Englishman2014

I'm still waiting for my daughters passport, I'm over in Colombia it's such a head stress not knowing, it's coming up to 6 weeks this Friday. Hopefully some good news

Vexcore

Hi there,

Have you had any email/phone call at all? with anything related to the application?

Englishman2014

No I've had nothing no calls or emails, I call the advice line every week and they just say it's with the examination team and to wait 6 weeks

Vexcore

Hmm, it must be going well then? if they don't call/email you then it's going smooth i would assume.

Englishman2014

Did they contact you for more information? How long into the application did they require more info from you?

Vexcore

I'm at 4 weeks now dude... im waiting till 6 weeks then i'll call up,

I've heard NOTHING no emails no calls NOTHING.

so i assume it's going well? 0_o

zuluswede

I sent 3 email requests for an "update" using the online inquiry form since I last posted and got a big fat zero responses back. I called the "helpline" this morning and was told they had emailed my counter-signatory with further instructions... they wouldn't tell me what. Turns out they want the "identity" confirmation documents I omitted to send with the declaration. I'd marked on the application that the counter-signatory was a US citizen and that they had declined to provide the "identity" confirmation paperwork requested. The same person (school councilor) had counter-signed my other son's passport renewal a year ago and had declined to provide that info then as well. His passport arrived within 4 weeks if I remember correctly. Fortunately she has agreed to provide the information they want.

I was also told that they received the "declaration" packet on March 4th, and the application was assigned to a "person" on March 18th.

Fair Lady

I applied for passport renewals for my three children four weeks ago. Are the wait times the same for renewing as they are for first passports? I keep logging in to check on my status and it states, 'declaration form received, being processed'. I expect them to take at least 6 weeks but of course always hope for sooner .

37100

It's just so frustrating, BritinParis. My passort had just been renewed when it was stolen and at around the same time, a friend's was also stolen. Mine took over 9 weeks to replace. My friend on the other hand, got an emergency passport, went to the UK and was able to get a replacement passport in 3 days!!

Vexcore

Frustrating yes.... my deadline (for them) is May 24th then action must be taken.

i cannot leave this country until they get there ass in gear.

No passport application should ever take more than 6 weeks and one poor guy on here is waiting over 15 weeks?

It's absolutely disgusting.

BritInParis

The delays are the moment for BE posters seem to be a mixture of security checks and general backlog. It'll be interesting to see whether this is a temporary blip and whether we're in for another summer of discontent.

Vexcore

True that,

But that link you gave us.. is based in USA that's the backlog for them..

what about other countries? is it all the same you think?

i just know... i won't be getting my sons passport by 24th of may i just know it and i am getting extremely peed off.

Security checks i understand it! but isn't a consular birth certificate like a high valid document (which cannot be faked) because they simply have a record of the person within the embassy where the child was registered at.


That link you gave us is dated 2011... so its now 2014? im sure they have sorted out the 'bollocks' by now? if not? then oh dear oh dear.

BritInParis

The delays in 2011 were in the Washington and Düsseldorf regional passport processing centres. Now it's all back in the UK the chances are higher that any delays will be replicated worldwide.

Those delays were caused too many applications and not enough staff (and a certain amount of incompetent management in Washington). These delays seem to be more down to teething problems at a procedural level i.e. the overcautious security checks.

I don't think your child's application has been delayed by security checks but rather it's probably caught up in the general backlog that has now been caused.

Vexcore

Lets hope it's backlogs.... and not delayed because of problems... i checked the application like 5 times before i sent it off no problems at all along with his consular birth certificate.

(Cross fingers)

Razakhtar

Hi everyone!

I AM IN EXACTLY the same situation as everyone here, especially Vexcore.

I sent my passport application for my new born son about 6 weeks ago from Beijing.

The procedure was
print the form - send to Liverpool office along with important documents...and then pray everything goes smoothly

Annoyingly this has now CHANGED to the old system of giving your application to the embassy.

The level of incompetence from the Passport helpline is beyond belief

1) They fail to understand there is NO reference number for OS passport applications
2) They promise they will send emails which are all lies.

I have called them countless times to at least confirm my application was received and if they have my wifes passport which I foolishly sent.
But they can't even do that, they have taken the money and that's all I know.

The 6 weeks deadline is 1st of May after this time I will raise hell.

In the OS application guidance notes it CLEARLY states that you can check the progress of your application 4 weeks after submitting the form.
Why these clowns keep telling me to wait for 6 weeks is again beyond me.

Like Vexcore, my son's passport is needed in order to obtain an exit visa. Without the passport he cannot leave china and neither can my wife.
These useless office staff fail to understand this!

so here is my advice if the system for applying changes back to what I had to go through...

1) DON'T SEND ANY ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS - send coloured photocopies and explain in a letter why you have done this.
2) don't expect any correspondence from the passport office
3) if the passport office say they'll call you back...THEY WON'T
4) keep faith and wait it out...

I've heard every excuse from these clowns but after 6 weeks there are no more excuses...RAISE HELL and don't let up.
GOOD LUCK to everyone