I think some consulates are better than others, though ... To top it all, my bank declined the charge twice, because they thought it was fraudulent - luckily it finally went through, after I called and told them it was OK.

For us, the nightmare has been trying to get my son back to the USA after successfully get ER travel docs to fly - we applied for his renewal passport 2/18/2011 for travel 4/15/2011; they said allow 4 weeks.

We thought his passport would be here (USA) in time (on 5 week UK vacation) when his documents expire 3 days before he is due to return - Apparently, not so. 11 weeks later - no full passport in the mail and a son in the UK right now on emergency passport ...

Btw... Is IPS aware of 'tracking #'s' in 2011? HOW SIMPLE IS IT TO GENERATE A TRACKING # when they mail a passport?

lansbury

One of the reasons the backlog is as bad as it is it because people don't read the instructions, or choose not to follow them, and extra work is caused when applications get rejected and have to be followed up.

It says full birth certificate and it means just that, they don't care how hard or easy it is to get hold of.

Bob

online, birth, deaths registrar...a tenner last time I looked....but then you didn't say which country, so if the cert isn't in English, would need an official translation.

But really, sending in the wrong info is why this is taking longer than usual.

Englishmum

In the UK passport applicants can use the Post Office 'check and send' facility (which one has to pay for) where the PO counter clerk checks that the passport form is completed correctly and that all the required documents are enclosed.

Unfortunately there is no such thing for British expats resident overseas....although I'm sure there must be a way around it if Skype cameras are used - perhaps they should consider employing staff at the consulates to do similar checks to the ones at the POs (but leaving the responsibility to the applicant to actually mail it off in a secure manner)? I'm sure that many expats would be happy to pay say, $20 for such a service?

JAJ

Based on previous posts, this is a renewal passport application - so it shouldn't even need citizenship to be "re-proved".