BellaE

Would it be difficult for you to get to a consulate for an emergency travel document?

annejo1609

Here's the timeline on my 5 year olds passport renewal. Let's see how it compares in the end to some of the other horror stories.

Passport delivered 13/06
Payment processed 08/07

I spoke to careline today 22/07 (I know I was hopeful but worth a shot) who told me it's in the system and to call back mid August which will be 4 weeks before our travel dates. He advised 10 weeks processing time currently from date the payment was processed.

No immediate worries as our travel is still a good few weeks away but the other threads do not fill me with confidence that they'll come good. Good luck to those of you waiting and biting your nails because your travel dates are looming.

debby66

Hi all,
all i can say is yipee.thank god,so de-stressed,happy....
kids renewed passports have arrived..
now i can relax and look forward to our holiday.
i wish everyone the best of luck with their passports and hope they arrive on time.
and a HUGE thank-you to everybody on here for all the info,support and help youve given me.
our timeline was..sent passport renewals off-8th june
arrived washington-9th june
payment taken-1st july
3 calls to careline,but only one at the premium rate,the other 2 were just the cost of an international call
arrived 22nd july back in canada.
GOOD LUCK

Magicmickey

So still waiting and counting the days down, did not hear from anyone yesterday from either careline or the passport office and now it is the weekend so no hope there. In reply to Bella E, the embassy is on my call list for monday re:emergency travel documents, although I thought they were only for emergent business travel/family sickness or death. Maybe they have changed the criteria due to all the issue with passports..... Does anyone know? Will also call care line again on Monday to see if passports have moved on from the review stage that they were in on Thursday. Not sure how much more stressfull this process could be, we should all demand a refund on the cost of our passports if they do not arrive at least in the time line they are quoting!!!!

Bob

Have a read or a search on ETD.

There are hordes of posts on the subject already and who/how/why's of the things. In this very thread, or the stickied passport threads.

MrsEars

I have been lurking but it sounds like our timelines are very similar including travel dates.

I don't know which time zone you are in but don't forget the careline opens on Sunday at 1600 EST.

They ARE issuing emergency travel documents for people stuck in the middle of this. I phoned the careline yesterday to ask for just that, and the gentleman I spoke to was going to email my local consulate's "out of hours team" to make me an appointment, but I suggested he check the status of my passport too, as I knew it had been in "stage 3" on Thursday night. He said he'd email me with that too as too many of his colleagues were in the database and he couldn't access it to check.

I had an email 20 mins later with a tracking number.
Good luck.

Magicmickey

Thanks Bob, will look back and see what I can find out about ETD. Also MrsEars thanks too, glad your passports are on the way I know that must be a relief. Yes I had forgotten the time difference and so will actually be calling care line on Sunday to see where we are at, good to know that they are giving ETD out to those stuck in the middle of this passport mess. If I make it home to the UK I am getting my daughters renewed there as her's is due to expire in December and as yet no-one knows if it will be better by then so not going to risk it.

celine_uk

I wish i had read this thread earlier, i've been a Canadian citizsen for a few years now and hold both CDN and UK passport, my UK passport expired in May, i know people must have asked this a 100 times but can i enter the UK using my CDN passport ??? ( i have a return ticket back to Canada)...

After reading this thread i think i am going to book an appointment at a UK passport office and get my passport while im in the UK on holiday!

aml1982

You can enter on your Canadian passport as long as you are only visiting (although you'll obviously have to queue up with the non-EU folk), and since you have a return ticket booked, I assume that is the case. You would only run into trouble if you were moving back there and didn't have a valid British passport.

Definitely makes sense to get your British passport renewed while you are home. Depending on where you are going, have a look and see if you can get the one-day service that is available in some areas.

Smudge710

Hi guys, newbie here. I was directed here after contacting someone from your site.

So here's my story;

I am out here working at a summer camp, however last week I had my passport and working visa (J-1) stolen. I have spoken to the British Consulate in Chicago and due to my time of leaving the US (Aug 19th to Canada, then again Aug 24th New York - London) I have been told an Emergency Travel Document is my way forward.

That's fine by me, however the woman we spoke to at the embassy said that some countries don't like you re-entering their country on an ETD, has any one had experience of leaving the US then re-entering on an ETD before?

This is my plan if it helps;

Detroit - Canada (Niagara falls) (Car)
Canada (Niagara falls) - Buffalo (Car)
Buffalo - NYC (Plane)
NYC - London (Plane)

So my re-entry point is Buffalo obviously, any help is greatly appreciated.

While I'm here I may as well also ask, how does an ETD work? I know you have to go in person and take 2 passport photos, but thats all I know.

Will I HAVE to get a new visa printed? Or will the ETD cover entry to the US?

Someone also said that the hardest part to replace was the little white card that they put in your passport saying your entry date, is this true? Will I even need one with an ETD?

Thanks again.

Mike/Smudge

celine_uk

Thanks Aml1982! im going to Newcastle so there is an office in Durham which isn't far! - you mentioned the non EU queue, whenever i've flown into a London airport it was actually faster joining the 'non EU queue' using my UK passport, the EU queue was miles long and taking forever...

celine_uk

lets say i did apply outside of the UK, the application form asks if I've been you been issued with a previous passport before, does this mean just my expired British passport? or should i mention my Canadian passport ? thanks guys!

aml1982

According to the accompanying notes for the adult passport form, if you have been issued any kind of passport or have been included on one, including foreign passports, you should tick yes and complete the details.

JAJ

However you do NOT normally have to send in the foreign passport. A photocopy of the ID page will do.

aml1982

I can't say anything about ETDs with complete certainty because I have never had one, but I have had experience crossing the border at both the Peace Bridge and Rainbow Bridge from Canada into the US. One of the primary concerns of the border agents when dealing with people who aren't going to be working in the USA has always been (in my experience) proof that you are going to be leaving.

I would guess given that you are re-entering the US and you fly back to the UK almost immediately afterwards that this final part of your stay in North America is a vacation? In which case your visa should not be essential for re-entry. If you have a valid travel document (with the ETD is) and proof of your flight booking back to the UK, then I wouldn't envisage any problems - you could enter the US on the visa-waiver program and finish your trip.

However, I will repeat the disclaimer that I haven't personally travelled on an ETD so I cannot be 100% sure how the border folk would react to one.