Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
Apr 16th 2007, 7:23 pm
#16
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: Windsor, ON; Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,713
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
I think I've read on the Immigration forum that it's illegal for Indians to send their passports out of the country, I've never heard this for Brits. Anyone got a link?
Apr 16th 2007, 7:47 pm
#17
Hello Dave..
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Winnipeg, MB.
Posts: 56
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
Hi
The OH said it is or was back when she worked at the High Commission four years ago (she was an immigration officer), she was told that it was illegal to send a British passport over international borders without the holders.
I expect if you did get caught they would do didley squat over it. I would do it and I going to do it if I need to anyway, the British government is hardly going to deport me over it.
Just though i would give you the offical spiel over it
We would have my case number and the cash if I need to return to the UK.
We applied for it on the 3rd of this month with everything in there, enough photos, full fee $1040, medicals and police checks, thought we would give them everything so that things like medicals and further fees doesn't slow us down.
The OH said it is or was back when she worked at the High Commission four years ago (she was an immigration officer), she was told that it was illegal to send a British passport over international borders without the holders.
I expect if you did get caught they would do didley squat over it. I would do it and I going to do it if I need to anyway, the British government is hardly going to deport me over it.
Just though i would give you the offical spiel over it
I would say go for it, but bring a dossier of evidence that you do have a FC application in process, cash to support yourself and anything you can to show that there is every likelihood that it's not going to be turned down. A return flight would also help out, but I assume you're not willing to fork out for that...
When are you thinking of going and when did you submit the app? If everything is kosher, complete and in order, you can have the actual visa in a matter of weeks.
When are you thinking of going and when did you submit the app? If everything is kosher, complete and in order, you can have the actual visa in a matter of weeks.
We applied for it on the 3rd of this month with everything in there, enough photos, full fee $1040, medicals and police checks, thought we would give them everything so that things like medicals and further fees doesn't slow us down.
Apr 16th 2007, 7:57 pm
#18
Hello Dave..
Joined: Jan 2007
Location: Winnipeg, MB.
Posts: 56
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
Spoke to the OH she said it is to prevent people sending their passports overseas to family members of friends who lookalike gaining entrance into to the UK.
Found this below even though it doesn't say you can't send one it does say they will not deal with passport renewals in the UK from people who are actually outside.
Found this below even though it doesn't say you can't send one it does say they will not deal with passport renewals in the UK from people who are actually outside.
http://www.fco.gov.uk/servlet/Front?...=1007029391332
Q: I live overseas. Can I renew my passport in the UK? A: If you do not live in the UK you may apply for a passport from your nearest Embassy, Consulate or High Commission. You can, however, renew, amend or replace your passport whilst visiting the UK. You should apply to the IPS. You will need to make an appointment, provide a verifiable residential address, and be able to attend any interviews as required by IPS. Applicants will have to be available at this address in order to sign the receipt of the passport. Please note that IPS do not accept applications by post or email if you live abroad.
Q: I live overseas. Can I renew my passport in the UK? A: If you do not live in the UK you may apply for a passport from your nearest Embassy, Consulate or High Commission. You can, however, renew, amend or replace your passport whilst visiting the UK. You should apply to the IPS. You will need to make an appointment, provide a verifiable residential address, and be able to attend any interviews as required by IPS. Applicants will have to be available at this address in order to sign the receipt of the passport. Please note that IPS do not accept applications by post or email if you live abroad.
Apr 17th 2007, 12:14 am
#19
fortune favours the brave
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 143
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
Hi Eddie
We sent our passports to London by Courier as you can track this and know exactly when it arrived and also tells you who signed for it. You only need to send a self addressed envelope not stamped you do not need to put stamps on, that is all included in the huge immigration fees. We used the plastic bubble jiffy type envelopes as these are much stronger and very difficult to open. The passports are then sent back from london in this envelope that you provide and arrive safely. We received our passports back within 3 weeks of sending them.
Good Luck.
Kind Regards
Dawn and Richie
We sent our passports to London by Courier as you can track this and know exactly when it arrived and also tells you who signed for it. You only need to send a self addressed envelope not stamped you do not need to put stamps on, that is all included in the huge immigration fees. We used the plastic bubble jiffy type envelopes as these are much stronger and very difficult to open. The passports are then sent back from london in this envelope that you provide and arrive safely. We received our passports back within 3 weeks of sending them.
Good Luck.
