Muheza

Hi Vexcore,
Did you get any feed back from them on the status of the application as you dont have a reference number?
I managed, i gave them all the details i.e my passport number, child's DOB, POB, Date i sent out the application.etc
I was told the overseas collegues are examining grrrr!!! Wonder how much more time it will take.

Vexcore

I did what you did, and i got an email saying 'we will look into it'

Not sure if i'll get a ref number though.... i need it....

BritInParis

Not sure about Kenya but if its anything like Pakistan then all local documents have to verified with the local authorities to ensure authenticity. This means going to each local registrar and confirming the details on the certificate match those in the register. This can understandably take an awfully long time. A consular birth certificate (until the end of this year at least) is issued by local consular staff with local knowledge and contacts.

Once issued you don't need to include any local documents with the passport application as it's a standalone primary piece of evidence of someone's British citizenship. It may not speed up all security checks (there are several different kinds) but it would help avoid delays in verifying local documentation.

Kenya

Hi Brit,

Thanks, I see your point. That is what I fear they are doing. Trying to verify documents in Kenya from the UK would (or will...) take a very very long time. The civil service does very little here without palms being greased.

The question is whether it is this or something else which is holding up the application. I will contact them to ask if a consular birth certificate would help.

Luckily for us, our son is also entitled to citizenship of another European country. Upon receiving our documents back from the UK, we immediately applied for that passport and it has already been issued (within two weeks), so at least we can travel now.

johno5175

Actually after many enquires i found out from my local consulate a UK certificate from overseas will not speed up passport applications. They said it helps to show the child is UK citizen and replacements can be given at anytime from the GRO. If a local foreign certificate is used then anything in UK may need certified translations. Bar that doesnt have much other use.

BritInParis

Where is your local consulate?

johno5175

Guangzhou China. They said although they do not deal with passport applications delays to overseas applications are unfortunate and can be expected for a while while the transition to UK processing center is ongoing.

I asked because if i register the consulate birth first i need my divorce papers will take weeks and weeks to get and cost about 100 GBP. Where as i thought if i just did it with local birth certificate that it would take longer..... Seems not the case. Security checks are security checks. Seems those in more "certain" places are experiencing longer delays ie Kenya, Pakistan etc from what i read on here. China is not in such one of those places fingers crossed.

Oh and to register here only takes up to 5 days from registration to birth certificate issue from the consulate.

Vexcore

5 days? lol i got mine in 2 days fella,

And yes lets hope.. you and me will be fine in the end 'CHINA' isn't one of those places with high high security checks.

johno5175

yep.... Lucky in China and not Pakistan or Manchester.

¿zo ɯoɹɟ ƃuoן ʍoɥ ɹǝpuoʍ

Vexcore

Well seeing as i got his 'consular Birth Certifacte' within 2 days.

Still bloody waiting for his passport... oz? who knows man! but one guy on here applied for his sons passport and he was in Japan, and got it in 4 weeks 0_o

I'm now pushing 6 weeks mark..... Why cant they hurry the Fk up!

johno5175

I wouldn't sweat it till about 8 weeks by going off all the threads. I would delay your flight if you can and accept the fact you and the little 1 will be slurping noodles for an extra few weeks .
Last time i checked they said overseas passports will take AT LEAST 6 weeks (their capitals) so i would expect at least 8. Sucks i know. I am delaying my plans by an extra month at least to allow for the delays.

There is a dude in another thread here, sent his passport application off to uk from Slovakia (not sure if 1st, kids or renewal etc) and he had a brand spanking new 1 deliverd 10 days later to his house

Razakhtar

Update
So I finally got a call back from the progress team.
Couldn't believe it when the lady on the phone asked for reference number!!!

After explaining to her why I didn't have one she was eventually able to locate my application and said it was being processed and near completion.

She couldn't give me reference number or tell me how much longer to wait.

She they would email once the next stage of progress begins.

Personally I think it's a load of bs, I'm at 8 weeks now.

What frustrates me is they couldn't give me a reference number which I means I have to go through the same crap to get a progress update.

Muheza

They wont give you a reference number, unless they ask you for more documents... they normally put a ref number in their email when asking for other docs.

Vexcore

I guess you're right... gotta 'delay' my plans because of the BS they caused...

lol @ noodles



What a lot of horsesh!t that is... why can't they just give you the ref number? utter b0ll0cks!



Now that is ridiculous.

englishguygoinghome

You can almost certainly get your reference number by submitting a Subject Access Request (https://www.gov.uk/government/public...nd-immigration).

The process takes about 40 days and costs a tenner.

If everyone who got stuck wihtout a reference number did this then it would probably end up p...ing them off so much that they changed the process! It might not help you - let's hope you're not still waiting in 40 days - but if you are still waiting I'm guessing you'll be glad you did it and you'll be helping those who follow you through this mess