OriginalSunshine

csdf

It's now not even possible to make an appointment for the 1-day service. After 10 minutes in a queue, it times out saying there are too many people calling, and the only option is to leave your number for a call-back. But obviously the system won't let you enter a non-UK phone number...

Mogs

I don't need my UAE one yet. Ghana consulate will not give me a new visa when my old one is still valid and they won't transfer it to my new passport unless I have a police report stating my old passport is lost.

The only good thing is I get to miss another scheduled trip to West Africa. Employer is not too impressed though.

the_red_sheep

I called at 8am UK and got through no problem, although that was a couple of weeks ago before the media-stoked mass hysteria broke out.

For what it’s worth, once there the 1-day fast track process was quick and painless.

Re the hysteria – I recognise it’s different for people here who have visas to worry about, but for those in the UK why would they wait until the last minute to renew their passport? It seems to be worse this year but there are delays in getting new passports almost every year just before summer holiday time.

OriginalSunshine

because they moved all the separate overseas offices and consulate services to the UK passport offices as well.

the uk people are applying in march/april for a june/july travel. they were told 3 weeks turnaround, allowed for 8. that's pretty reasonable. and they would have timed it for after the easter break if they were going away then as well.

OriginalSunshine

because they moved all the separate overseas offices and consulate services to the UK passport offices as well.

the uk people are applying in march/april for a june/july travel. they were told 3 weeks turnaround, allowed for 8. that's pretty reasonable. and they would have timed it for after the easter break if they were going away then as well.

Inselaffen

Fresh measures to help UK expats caught in Britain’s passport crisis | The National

csdf

As said previously, these measures don't really help. Getting an emergency passport for your newborn isn't going to help it get the visa which allows it to remain in the country. A 12-month extension is no use to the (at least 50%) of expats who renew because they've run out of pages.

hungryhorace

I'm only familiar with the American system, but surely the visa is just your ENTRY permit (as it were), not the right to remain? That's covered by your underlying status. Are you saying if you don't have a visa in your passport, you could go out of status? That seems pretty absurd to me.

OleJanx

You need a residence permit to work and to stay longer than one month or so.

hungryhorace

Thanks for the clarification.

shiraz1

These idiots haven't quite grasped where the problem is

"Tourism minister Helen Grant has come under fire after appearing to suggest people whose passports have been delayed could opt to holiday in the UK."

BBC News - Passport delays: Tourism minister promotes 'staycations'

OriginalSunshine

I wanted to throttle her when I read that!

So, next week I go to get my emergency passport, fingers crossed.... oh I'm going to have so much trying to get out and then in again.....

shiraz1

"Nearly three quarters of countries will not accept passports given 12 month extensions under plans to alleviate the crisis, it has been revealed. "

Read more: Fresh travel chaos as ministers admit emergency passport extensions useless in dozens of holiday hotspots | Mail Online

busybee2

yes but they are thinking that people are just returning to the uk, which you can return on expired british passports anyways! none of this has really helped the expats, but i know people that have been waiting like 2 months have now been getting back both their passports this week, so they are beginning to trickle thru, so i would hold up in getting an etd until very last day etc because it says that issuing an etd will then cancel your passport application anyways.