Kind Regards
Dawn and Richie
I went to the post office and the lady there advised me to use Purolator International,it was $49.75,should be there within 3 working days and is trackable.All in all I thought it wasn't a bad price.
Apr 17th 2007, 1:31 am
#20
Glasgow Rangers
Thread Starter
Joined: Feb 2004
Location: London, Ontario
Posts: 1,548
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
Phew,I'm glad you confirmed that.I read the OP and panicked as we got our passport requests last week and I posted them off to London on Friday.I suddenly had that awful feeling of 'omg was I supposed to put stamps on?' even though I checked,double and triple checked everything.I think after almost 3 years of waiting I was almost too scared to hand over the envelope in case something goes wrong at the last hurdle.It was like that scene in Ghost when Whoopi Goldberg has to hand over the cheque to the nun.
I went to the post office and the lady there advised me to use Purolator International,it was $49.75,should be there within 3 working days and is trackable.All in all I thought it wasn't a bad price.
I went to the post office and the lady there advised me to use Purolator International,it was $49.75,should be there within 3 working days and is trackable.All in all I thought it wasn't a bad price.
Sent our passports to London by UPS today, cost us 77 bucks, but will be there, delivered for Thursday morning, OHH and is trackable as well
Eddie
Apr 17th 2007, 3:05 am
#21
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: Windsor, ON; Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,713
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
I asked on the UK passport feedback form and got this answer -
Thank you for your enquiry.
It is not illegal to send the passport by post, however, we strongly advise against this though, as if it goes astray the risk of identity theft is high.
Thank you
(Name Removed)
Thank you for your enquiry.
It is not illegal to send the passport by post, however, we strongly advise against this though, as if it goes astray the risk of identity theft is high.
Thank you
(Name Removed)
Spoke to the OH she said it is to prevent people sending their passports overseas to family members of friends who lookalike gaining entrance into to the UK.
Found this below even though it doesn't say you can't send one it does say they will not deal with passport renewals in the UK from people who are actually outside.
Found this below even though it doesn't say you can't send one it does say they will not deal with passport renewals in the UK from people who are actually outside.
Apr 17th 2007, 3:20 am
#22
fortune favours the brave
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 143
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
So,if you're already in Canada on a WP such as us,how else are you expected to get passports to them? I know you can drop them off in person and collect them 10 working days later but that's not feasible for everyone.
Apr 17th 2007, 3:23 am
#23
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,024
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
May I ask why you have to send your PP to the UK...just out of interest like?
Apr 17th 2007, 4:08 am
#25
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,024
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
Are you sending it to the Canadian Embassy in London or the UK PP office? Sorry I don't know anything about Canadian immigration...I'm just being nosey really. 
We received our US visas in our PP before we came to live here...after that everything was done through the US Immigration in New Jersey.
We received our US visas in our PP before we came to live here...after that everything was done through the US Immigration in New Jersey.
Apr 17th 2007, 4:33 am
#26
fortune favours the brave
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 143
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
Are you sending it to the Canadian Embassy in London or the UK PP office? Sorry I don't know anything about Canadian immigration...I'm just being nosey really. We received our US visas in our PP before we came to live here...after that everything was done through the US Immigration in New Jersey.
We received our US visas in our PP before we came to live here...after that everything was done through the US Immigration in New Jersey.
Apr 17th 2007, 4:40 am
#27
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,024
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
It has to go the Canadian Embassy in London(uk)or whichever office happens to be processing your application.Ordinarily most people have their visas in their passports,like you did, before they arrive in Canada.It's just we did things the complicated way,originally coming out on 6 month visitor visas,subsequently obtaining work permits but our PR application had been in since Aug 2004 so even though our WP's were only for a year we knew our PR would be through within that time.Once our passports are back in a few weeks and we've left Canada and re-entered to land we should have to have nothing to do with immigration ever again,thank the lord!
Actually had our US visas expired...we would have had to get them renewed at a US embassy outside of the US ie Canada. Immigration works in strange ways.
Where are you living in Canada...we've just bought an apartment in Toronto?
Apr 17th 2007, 2:37 pm
#28
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2004
Location: Windsor, ON; Chicago, IL
Posts: 6,713
Re: Sending your passports from Canada to London UK need advice !!!
Did you read my post? I said upthread I think it's illegal for Indians to send Indian passports but I'd never heard of such a rule for Britons. I then asked the Passport Office who said it's not illegal.
