Anyone applied for British passport from Pakistan???
 

Hi everyone,

Me and my hubby are british nationals with British passport. I am now is islamabad, Pakistan cause I decided to give birth here....and now rather stuck here while waiting for British passport of my new baby son.

I applied in mid October 2014 and now completing 5 months. I know the website says 6 months but reading posts online and hmpo saying 'ongoing security checks' it's giving me a scare that it will take further 3-4 months.....gulp.

I know pakistan being high risk and everything....but I am sooooo tired now of missing my home...my hubby, who is in London right now. In mid feb he got email from London office if he was willing to do interview in London or rather they ask his wife to interview in pakistan. He said he wud interview in London and we got all happy that interview call wud be soon and waiting done. But sadly the status is switched back to 'ongoing security checks'.

Anyone out there applied from Pakistan...plz reply and tell how long it took them. I wud like to know any time frame so I can think on those lines.

Re: Anyone applied for British passport from Pakistan???
 

Based from my experience and from what I've heard from other applicants, applications from Asia are sent to Bangkok for local checks. Interviews for child passports are conducted for either parents or sometimes even both.

As for the waiting time, all I can say is don't put your hopes up too much for the 6 months in the website especially since Pakistan is in the 'high-risk' category.

Realistically, expect around 8 to 10 months. Sadly and as unfair as it is, waiting is all you can do really. My own application is 9 months ongoing now, and I'm from the Philippines by the way. Also a high-risk country. Though HMPO Bangkok has confirmed my application and had asked some additional questions and documents a month ago.

You can ask your husband maybe to contact his local MPs and you could also try calling the HMPO hotline. But really, they're not much help in my opinion. I did all those and I'm still waiting for mine.

Good luck.

Re: Anyone applied for British passport from Pakistan???
 

Based on other's experiences I would count on at least a nine month wait.

Re: Anyone applied for British passport from Pakistan???
 

Thanks a lot for replying knighstrike and britinparis.

U just confirmed my fears. Well, better to know the reality rather than holding onto false hope. Let's see what happens...

Knighstrike I am following u on the 'delays in child passport applications' thread. 9 months is way too long...don't know how u r coping with it all.

Fingers crossed and hope for the best...
Thanks anyway...

Re: Anyone applied for British passport from Pakistan???
 

Other applicants who posted here before in the forums have it worse.

There was one in that 'Delays' thread whose application took 11 months, almost a year. lol. That applicant I remember was from Afghanistan I think.

As for my case, well I'm single, no attachments so it's much easier for me to take all the waiting I guess. :lol: Still, all this waiting caused my employer in Australia to rescind my employment. It was a dream job, sigh...

Just be patient and I know it may be sad and hard for you and the family, but you'll get there. And think of this as a security for your children in the future. What's a moment of loneliness compared to that?

Ease of access in travelling, abode in the UK, opportunities, I know lots of British acquaintances who were born and raised in the motherland who take it for granted. But to those who have experienced what it's like to be at the bottom of the ladder in a third-world country, a UK passport is an asset, a weapon- it's priceless.

Re: Anyone applied for British passport from Pakistan???
 

U r right knighstrike. It is priceless. And what u pointed out about third world country, is too true. It's a blessing to have a way out.

Putting things in perspective, it's true that this is a short time as compared to the benefits of it. But sometimes u just want a few answers and rant out a bit...that's y u start looking up forums for answers and ppl in same situations.

I am sorry to hear about that job u were after...hope ur passport sorts out soon and hope there are more dream jobs coming ur way, when u can actually make use of them :)