maggster

I am looking at the passport renewal form and I just want to make sure I am completing the form correctly.

I am requesting a new passport due to change of name. My current passport is in my previous married name so I need to get it changed to my current married name.

On the form it asks if you have been married before - does that question pertain to the question "Are you a married, widowed or divorced woman, whose claim to British nationality is through marriage to a British man before 1 January 1949" to that I checked No. Or do I have to give my ex husbands details as well as my current husbands details. I am so confused and the notes do not seem very clear.

Also am I right in thinking I will just need to submit my old passport and my marriage certificate (will a copy do?) and 2 new passport photographs or will I need to enclose a copy of my divorce decree from my previous marriage?

Appreciate your help - thank you

Jesse923

Feb 18th: Passport received by office
March 16th (today): CC finally charged so I know that it wasn't lost!

So if the previous posts are any indication, I can expect a passport or request for more information with five days and four weeks of now...?

Also, does UPS or the Passport Office contact you by email BEFORE they try to deliver your passport/documents with a tracking number? I am currently traveling and wondering if I will get a tracking number (without the ability to check cell phone messages or check front door for not).

Thanks

Bonestable

UPS just left my passport on the doormat.

You might need to contact UPS and ask them to hold your deliveries or something if you don't want it left outside your front door when you are traveling.

dottypotty

I have just had my card charged for $553 (2 adult and 1 child renewal) and then another charge of $5.53. Does anyone know how I can query this charge? Who do I call or contact?

hobbes79

You can pay about $2 a min to call the information line.

Sadly, I'm not joking... hope you can figure it out in less than 3 mins

Bob

credit card company?

Jscl

Jesse, I got an automated call from UPS at 8am saying to expect a package from them that day, and that someone had to be in to sign for the package, or that if no one in I could ... do something with the number on the slip of paper they'd leave on the door. They also gave the tracking number but they said it too quickly for me to write down!

And because it was an overnight UPS it arrived just after 9am, which seems to be the norm, at least here, if you use UPS overnight.

I didn't get emails from anyone.

Dottypotty (love the name!) That's curiously 10% of the total you mentioned. Weird. On the website they say the prices went up on 24th Feb 2010 - I wonder if they went up 10%? Like Hobbes said, it wouldn't be practical to call careline to inquire, because it would cost more in the cost of the call. If it is a mistake perhaps they will realise and reverse the charge in a couple of days.

Maggster the Form C1 notes, which you can download at that ukinusa site, has instructions on page 3 for women who have been married before. It says you need your full marriage license plus your divorce document if you are reverting to a previous name. I couldn't see any direct instructions for a second marriage name, but I'd include the divorce document anyway, just to be safe. But that's just me! Maybe someone who really knows will pop into the thread.

dottypotty

Apparently the 10% charge is an international visa charge. I used my visa debit card so I don't know that is why. Either way I don't care as long as I get my passports in time.

goatherder

The international visa charge is usually applied where the merchant (ie the British Embassy) is not in the same country as where the card is issued.

10% sounds really high to me - its typically around 3% is applied depending on the bank - my bank doesn't charge.

What is probably happening is that the British embassy has their merchant account listed as a UK account but are able to charge in USD. Some banks will charge this fee (its your bank that is doing it) where the merchant country doesn't match the card issuing country.

You need to check the terms and conditions on the account you used to pay.

This is just a guess - they haven't even charged mine yet

dottypotty

Thanks, Goatherder. My bank is a Texan bank, not a national bank. Maybe that is why they charged so much. I will look into it. Guess I am just pleased that my card was charged. I sent my renewals off on Feb 24 and my card was charged on March 11. Good luck with yours.

maggster

Thank you Jscl.

shauny2k5

I applied for a new passport based on changing my surname by court order in Florida. Here's my timeline:
Feb 12: Mailed by UPS
Feb 16: Received (keep in my this was during the snowstorm, delays possible)
Mar 9: Passport charged
March 18: Passport received.

UPS called at 8am to say I had a next day air delivery. The tracking number provided didn't work on their site.

The extra change charged on our credit cards is an international transaction charge. I checked this with Bank of America, and they said it's because the transaction is from England, but in still processed in $$.

dottypotty

Wow, can't believe my passports have arrived today!!!!!! Timeline

Feb 24 - Mailed
Mar 11 - CC charged
Mar 17 - Passports rec'd

Less than a month I was a little worried as one of them was for my 16 year old who has cerebral palsy and is unable to sign his name or fulfil the biometric requirements, and even though I had provide medical evidence to this effect, I was still concerned that it won't be that straightforward. Now I have my 12 year-old, laughing at my picture as I look like Myra Hindley with long hair in mine......Shame he always takes a good picture!!!!!

bugman

i sent my PP out about a week back, in my junk email i have a mail titled 'payment release instruction from federal...' thats all i can see, anybody else got something like that from the passport processing centre? im not opening it otherwise. actually sillyme, as it says federal its going to be a spam, the cosulate has nothing to do with federal USA!!

thnaks.

Jscl

Yeah, sounds like spam aimed at getting people worried about their tax return payments.