richnicholls

So we're in a bit of a tricky situation.
I was a South African citizen but renounced when I received my British citizenship. My wife and son have both British and Canadian. Shortly after receiving our British citizenship, before getting our passports, we had to fly to Canada for a family emergency. We sent off our applications for passports last week to Washington and Fedex appear to have lost the application. It contains our British Citizenship certificates, my old South African passport, my wife and sons passports and my sons British birth certificate. To complicate matters further I've been accepted into a Masters program in Australia and need my passport asap in order to get my student Visa.

We can get duplicate Citizenship certificates, but that will take time. I will not be able to send in any passport with my application which may complicate my application further.

I'm trying to find out if I can get an emergency travel document and fly to the UK to apply for my passport there- but I will have to be there for at least 6 weeks.

Any suggestions?

wizzard

Did you try contacting the consulate/embassy or what have you? I am sure they are in the best position to advise on emergency travel documents and what methods are acceptable, in person, to prove your citizenship in order to obtain them. I would imagine you need to be there in person and have an invterview with someone who can check out your information somehow.

Siouxie

http://ukincanada.fco.gov.uk/en/help...als/passports/

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/si...gistrationcert
http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/br...applying/cost/
http://local.direct.gov.uk/LDGRedire...GSL=323&LGIL=0

iaink

Keep bugging Fedex too. They misplaced a $70k bit of kit (uninsured) of ours, and found it 6 weeks later on someones loading dock, the wrong side of the continent. Sometimes you get lucky...

Oakvillian

Quite. Don't give up on Fedex. Get the name and direct number of a customer service person and be prepared to escalate to their boss's boss's boss. Get them to provide you the complete tracking log of when the package was booked into and out of every depot and hub until they lost it. Get them to provide you with details of the last employee to book the package into a facility or onto a truck/aircraft. Ask them to interview him/her to find out what may have happened to the package. Don't let them fob you off with "we lost it." Keep hassling them until it's easier for them to find the damned package than to make you go away.

richnicholls

Thanks for the info.
Fedex have admitted they have lost my package now. I've spoken to someone at the manager level. As far as speaking to someone at the embassy goes- it's a bit of a nightmare. I've called the British Embassy in Ottawa and Washington and the Consulate in Vancouver. I've spent over 30 minutes on the phone and have only spoken with automated messages- no matter what number I press I can never get hold of anyone.

iaink

Keep bugging fedex, my package was lost for 4 weeks before they found it. If you let it rest they wont keep looking.

Siouxie

I don't know if these numbers are any different to those you have already tried, but thought I would post them anyway.

If you can't get through (and I would suggest your wife, as a British National, be the one to contact them) then perhaps sending a fax would work.

http://ukincanada.fco.gov.uk/en/abou...ssion/3809542/

http://ukincanada.fco.gov.uk/en/abou...her-locations/

http://united-kingdom.visahq.com/embassy/Canada/

Your wife (as a British National in need of help) could also email them at: [email protected]