Hello,

I am looking to make an urgent trip to the UK in early November or sooner if possible, however my British passport expired in December 2009. I`m under the impression that renewals from Washington are painfully slow and I might be out of luck even if they get the application by this Friday, is there a change I might get one by early Nov? I am unsure if the embassy is backlogged or running efficiently these days?

I did consider inquiring about an emergency travel document but finding out about these is rather difficult. I would have to travel to Ottawa or do the local consulates offer this service? Besides, it`s hard to book a ticket without a passport number and I would need a ticket booking for them to even consider an emergency travel document?

I just got my photos done this afternoon, it appears Walmart don`t do British photos so I had to visit a photographer. If I send my application on Thursday UPS guarantees to deliver Friday morning. I have filled out the form and included a "date of travel" as November 5th in the hope they might read that, I also included a brief letter explaining my situation.

Has anyone else been in this predicament and can advise? Thanks.

Mine took 10days and you can get it expedited if need be!

Can you explain expedited? and also it took ten days from sending it to getting it back? wow that gives me hope.

When did you do yours?

Here you go read down the page an emergency passport http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/help-fo.../passport-fees

I did look into those emergency travel documents but it appears they are really hard to get, you need someone to have died and provide proof it`s an emergency? It`s also not a passport I don`t think, just a document for a one way trip unless I`m wrong.

When did you send your application off?

Thanks.

A few years ago I enquired about an emergency travel document with the local British Consul after having booked a trip home and then found I had mislaid my passport. He told me that they no longer issue such things. 9/11 and all that apparently.

It was 22nd April 08 the issue but a few others have posted on here and got theirs back within 2 weeks, even though the web-site advices on a month.

This is not what the web-site I posted suggests an it was updated July 2010

My friend also got some kind of emergency document but that was because someone had died.

We received our passports pretty quick from Washington, and it wasn't even an emergency.

Weird...we got our British passport photos done at Walmart, they are practically the same spec as Canadian ones. The person probably didn't know what they were talking about!

Ok, I have everything filled out and have the pics. I will pick up the money order in the morning and send everything by UPS at lunchtime.

I also enclosed a short letter explaining my situation, hopefully they might read this, I also added a November 5th date in the "date of travel" box. Hopefully they might treat it with some level of urgency!

Lorry1, how long did you wait until you got yours?

Thanks.

Shuffle......... Thread just reminded me that mine runs out in November better check the wiki on where to start because i havent the foggiest idea

I finally got round to sending off for our British passports last month. Mine expired almost 10 years ago so I thought now was as good a time as any. Shiny new passports were returned within three weeks of sending even though I put sometime in December as the date of travel. I was particularly impressed as for Mrs JonboyE this was her first ever British passport and I expected this to take ages.

Just sent mine off today, will let you know when I receive it.

Me too, everything was sent off at lunchtime by UPS with a delivery time of tomorrow afternoon at the Embassy. Just my luck no one will be there to receive it! Fingers crossed it gets looked at soon, I really need it back asap.

Thanks for the info everyone.

MY UK passport had expired back in 2007. I kept meaning to get around to renewing it.

Anyway, I need to get back to the UK ASAP - I have a job waiting for me.

I sent it off on September 22nd, and on the 24th, it arrived at the passport office - I had delivery confirmation.

On Sept 30th, my debit card was authorized for payment of the $217 fee. The four weeks is supposed to start from that point, according to web site.

I put down a travel date of October 28th, and I really do need to leave here by then.

Reading some of the previous posts, I am hoping that it will get back here by next week, as it's October 16th now, and many of you are saying yours came back in 2-3 weeks.

The waiting is driving me nuts, as I really just want to get moving now. I hate waiting for anything!