fatyak

Hello,
I have an urgent need to travel for a wedding to europe, yet this doesn't seem to matter now since it's been delayed so badly.

First of all I was told I could apply for my british passport whilst in germany or finland, as I'd be abroad and it would be fine as long as I was in that country with a stable address for x amount of time. Unfortunately I couldn't do that because the wedding is being celebrated in a time gap. Hard to explain and many variables and details I wont go in to.
Anyway!

I put my application in the next day.
I put my application in to the australian post on the 22nd of February to get my first time british passport. They told me it would take 3-4 weeks to process then sent.
2 weeks pass and I call the careline service number to find out how my application is going. I was told it will be here in 1 week and should be finished sometime during the next few days. I explained my urgency to travel and I was told it was "escalated" and become "urgent". So no problem I waited few days. 3 days before my flight I'm starting to worry it wont be here in time, even though i was told it was escalated and made urgent etc. I called the helpline again to find out whats going on, "It's still processing and will be finished in 1 week". Again, I wait another week changing my flights and rescheduling the wedding. 1 week later I call up again as it's still not here even though it's extremely urgent and I cant keep delaying everything. I said I have called up to find out what is going on and I've explained why it's urgent and my need to travel and if there is any chance to get this escalated or at least a specific date as to when I'd receive it. So I was told it had been escalated and the IPS will call me immediately. I asked how long immediate was, they said less than 24 hours because of the flights being so close. Well what do you know, 48 hours later. No call, no information. Nothing at all..

What can I do?

I'd be happy enough with a specific date. That is all.
Because of all the above, It was impossible for me to find a new job. So I'm living out of my bag and pocket. How lovely.

Cheers

Deutschmaster

Curious - what happened to the passport with which you came to Australia on?

fatyak

i really don't want to type out a wall of text to explain heh

Deutschmaster

It might just be easier applying for a visa with whatever passport you have rather than applying for a new one.

fatyak

trust me, it's not hehe

POW148

You probably dont want to hear this but I got a first time issued brand new Australian Passport in 45 minutes. The passport office here in Canberra couldnt have been more helpfull. To cap it all, I even got my $78 Priority Processing Fee returned.

Barney

fatyak

I need a british passport, not an australian one ><

moneypenny20

They will do what they can, sometimes applications can get 'lost' in the system but they are under no legal requirement to sort your passport out immediately. It's not their fault or of any interest to them that you have a wedding to go to, it's not what I would call an emergency. The British Consulate Helpline could be being manned by all manner of people who possibly don't know their arse from their elbow.

fatyak

But the thing is, it's not only that. Most of the documents sent aren't even mine. They're my fathers and mothers etc, not to mention they might "need" them. I'd need those documents back asap as well.

moneypenny20

I'm obviously missing something major here, maybe it's in the time gap but if Aus Post (who would only give a generalised answer) said 3-4 weeks, it has only just been four weeks so I don't quite understand the problem. Give it a few more days and you'll probably have it.

fatyak

thats exactly what I have been told each time, i'm sort of in a rush.
if they original said, yeh in 5 weeks at this rough date you will have it at the start, sure! but the general Oh it will be finished by x date, and at x date changed to y date is just really costly for not only me but the rest of the people involved.

not to mention i was told the IPS will call me immediately, which they still haven't.

moneypenny20

But that's not their problem and to be honest, the passport people must continually get people claiming emergencies and urgent needs, how many of them are legit? Not saying your emergency isn't real, just that they are a business that you have to use, you can't go elsewhere, so they don't worry about the odd person getting wound up, it's irrelevant to them.

fatyak

Thats not exactly quality customer assurance at all.
I can understand people claiming "urgency" etc and not really taking notice, but I would have at least thought i'd be called or given notice to whats happening.

If i was purchasing say a switchboard for my company, and the manufacturer didn't call or tell me any details about when it will be ready or how its going after I was told i'd be immediately contacted, my business would suffer greatly due to not having any power. Get what I mean?

Dorothy

What passport do you already own? We don't need a wall of information, just what passport do you have?

moneypenny20

That's different, you could use a different manufacturer. If you want a British Passport you HAVE to use the British Passport office, customer service doesn't have to be quality - from their point of view obviously.