Re: Passport Delays
 

He will be 18 on March 12th, 2010

Re: Passport Delays
 

Wouldn't her birth certificate do the job?
Or other proof of her citizenship?

Re: Passport Delays
 

we didn't go to the uk!
but I'm beginning to wish I'd sent them to my Mum to renew!

It's only the kids passports, so if they don't come back in time for our trip I'll send them to Washington to work as interns at the Embassy (they both have EADs!!) ;)

Re: Passport Delays
 

No, the application form says that you need a current UK passport as well as a UK birth certificate.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Have you told the Embassy this? I'm sure it would encourage them to speed things up a bit. ;)

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Thought I might just "suprise" them with a hormonal 13 year old girl and a seriously peed off 15 year old boy for the week.....should make everyone else's applications a lot easier though!:D

Re: Passport Delays
 

WHAT application form? What is the deadline of age 18 for?


(you might want to start your own thread as it looks like you have a separate question).

Re: Passport Delays
 

We sent renewal forms in on Jan 26, received the next day.

Credit card was charged Feb 23.

Hoping to travel March 6, but it isn't looking too likely.

Re: Passport Delays
 

My passport doesn't expire till 2013 but was getting full- I am a musician and travel very extensively. A few weeks ago a Canadian immigration official stamped the last fresh pair of pages- despite being asked not to. After a hugely expensive call to the US consulate I find that they will not issue my approved visa unless there are unstamped pages. So- I need a new passport because of that one entry stamp.
Haivng read about the 10 day processing time I sent the application FedEx on Feb 10th, it was received Feb 12th and as of today Feb 26th my card has not even been charged.
I am due to travel on March 7th to work in the US. This is hopeless.

Re: Passport Delays
 

So I sent mine in on Feb 9 and still nothing. The website says expect four weeks AFTER payment is taken. They've already had almost three weeks and I've heard nothing. What are they doing up there???

Re: Passport Delays
 

Just called the careline number and got a helpful sounding person on the other end- whether it'll be a help or not I don't know. I will be at least $2000 out of pocket in lost earnings if this doesn't get back to me in the next few days.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Does anyone have a number for anyone in the consulate in Ottawa?

Re: Passport Delays
 

Not sure if you've tried either of these... email: [email protected] or phone: (613) 237-1530. Ask for passport assistance.

Ian

Re: Passport Delays
 

So here's my time-line:

Passports, documents, photos and payment (1x Adult renewal and 2x Child renewal) sent on Jan 10th.

Signed for in Washington on Jan 12th.

Credit card debited Feb 2nd.

First mildly worried PM to our favorite British Consul, Dean, on Feb 5th asking if he expected any delays since we were traveling in early March.

Dean replied that there was some backlog, but that if my card had been debited then the passports would follow very soon.

Second, more worried PM to our most excellent British Consul on Feb 12th.

Dean replied that passports are typically sent within one week of payment being taken, and not to worry.

Third, much more worried PM to the handsome, witty, charming Dean on Feb 23rd - we needed to move our travel dates forward, and still no sign of our passports.

Dean replied asking for our details. Then, later that same day, told us our passports were being printed that evening and sent out the next morning.

First attempt to deliver passports yesterday. Passports successfully delivered today.

Fourth email thanking our most esteemed Consul today.

Dean replied, and now I'm being very nice to him on these boards.

I think I'm quite good at it, despite a total lack of practice and niceness not being my strong suit! :eek:

Thank you Dean!

Re: Passport Delays
 

Thanks Dean - can you help answer this question now! - I passed on my flight details Thursday to Careline who said they would place the renewal on an escalated service - and now theres a 72 hour call back - which means Monday is the 3rd day, I have not heard back yet - is there a real chance they wont be able to do it in time for my travel date of March 4th? My estimated travel date was on my form as March 5th - but since then I had to book the ticket - its a part work/part family trip..

Re: Passport Delays
 

I did the same, escalated the issue on February 15 but they haven't called me back, I called back again on the 19 but they didn’t have any update, the woman I spoke to was very nice and said she would re-escalate the issue. I’m going to try calling again on Monday. Hopefully you'll have more luck and you'll get an answer sooner.

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:thumbup:

Re: Passport Delays
 

I've responded to your PM.

Dean

Re: Passport Delays
 

I posted my application to Washington on the 7th Jan and checked that they had recieved it on the postal confirmation, which said the 11th Jan. The credit card payment was taken one week later and I recieved my passport exactly 5 weeks after posting the application. I think that was a great service as the UK Embassay website said it was taking 5 weeks for passports to be received!!!
I do have a question though.. I am flying to UK from USA and have my permanent residency card, do I need to registar with the ESTA website to be able to return home to Alaska? Has anyone flown in and out of USA on a UK passport with a residency card that can let me know their experiences????:confused:

Re: Passport Delays
 

I'm pretty sure you don't need to register with ESTA since you won't be traveling under the visa waiver program (you'll be using your residence card) from the ESTA web site:

https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta/esta.html

- Alan

Re: Passport Delays
 

No. ESTA is only for visa waiver travel.


