Paul M B

Yeah I'm in the same boat as you then. I'm British, the kid is getting his british passport right now and my wife is american. Our plan is to come over for an extended holiday and stay with my parents while I look for a job that meets the financial requirement. Once it's found I'll send them both back to the U.S. and make all the official applications.

BritInParis

As a US citizen your wife won't normally require a visa if she's coming for a visit of up to six months.

Paul M B

Agh! It's all so confusing. I'm assuming some paperwork showing our finances and where we will be staying and supported will be handy though.

BritInParis

Yes, if you're planning to stay on. Also evidence showing your wife's ties to the US giving her a reason to return.

Paul M B

That will be the tough part. We will be giving up our apartment and she will be returning to her parents once we can officially apply. We will be able to figure something out im sure. It's tough being poor!

raihk2015

Hello I am new to this forum. I have applied for my first British Passport from Hong Kong. It has already been more than 16 weeks, though they had said it will take at least 8 weeks. Now, every time I call the Liverpool passport office, the officer receiving the phone says it is going under 'security checks'. The same answer as 'your application is undergoing general security checks' has been replied to me since 7 weeks. Can anyone help me to understand what is going on with my application? How long would it take more?
I am really frustrated by this wait.

knighstrike

Expect a very long wait, if I were you. Try 8 to 10 months (32 weeks and more). That's how long applicants from Asia on average here in these forum waited before they had their passports.

Security checks in Asia (local documents) are conducted in Bangkok. How long these security checks are depends on how fast the local authorities in regards to your documents respond. Though you say you are on your 16th week, so I reckon your application is still in Liverpool.

Has someone from the HMPO already contacted your counter-signatory? If not, most likely your application is still in Liverpool. Hence, you are still very far in the passport application process.

Good luck.

Marbil Sid

Hello there,
I'm new to this forum, I'm in the same situation as you'll .
I came to India for the birth of my first child. My husband is a british citizen and I am an indian. We applied for my sons british passport from bangalore, India in September 2014. The counter signatory was contacted in the month of December. I too was contacted at the same time to provide with few more documents , as a result I got to know applications reference number. It's been more than 23 weeks.... On tracking the application,it says application under process..we wrote a complain letter, it dint help us much... The reply was simple , they said "we haven't forgotten your application , it's under process and sorry for delay. We waited for few more days.. Then wrote to the M.P. It hasn't helped us either...Recently a week ago on contacting the passport office we were told it's gone for verification to India , and asked us to call them back after a week to know the progress. So when we called them yesterday , the answer was the same.
Its been a real long wait, and it's very frustrating.
If the processing time takes 7..8...9..10..months, they should clearly mention it in the website and not give a specific time period. This keeps the applicant in dark. In that case I wouldn't have comedown for delivery or I would have been well prepared. They have put me in a state of confusion.
Can anyone please tell me why is it taking so long and how long will I have to wait.
Thanks in advance

raihk2015

Thank you for the reply. I know people here who applied for their British passports and got in 3-5 weeks time of the application. And yes to be precise they were applying for the first time. One received in some 4weeks time and the other 5 weeks.
People do get lucky in these cases. In my case they have not contacted the counter signatory and they haven't contacted the counter signatory in a number of cases. The counter signatory of mine was not contacted in the previous many occasions that she had signed for, though the applicant got their passport.
Security checks!!!!! Doesn't that sound weird?? I have been to the UK twice before on a visa (though the stay was 2 months and 5 months). I submitted a lot of supporting documents while applying for a visa. They could get an idea from those documents and they do have a fair idea about myself.
The problem is the passport and citizenship of the previous country I belonged has been revoked by the officials here at the consulate in Hong Kong. And I am left with no passport or travel document of any kind.
I am left with no option but to call Liverpool and enquire about the status of my passport application and the answer is 'under routine security checks' since some 7-8 weeks now.
Do you suggest any idea my friend???

BritInParis

Any first-time applicant born in India or Pakistan should expect a eight to twelve month wait. This is because your birth certificate needs to be verified with the local authorities where you were born.

knighstrike

And when was this? I reckon it was before February of last year, before they closed down the overseas applications and moved it to Liverpool.

Though if it wasn't, then lucky indeed.

Nowadays, it takes 8 to 10 (or maybe 12 as BritinParis say regarding India and Pakistan). Though I heard that applications from Singapore and Japan is faster, less than 8.

As unfair as it sounds, it really depends on where you live and your circumstances. Mine is actually now on its 9 month. Though I am in communication with HMPO Bangkok, as my case is not straight forward and requires a lot of input on my part.

My suggestion is, if you know an MP in the UK, try explaining to them your situation and ask them if they can communicate with the HMPO on your behalf.

Marbil Sid

This is ridiculous...8 to 12 months... I'm going mad already...oh God !!!
Passport office has asked to call them up tomorrow, keeping my fingers crossed, hoping to get some positive update..
Thanks

raihk2015

I am talking about the situation after the passport office moved to Liverpool.
They are sending some passports within 8 weeks or even less. Though in other cases they are taking a lot of time here in Hong Kong.
9 months would make me go crazy.
I was in UK on a business visa earlier and later in 2013. I did not get chance to get in contact with any MP in the UK. As I wasn't a British Citizen then.
I do have relatives in the UK who are British. Any idea how can I get in contact with any MP in the UK??
Thanking you for the reply

knighstrike

Talk to your relatives, then ask them if they could get in touch with their local MPs. They can search for the emails online, House of Commons or House of Lords. They could also try ringing their offices.

JW1973

Does anyone know how "high risk" South Africa is viewed as by HM Passport Office? I would have thought it's at least moderately dodgy (no offence to my host nation). I'm applying for my baby son's first UK passport and I'm trying to get a sense of what I may be in for from a processing time point of view. The application website mentioned about 12 weeks (in one of those never to be repeated pages which only shows while you're actually applying). The horror stories from Asia and elsewhere in Africa fill me with dread.
Any insights or anecdotal evidence as to the likely processing time would be much appreciated.