Re: Passport Delays
 

My passport chronology so far...
16th May application received in DC
20th June account debited.

I filled in my forms, sent my new photos and $$$ and just assumed my passport would arrive within a month. Ha!

Now I'm wondering if I will be ignored until I call "Careline"

Very despondent

Re: Passport Delays
 

I don't want to be the harbinger of doom and gloom but knowing you expect to travel soon this might not be a quick fix.

When I had my oath ceremony we were given the certificate to check beforehand, as mistakes could be fixed quickly on the day. We were clearly told if we didn't do it that day it would take weeks before a replacement certificate was available. I know you pointed out the error straightaway but you are having to deal with it another day. I hope they do fix it for you quickly but I wouldn't expect it if I was you.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Thanks..they gave me a form with an appointment for next Tuesday.
It seems to indicate the problem will be fixed that day. Fingers crossed.

For the life of me I have no idea why they couldn't have resources available on the spot to fix obvious errors. There were about 150 that I could see with all sorts of mistakes on their certificates.

Plan A was getting my UK passport.
Plan B was getting my US passport.
Plan C I guess..will be travelling on an ETD from the UK consulate and hoping that the US consulate in Scotland will find a means to get me back if necessary, since I am a US citizen.
Plan D my wife goes back to the US while I'm stuck in the UK, and mails my UK passport to me.

(Can anyone offer constructive feedback on Plan C? I believe the consulate would help me return but I don't really know.)

I feel like I'm stuck in a nightmare, like many of my fellows...

Re: Passport Delays
 

I am in South Africa and I know this page is about passport problems from Washington, but I'm in a similar predicament.
I applied for a War Veterans passport at the beginning of march for my Mother who is 87yrs old because they are free if your born before 1929.

They say it takes 12 weeks as it has to be sent from Pretoria to the UK and back, so far its taken 17 weeks and we are still waiting for it to be sent back to us.

I emailed the Pretoria consulate and got an automated reply that said I had to phone Careline in the UK but have to have a credit card to pay for the call.
Would anyone know why a normal phone call cannot suffice and why on earth do we have to use a credit card if its land line to landline and it would be charged to my home telephone account. My mother does not have a credit card, nor a computer to find out all the information, so I don't know what she would have done if I wasn't able to help her. Why have the British Embassy made it so difficult to get simple information?
Has anyone had a similar experience with a War Veterans Passport?

(If she waits much longer she may not need it)

Re: Passport Delays
 

The reason you need a credit card is because Careline charges you 72 pence per MINUTE to talk to them about your passport application (or to be on hold) above and beyond any international phone charges that your telephone company may charge you.

Here in the US we have an alternative to that which charges US $2.50 per minute, but without international phone charges.

If you think that is OUTRAGEOUS, then you are not alone.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Unfortunately some bright spark in Govt figured out that they can profit from people's misery.

He probably got a large bonus.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I was under the impression that since now you are a US Citizen, plan (B) is the only one open to you, as you must leave the US on a US passport, so C and D cannot happen.

Unfortunately...

Re: Passport Delays
 

I'm fairly certain that I don't need to leave the US on a US passport unless anyone had conclusive information.

You can travel to the UK on a UK passport and back to the US on the US passport. As long as the document itself is valid then the airline will accept it.

I think....:confused:

Re: Passport Delays
 

>

However, dual nationals owe allegiance to both the United States and the foreign country. They are required to obey the laws of both countries. Either country has the right to enforce its laws, particularly if the person later travels there.Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U.S. citizenship.Most countries permit a person to renounce or otherwise lose citizenship.

http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_p.../cis_1753.html
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Re: Passport Delays
 

I wonder if they enforce this...

And...I wonder if it's relevant that I can't show a US passport if I don't have one.

Got that sinking feeling...

Re: Passport Delays
 

If you leave on your UK passport what are you going to do when the airline asks you to surrender your I-94. When I have traveled out of PDX on my UK passport and they didn't see the I-94 in my passport at check in, United have asked if I was a 'resident alien", and then asked for my GC.

Coming back on a UK passport with no visa and no return ticket back to the UK, the airline are going to start asking questions.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I'm sure that you'll get your US passport and you will be fine.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Your timeline is very close to mine. I was wondering if you had called "Careline" yet. Reading theses posts leaves me wondering if calling actually has any effect.

Re: Passport Delays
 

My timeline is almost identical and I did call careline last week. I was given a case ref number and was told to expect a call from Washington and that they were escalating my application. Whether I believe it or not is another matter but I felt better after hanging up with them.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Do they return documents when they send the new passport?

Meaning my marriage certificate etc.