Mr. Angry
#1
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Mr. Angry
I feel ashamed to be British when my wife of seven years is not allowed to join me on a two week UK holiday because of petty bureaucracy. When she was last in Nairobi, Shadya had to take our daughter to hospital for emergency medical treatment and got rained upon. Her passport got a little wet during the downpour, some pages getting curled. Not enough to stop her leaving Kenya or being smoothly processed by UAE Immigration here. Now that we have applied for UK holiday visa, however, her application has been rejected because of the alleged damage. Unfortunately it takes a minimum 4-6weeks to get a Kenyan passport renewed. As a consequence, we won't be travelling to the UK this summer. We have also lost Dhs6,000 in non-refundable KLM tickets and a cottage booking. Worst of all is the fact that my three elder sisters, who haven't seem Jasmine since she was 2yo, will now have to wait another year to see her. Grrrh it makes me so angry...
#2
Re: Mr. Angry
I feel ashamed to be British when my wife of seven years is not allowed to join me on a two week UK holiday because of petty bureaucracy. When she was last in Nairobi, Shadya had to take our daughter to hospital for emergency medical treatment and got rained upon. Her passport got a little wet during the downpour, some pages getting curled. Not enough to stop her leaving Kenya or being smoothly processed by UAE Immigration here. Now that we have applied for UK holiday visa, however, her application has been rejected because of the alleged damage. Unfortunately it takes a minimum 4-6weeks to get a Kenyan passport renewed. As a consequence, we won't be travelling to the UK this summer. We have also lost Dhs6,000 in non-refundable KLM tickets and a cottage booking. Worst of all is the fact that my three elder sisters, who haven't seem Jasmine since she was 2yo, will now have to wait another year to see her. Grrrh it makes me so angry...
#3
Re: Mr. Angry
Why are you ashamed to be british, shouldnt it be the Kenyan Gov you pissed of at as it takes so long to get a new passport?
#4
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Re: Mr. Angry
that is bloody ridiculous!! can you express a new Kenyan passport? is she not yet entitled to a British Passport?? Regards KLM, write to Meow about this and see if she can investigate it via the National for you, to get some type of refund. I am sorry to hear this has happened, there is nothing worse than holidays having to be cancelled. Maybe a reunion here might be a good idea?
#5
Re: Mr. Angry
The only possible solution would be for Shadya to fly to Kenya herself, where the renewal process might only take a few days, but Jasmine is still at school and its not really an option. She only gets a British Passport when she has lived in the UK with me for at least four years. Frankly I am pissed off with everything British right now. We will probably go to Kenya YET AGAIN for a Ramadan holiday instead.
#7
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Re: Mr. Angry
Quite frankly, for a two week holiday, the spouse of a British passport holder and the mother of a British passport holder shouldn't have to go to such trouble to visit the country. She would have been entitled to a six month visa but it was only two weeks that we need FFS...their systems are too inflexible. Anyway, there is nothing we can do except feel angry.
#8
Re: Mr. Angry
Quite frankly, for a two week holiday, the spouse of a British passport holder and the mother of a British passport holder shouldn't have to go to such trouble to visit the country. She would have been entitled to a six month visa but it was only two weeks that we need FFS...their systems are too inflexible. Anyway, there is nothing we can do except feel angry.
#9
Re: Mr. Angry
I feel ashamed to be British when my wife of seven years is not allowed to join me on a two week UK holiday because of petty bureaucracy. When she was last in Nairobi, Shadya had to take our daughter to hospital for emergency medical treatment and got rained upon. Her passport got a little wet during the downpour, some pages getting curled. Not enough to stop her leaving Kenya or being smoothly processed by UAE Immigration here. Now that we have applied for UK holiday visa, however, her application has been rejected because of the alleged damage. Unfortunately it takes a minimum 4-6weeks to get a Kenyan passport renewed. As a consequence, we won't be travelling to the UK this summer. We have also lost Dhs6,000 in non-refundable KLM tickets and a cottage booking. Worst of all is the fact that my three elder sisters, who haven't seem Jasmine since she was 2yo, will now have to wait another year to see her. Grrrh it makes me so angry...
