British Expats - Passport Delays

Check webjet.com. They have some seriously cheap flights to london and I think they have a sale that ends tonight. Last I saw they had one way flights to London from NYC on Virgin (non stop) for $370 incl. alll taxes and fees for September. We paid $500+ one way for our flights in August. Same tickets would have cost us $1400+ if we'd booked with Virgin directly.

Thanks for the tip.

penguinbar

Jun 30th 2011 5:13 pm

Re: Passport Delays

Quote:

Originally Posted by LP9 (Post 9467077)

I got mine yesterday, after all the fuss I have kicked up. I'll be sticking around, and I am still sending emails and making phone calls trying to get answers and trying to speed things up.

Good luck all!

Great!

geordie80815

Jun 30th 2011 5:32 pm

Re: Passport Delays

Quote:

Originally Posted by mshedden (Post 9465518)

Emailing Careline is a waste of time. They make no money on emails and they are unlikely to respond usefully, citing 'data protection act' etc.

Call them, get a reference number. They should be able to give you status.

Thanks I`ll try phoning again;)

Bob	Jun 30th 2011 6:36 pm

Re: Passport Delays

Quote:

Originally Posted by sdixon (Post 9466273)

Hi, I read somewhere in this thread, about applications sent in January, the good news is I sent off for my sons in January it took 3 weeks. BUT had to send off my daughters 10 days ago, but what I have been reading here does using a credit card make a difference in processing times?? I always send a cashiers cheque and have never had a problem with delays, but during this alert now I am in a panic, we are moving back home after being in the states for 11 yrs with the military, We are due to leave 12th August, fingers crossed, stressful for everyone who is trying to get home!

Makes no difference to time line....using CC means you can check when money is taken, so you can then call careline for a reference number.

No chance of getting passport in time at this current rate.

Boguespierre

Jun 30th 2011 8:37 pm

Re: Passport Delays

Surely I'm not the first to have come across this?

http://www.nao.org.uk/publications/p...9/9899812.aspx

A decade later, absolutely nothing learned...

British Consul

Jun 30th 2011 11:21 pm

Re: Passport Delays

Quote:

Originally Posted by vanfan1 (Post 9465188)

I am wondering if there are any updates on the processing situation.
Dean, British Consul, do you know if they are making any headway on the backlog, are applications starting to be processing quicker? Have to ask you as you seem to be the only person working for the consulate who appears to be answering any questions. Thank you for taking the time to answer people by the way, good to know that some who work for the consulate do care.

Glad to hear some more members are getting their passports, though its been a LONG wait. Good luck in stopping the credit card charges Fred, its true we really shouldn't be having to pay!

Yes, they're making headway.

Dean

British Consul

Jun 30th 2011 11:30 pm

Re: Passport Delays

Quote:

Originally Posted by lcfcdan (Post 9463033)

Much obliged. Thanks for the help.

So I could, potentially, receive an emergency travel doc to get out and back in to the US.

Any advice on the consul v submittal question.

Thanks so much guys, I really do appreciate it.

The British Honorary Consulate in Charlotte doesn't handle passport applications. Visit www.UKinUSA.fco.gov.uk/passports for the information you need.

Dean

Boguespierre

Jun 30th 2011 11:44 pm

Re: Passport Delays

So (3)...

Left a couple of voicemails with helpful Jackie in Boston, but no response yet. Fair enough, they're probably up to their necks in ETD requests.

Something slightly worrying just occurred to me. When I sent off the application back in April I never entered a Travel Date on the form. We didn't have an exact idea back then, but knowing it was a good 4 months away meant I didn't think it should be an issue. Does the lack of a Travel Date on the form de-prioritize your application?

I know it's a very un-British thing to do, but does putting an artificially early Travel date on your forms push you up the queue?

vanfan1

Jul 1st 2011 12:46 am

Re: Passport Delays

Quote:

Originally Posted by British Consul (Post 9467880)

Yes, they're making headway.

Dean

Thank you Dean!, that's good to know. Thanks also for taking so much time to inform us all what's going on too :thumbup:, you must be an incredibly busy guy!!.

pTeronaut

Jul 1st 2011 12:50 am

Re: Passport Delays

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boguespierre (Post 9467912)

Ask me in eight days. (BTW, my application was received on 3/31 so three + months when they were still stating 4-6 weeks isn't really trying to jump the queue, is it?)

Boguespierre

Jul 1st 2011 1:56 pm

Re: Passport Delays

I noticed in the report of the 1999 passport debacle that one consequence of the publicity surrounding the delays was a second spike in applications, as worried travellers rushed to apply earlier than they otherwise would have.

So, if LP9's awesome efforts to get the problem attention in the media succeeds, we may well see a similar effect. I, for example, hadn't even thought to worry until a few days ago, and I would guess there are many, many people out there who will need passports in the coming months. If they all start worrying at the same time, I predict Armageddon! :ohmy:

I wonder if this has crossed any minds at IPS? I wonder if they have even studied the 1999 report?

aml1982

Jul 1st 2011 4:22 pm

Re: Passport Delays

Has anyone else here called the careline using Skype? The first time I called them, we used Skype and it worked fine. The second time, they couldn't recognise our card due to not being able to read Skype's dial tones (!?), but the lady who answered was very helpful in answering a quick question I had. I just called today, and again they couldn't recognise the dial tones, and the guy I spoke to said Skype never works, and he was shocked it had worked for us before, even if just once.

So frustrating - we don't have a home phone, we use Skype for everything because it's just $13 a month for unlimited calls back to the homeland, and we've never had any issues in the past with automated menus (or anything else we would have to use the dialpad for).

Any other experiences with this?

Boguespierre

Jul 1st 2011 4:30 pm

Re: Passport Delays

Quote:

Originally Posted by Boguespierre (Post 9467912)

Hang on! Unless I am missing something, the C1 form I used back in April doesn't *have* a space for Travel Date.

Interesting that the current C1 was published 04/11 - I remember that I had started filling out a form for myself last year, before deciding that my own renewal was an unnecessary luxury at $200+. I'm pretty sure that one asked for a travel date. Wonder why that changed?

Unless, as I said, I am missing something...:o

Boguespierre

Jul 1st 2011 4:33 pm

Re: Passport Delays

Quote:

Originally Posted by aml1982 (Post 9469140)

I read that people had had similar problems and so phoned Careline from my home phone with no problems.

I have often in the past had problems using the virtual keypad with Skype, navigating automated answering systems etc. It has certainly improved since a few years back, but I am not surprised it isn't wholly reliable.

Shazban

Jul 1st 2011 5:04 pm

Re: Passport Delays

Quote:

Originally Posted by aml1982 (Post 9469140)

I actually ended up signing up for international calling on my home phone for a month for $20. This allows me 250 minutes to any country. Of course I still had to pay careline their additional calling fee which came up to $8.00+ for my first call so far. But, in the mean time I can call my family & friends in the UK at no additional cost :thumbsup:

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