Oyibopeppeh

One of our guys earlier this year left for a trip to Bahrain on his eGate card & second passport (the one without the residence visa). On the way back in, the eGate wasn't working and he was turned back, despite the immigration being aware that he had a residence visa.

csdf

Help! My wife's new passport has been returned, but they didn't include the old one (which has her residence visa in it). There's absolutely no contact information so we have no idea how to get this fixed and she has to leave the country in 2 weeks. Does anyone have any idea of what we can do?

MaserMan

Beat me to it, I have exactly the same problem and our Gov Affairs department have said that she will not be allowed to leave Saudi. Have been trying to contact the British Embassy but the buggers let the phone ring and never answer.

busybee2

usually the old passport comes back from germany but can be up to a week later.

busybee2

they will have a long weekend because of the diamond jubliee i suspect. the new passport is printed in the uk, and so its sent from there, and the old one comes back from germany but everyone i know has done this the old one appears a few days later.

busybee2

it does state this on the website and the notes if you looked.

MaserMan

Busybee2,

Thanks for that, had seen that it said that they would return supporting documentation, had not put the old passport in that category.

Will wait and see!

busybee2

doh of course if you sent your old passport there and any supportting documentation ie if its a new one or change of name etc.... otherwise it would be sent to uk and then back to uae, either way it makes a journey on its own.

jackthehat

When sending an Old Passport which contains a Residency Visa, put a 'Big Message' on it (In Red) stating that it should be returned at the same time that the New Passport is issued!

MaserMan

Good advice, just a little late for me

dxb97

Shandolier,
My advice is to wait until you are in the UK. Prior to travelling back, contact the IPS (0300 222 0000) and book an appointment for a one day fast track service. They will then send you through an application form in the post to a UK address. Fill out the form, grab a couple of pic's and take yourself off to a local passport office (I used Peterborough). You will have a face to face chat with one of the customer service staff, then pay the money and all you then have to do is find something to do for 4 hours while you wait for the passport to be processed. Easy process, just completed mine last week in the UK and very satisfied.

csdf

Still no sign of the original passport...been over seven weeks now since the process started.

Mischief Queen

I sent mine off on 16th May and still waiting... a couple of mates did it at the start of May and had theirs back in 2 weeks. Pah.

MaserMan

Pleased to say 8 days after the new passport arrived the original was delivered by DHL yesterday.

Very inefficient and expensive system!

spartans53

If you have a new passport but no old one, you can go to immigration and they will put you a new residence permit in the new one for a fee. It cost some money, not sure how much but you can then leave the country. Happened with youngest Spartan last year and Mrs Spartans sorted it.