Delays in first passport for child born overseas
#196
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 35
#197
#198
Re: Delays in first passport for child born overseas
I haven't had any updates but All I can do is wait it out for this week. This will be the 8th week.
Whatever happens I will be making a huge complaint about what, in my opinion, is deliberate misguidance and an extremely poor service.
6 weeks should NOT be mentioned any where on the website. It is incredibly misleading, having no realistic time frame is a joke... So I'm expected to wait for over 2 months, 4 months? And that is ok because the website says at least 6 weeks? Why not say at least 2 months.
It's just the passport office trying to cover their asses and their poor efficiency
Bottom line, We are paying money for an essential service, there should be realistic advice and time frames given to those applying abroad.
The OS guidance document- which says you can track after 4 weeks, and mentions nothing about reference numbers is a pathetic attempt to make it seem that the passport process is slick.
When you ring the number on the guidance document and are asked repeatedly for a reference number, you know it's a shambolic operation.
#199
Re: Delays in first passport for child born overseas
So before i can sort out my kids first passport i had to order a birth certificate from the GRO. Anyways i orderd it on the 24th April and still had not arrived to China so i used the online form complaint thingy to let them know i had not received it yet. I was expecting a wait of maybe at least a week for a reply...... BUT SHOCK HORROR!!!! 2 hours later i received an email stating they apologize for the delay and any issues it may of caused and will re-issue another bc withing 2 working days. Couldnt believe my eyes.
Shame the passport office cant be that efficient.
Shame the passport office cant be that efficient.
#200
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Verona/ Nr Turin
Posts: 4,670
Re: Delays in first passport for child born overseas
So before i can sort out my kids first passport i had to order a birth certificate from the GRO. Anyways i orderd it on the 24th April and still had not arrived to China so i used the online form complaint thingy to let them know i had not received it yet. I was expecting a wait of maybe at least a week for a reply...... BUT SHOCK HORROR!!!! 2 hours later i received an email stating they apologize for the delay and any issues it may of caused and will re-issue another bc withing 2 working days. Couldnt believe my eyes.
Shame the passport office cant be that efficient.
Shame the passport office cant be that efficient.
#201
Re: Delays in first passport for child born overseas
So before i can sort out my kids first passport i had to order a birth certificate from the GRO. Anyways i orderd it on the 24th April and still had not arrived to China so i used the online form complaint thingy to let them know i had not received it yet. I was expecting a wait of maybe at least a week for a reply...... BUT SHOCK HORROR!!!! 2 hours later i received an email stating they apologize for the delay and any issues it may of caused and will re-issue another bc withing 2 working days. Couldnt believe my eyes.
Shame the passport office cant be that efficient.
Shame the passport office cant be that efficient.
GRO use the cheapest possible courier once the certificate arrives in china, hence the chance it goes missing is very high!
#202
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 16
Re: Delays in first passport for child born overseas
Thanks for all of the advice and mutual support on here:
Passport application submitted 20th January
Childs Passport in hand 15th May
Full investigation apparently underway and report will be submitted to both us and our MP. If able to do so I will share any relevant feedback on here when the time comes. My gut feeling is that a new methodology was rushed through and now both the consumers and passport office staff are suffering for the consequences.
Good luck to those of you still waiting.
Passport application submitted 20th January
Childs Passport in hand 15th May
Full investigation apparently underway and report will be submitted to both us and our MP. If able to do so I will share any relevant feedback on here when the time comes. My gut feeling is that a new methodology was rushed through and now both the consumers and passport office staff are suffering for the consequences.
Good luck to those of you still waiting.
#203
Re: Delays in first passport for child born overseas
Thanks for all of the advice and mutual support on here:
Passport application submitted 20th January
Childs Passport in hand 15th May
Full investigation apparently underway and report will be submitted to both us and our MP. If able to do so I will share any relevant feedback on here when the time comes. My gut feeling is that a new methodology was rushed through and now both the consumers and passport office staff are suffering for the consequences.
Good luck to those of you still waiting.
Passport application submitted 20th January
Childs Passport in hand 15th May
Full investigation apparently underway and report will be submitted to both us and our MP. If able to do so I will share any relevant feedback on here when the time comes. My gut feeling is that a new methodology was rushed through and now both the consumers and passport office staff are suffering for the consequences.
Good luck to those of you still waiting.
#206
Re: Delays in first passport for child born overseas
Well I had 2 failed attempts by the GRO to deliver my certificates. In the end I had to deliver to my uk address and get family to send them via DHL.