Why don't you take Jasmine yourself to UK? -I am sure Shad would be happy that J is getting to go on the trip.Lots of parents have to split holidays for whatever reasons,it ain't unheard of.
While you and J in Uk, Shad could sort her passport in Africa....something that'll need to be done anyways,specially as you said on here a while back you are thinking of going to UK for cheaper education for J
Can't believe you two are just lying down to this and resigned to giving KLM etc money for nada - you are not the eponymous Lionheart it seems.
#10
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Re: Mr. Angry
Why don't you take Jasmine yourself to UK? -I am sure Shad would be happy that J is getting to go on the trip.Lots of parents have to split holidays for whatever reasons,it ain't unheard of.
While you and J in Uk, Shad could sort her passport in Africa....something that'll need to be done anyways,specially as you said on here a while back you are thinking of going to UK for cheaper education for J
Can't believe you two are just lying down to this and resigned to giving KLM etc money for nada - you are not the eponymous Lionheart it seems.
While you and J in Uk, Shad could sort her passport in Africa....something that'll need to be done anyways,specially as you said on here a while back you are thinking of going to UK for cheaper education for J
Can't believe you two are just lying down to this and resigned to giving KLM etc money for nada - you are not the eponymous Lionheart it seems.
Last edited by lionheart; May 24th 2009 at 5:56 am.
#11
Re: Mr. Angry
Not really sure that either me or Jasmine would like to travel for so long and so far without Shadya. Moreover I suspect Jasmine woud be in tears from day one. The other thing is that the girls have only been once to the UK in their entire lives. The trip was primarily for Shadya's benefit...seeing new places etc.
Then all the more reason to get the passport sorted a.s.a.p.Is the Passport damged to extent it is illegible?
Is the UAE residence visa undamaged?
IMHO, it's because she is presenting a damaged document to obtain a new 'status' in a new country ergo why the current passport wasn't an issue
exiting Kenya and entering UAE- both of which she holds residency status
for.
In the interim -try again,seek help from British Embassy in DXB
You should have enough paper evidence to back up temporary visit to UK.....i.e Annual Rental Contract, Jasmine's forward paid school fees.
Also the compassionate nature of the trip...i.e. talking Jasmine to visit 'aged' family members. Don't just accept it.It's a subjective decision made by one office pen - pusher............
#12
Re: Mr. Angry
Hate to say it but if you knew the passport had been damaged then why the surprise?
#13
Re: Mr. Angry
Not really sure that either me or Jasmine would like to travel for so long and so far without Shadya. Moreover I suspect Jasmine woud be in tears from day one. The other thing is that the girls have only been once to the UK in their entire lives. The trip was primarily for Shadya's benefit...seeing new places etc.
#14
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 872
Re: Mr. Angry
I feel ashamed to be British when my wife of seven years is not allowed to join me on a two week UK holiday because of petty bureaucracy. When she was last in Nairobi, Shadya had to take our daughter to hospital for emergency medical treatment and got rained upon. Her passport got a little wet during the downpour, some pages getting curled. Not enough to stop her leaving Kenya or being smoothly processed by UAE Immigration here. Now that we have applied for UK holiday visa, however, her application has been rejected because of the alleged damage. Unfortunately it takes a minimum 4-6weeks to get a Kenyan passport renewed. As a consequence, we won't be travelling to the UK this summer. We have also lost Dhs6,000 in non-refundable KLM tickets and a cottage booking. Worst of all is the fact that my three elder sisters, who haven't seem Jasmine since she was 2yo, will now have to wait another year to see her. Grrrh it makes me so angry...
you may want to check your travel insurance policy as they may cover some of the cost of the airfares and cancellation?
#15
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 645
Re: Mr. Angry
my husband took our daughter to Scotland last year for two weeks while I stayed here ALONE!! I bloody loved every minute of it!! went shopping, ate what I wanted, went to the pool, watched to complete series of that Dr Who spin off thing, spent time with friends. It was absolutely fantastic!!! tell Shadya to think about it, it was a great way to re charge my batteries. BUT I can see your point though