Originally Posted by BritInParis

Delete the word magically and you have it in a nutshell. Payment is taken before anything else is done. If payment has only recently been taken then it'll be either waiting to be entered on the system or waiting to be examined. If the Adviceline cannot see it yet perhaps

Originally Posted by Razakhtar

The payment was taken in March it has now been 11 weeks since the payment was taken.
Appreciate your advice but you don't have a clue.

Originally Posted by BritInParis

I'm only going on your (mis)information. If payment was taken 11 weeks ago then that makes more sense than what you said in your previous post about payment being taken after 11 weeks of waiting. Payment is always taken first. If it sits in a crate waiting after that then that's normal if there's a backlog. Appreciate your frustation at the situation but you can do something practical about it or continue to complain about it on this forum. Only one of these things will get you your passport.

Originally Posted by Razakhtar

You don't have to go on any information I don't recall asking for your advice, unless you work for the passport office your explanation means nothing.

I'd rather read responses from people in my situation and how they death with their issues.

Originally Posted by JLA

Has anyone tried the direct Liverpool office instead of the ironically named helpline? It seems that UK applicants have had a much better success rate when contacting the individual offices rather than the help line, albeit for upgrades. I think you have to ring at 8am or thereabouts to avoid being on hold for a long time. My consulate told me to contact the passport office so it is possible you could say that when you ring. I was about to try it but I had some success with my MP but thought it might help someone else. The number is 0845 601 2058. Hope it helps.

Originally Posted by Firsttimemom

Just wanted to update on the latest... Still no contact from Liverpool office even after countless "you will be contacted in 72 hours" speeches from the passport advice line. As previously mentioned, I took my plight to the local mp of where I used to live and he agreed to look into the situation for me. His office have just informed me that they have made contact with the Liverpool office and my application was apparently dispatched on 26th May - expected to take 10 days to reach me here in Thailand.

Application received by Liverpool on 24th March
Dispatched (apparently) on 26th May.

Hope this helps to give estimated time frame to some of you.

I will keep you posted on whether it does arrive this week (still sceptical) as I still have not had any contact from Liverpool office to date... Which is quite unbelievable in my opinion.

Good luck to the rest of you, this has been the most frustrating and diabolical experience ever and I feel the way that we have all been treated as expats has been a disgrace.

Razakhtar- I really feel for you and wish you the very best of luck in sorting this terrible situation out! The way you have been treated is unbelievable!

Originally Posted by BritInParis

Good luck with that.

Originally Posted by johno5175

Guy came off a bit arrogant to your advice....... Good luck to they death of issues lol

Originally Posted by Razakhtar

Meant to say deal* with issues! but my ipad has a mind of its own when it comes to auto correcting

In any case;

Just been off the phone to the british embassy in beijing and they have said that if all else fails they can arrange an emergency travel document for my son.
For those in china, who are in desperate need to return home, might be worth contacting the consular service team.
The advisor I spoke to said that by using the emergency travel document I could process a fresh passport application in England, should the original be 'lost'

Originally Posted by Vexcore

Interesting! and man i cant believe they lost your application! feel for you really do!

My mother just had a 'meeting' with the manager at the Liverpool passport office and they told her i need to send a letter to 'confirm' i am the father of the child..... not sure if it helps will send it tomorrow and see if something happens?

if all else fails then i'll try and get an ETD just like you might?

Originally Posted by Razakhtar

All the best with that! Hope it goes through, I'm gonna wait until the Liverpool office respond before I apply for the ETD. Embassy are also contacting Liverpool office on my behalf