GRO use the cheapest possible courier once the certificate arrives in china, hence the chance it goes missing is very high!
GRO use the cheapest possible courier once the certificate arrives in china, hence the chance it goes missing is very high!
#207
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 35
Re: Delays in first passport for child born overseas
[QUOTE=Kenya;11252497]Congratulations, that is really great news!
I do hope there's been a change to the procedure, it
Hi kenya,
Any updates? Still in security check? I was told its being reviewed by overseas collegues wondering if thats the same as security check as everyone says....Grrrr! its been 12 weeks and 5 days.i wonder how much longer to go!
I do hope there's been a change to the procedure, it
Hi kenya,
Any updates? Still in security check? I was told its being reviewed by overseas collegues wondering if thats the same as security check as everyone says....Grrrr! its been 12 weeks and 5 days.i wonder how much longer to go!
#208
Just Joined
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 16
Re: Delays in first passport for child born overseas
Muheza - that would be about the size of it, yes - security checks.
We now have passport in hand... because the passport took so long to come, the visa in the original ETD has expired - the overstay is of such duration that my employers have (just) managed to wangle us getting away with a hefty fine, BUT we have to leave the country and return again immediately to validate the new visa in the passport at which point HE MAY NOT LEAVE AGAIN FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS without invalidating his visa/ before his visa can be converted to multi entry, effectively condemning us as a family to not being able to leave this country from December last year until the end of August. Had we received the passport within a reasonable time frame (i.e. before the visa expired on 4th March - a reasonable 7 week window) we wouldn't be in this situation.
My employers are furious as they have lost a lot of face with the immigration service over this, we have a close family wedding the last weekend in August that we will just about arrive in time for no doubt jetlagged to hell.
Great.
We now have passport in hand... because the passport took so long to come, the visa in the original ETD has expired - the overstay is of such duration that my employers have (just) managed to wangle us getting away with a hefty fine, BUT we have to leave the country and return again immediately to validate the new visa in the passport at which point HE MAY NOT LEAVE AGAIN FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS without invalidating his visa/ before his visa can be converted to multi entry, effectively condemning us as a family to not being able to leave this country from December last year until the end of August. Had we received the passport within a reasonable time frame (i.e. before the visa expired on 4th March - a reasonable 7 week window) we wouldn't be in this situation.
My employers are furious as they have lost a lot of face with the immigration service over this, we have a close family wedding the last weekend in August that we will just about arrive in time for no doubt jetlagged to hell.
Great.
#209
Re: Delays in first passport for child born overseas
Muheza - that would be about the size of it, yes - security checks.
We now have passport in hand... because the passport took so long to come, the visa in the original ETD has expired - the overstay is of such duration that my employers have (just) managed to wangle us getting away with a hefty fine, BUT we have to leave the country and return again immediately to validate the new visa in the passport at which point HE MAY NOT LEAVE AGAIN FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS without invalidating his visa/ before his visa can be converted to multi entry, effectively condemning us as a family to not being able to leave this country from December last year until the end of August. Had we received the passport within a reasonable time frame (i.e. before the visa expired on 4th March - a reasonable 7 week window) we wouldn't be in this situation.
My employers are furious as they have lost a lot of face with the immigration service over this, we have a close family wedding the last weekend in August that we will just about arrive in time for no doubt jetlagged to hell.
Great.
We now have passport in hand... because the passport took so long to come, the visa in the original ETD has expired - the overstay is of such duration that my employers have (just) managed to wangle us getting away with a hefty fine, BUT we have to leave the country and return again immediately to validate the new visa in the passport at which point HE MAY NOT LEAVE AGAIN FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS without invalidating his visa/ before his visa can be converted to multi entry, effectively condemning us as a family to not being able to leave this country from December last year until the end of August. Had we received the passport within a reasonable time frame (i.e. before the visa expired on 4th March - a reasonable 7 week window) we wouldn't be in this situation.
My employers are furious as they have lost a lot of face with the immigration service over this, we have a close family wedding the last weekend in August that we will just about arrive in time for no doubt jetlagged to hell.
Great.
Still though... you got it in the end but 4 months is just pushing it... what on earth are they so paranoid about.
#210
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2014
Posts: 35
Re: Delays in first passport for child born overseas
13 weeks today..yet no news. I had to cancel my bookings lastweek. Really hope i get it this week. I need to fly before end of month for a family wedding.I have been trying to call them everyday but their lines in durham are all busy. At times i wait upto 40 mins for them to answer the call , in the end give up. Dont know how to get intouch for an update now. So frustrating!