Are you expecting trouble or just looking for reassurance? Generally, 99.99% of people with a UK passport and a US green card have no problems whatsoever. I'll wager you are not in the 0.01% of the rest.

Ian

Re: Passport Delays
 

I remember waiting 9 months for my passport after 911.

Jess

Re: Passport Delays
 

I mailed my passport renewal on January 31 from Canada thinking it would be plenty of time for a trip on March 25. But, my credit card hasn't even been billed yet. I noticed some earlier posts about calling Careline and giving them travel details. Is that advised? The 4 week estimate on the website is rather misleading.

Re: Passport Delays
 

My passport was received by the embassy on the morning of Tuesday February 2nd and my card was not charged until 22 days later on Wednesday February 24th. As ridiculous as it is, I believe the 4 weeks does not even start until your card is charged I'm afraid.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Read through the last 12 pages of the thread, and it certainly is discouraging. Things were so much smoother the last time I renewed via the British High Commission in Ottawa.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I always expect trouble but in the instance I am looking for reassurance!!!!

Re: Passport Delays
 

So here's my timeline incase it's any help to anyone!

Passport renewal for 2 kids
Passports sent to washington Jan 4th
Credit Card charged Jan 21st
Passports returned to us due to crap photos Feb. 2nd
Passports returned to Washington with non-smiling photos Feb 3rd
Credit Card charged (I'm assuming for postage $13.30) Feb 18th
Called careline today March 1st and told they will be another week "or so"
(explained that the "or so" might be a problem as we are due to travel on the 14th and given a case number and told to call back towards the end of the week if they haven't shown up!):fingerscrossed:

Re: Passport Delays
 

I was getting very worried about maybe my passport being completely lost (despite UPS tracking that says it got there) but reading the posts here I guess I'm on track, even though it's not the track the Embassy website states.

My timeline is:
Feb 9th: UPS tracking says application received at the Embassy
and.... nothing since (three weeks today)

I have flights booked in early April so, given the expectation of 10 days as stated on the website I sent my renewal two months before I needed the passport. Now I see the website is saying four weeks processing after they take the money from your credit card. That hasn't even happened yet, and four weeks from now would be getting very tight with our flights.

I understand the weather delay (they received my passport just before that big storm) but it is really worrying to just have no way of knowing what is wrong - you don't know whether it's been lost on someone's desk, whether your experience is normal, no clue and not really any reasonable way of finding out (premium rate calls, doesn't the passport renewal cost enough?!).

I saw some people having very long wait times before Christmas - is anyone waiting now or has received their passport recently, and if so do you have an idea of how long it's taking?

Thanks for any help.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Indeed on the FAQs page it does say that but on the welcome to the passport pages page it says "Customers should allow 4 weeks when making an application through the UK Passport Service for the Americas and Caribbean". Two entirely different timescales and the latter will mislead many people.

Calling Dean that needs looking at.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I'm on practically the same timeline as you. Mailed end of January; received early February. Then, nothing. I have a trip in three weeks, and they haven't even taken payment, yet. I called Careline yesterday, and all they could tell me was that my renewal application hasn't even been entered into the system yet, and to keep watching my credit card for when it starts processing. It's quite frustrating to not know what's going on. :(

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The jump from 10 days to 4 weeks was bad enough. But this 4 weeks from payment with no indication on how long it'll take for payment to be taken is really misleading.

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I'd say by the latest comments that it's looking like 5 weeks plus from the date of debiting the fees for a passport renewal.

I'm renewing one childs passport and also applying for a first-time childs passport. They debited my card on the 4th Feb and still no sign of Mr UPS but he's there in my dreams :D

Careline must be making a packet with all those phone calls.

I'll post an update as soon as they arrive.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Thanks for the updates. Yes, it is all very misleading. I thought I'd wait until the new year to renew to avoid any seasonal delays but it seems to have come back and bitten me. More travel stress on top of the potential British Airways strike.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Dean,

We have still not received my Daughter's passport, it was mailed seven weeks ago this Thursday (4th March) and was signed for in Washington the following day.
She needs to register her Son's birth with the British consulate in Chicago and according to the "Application to Register an Overseas Birth form BMD 001/007" she needs her passport and she needs to do this before her Son is 18. He will be 18 on March 12th 2010.

We would appreciate any help you can give us.
Thank you.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Unclear which application form is being talked about. This is the form for consular birth registration:
http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/resources/...reg-app-23-feb

If mother was born in Britain, then British citizenship by descent is automatic and there is no age 18 limit.

But in any case, absolutely no need for a passport - many British citizens don't have a British passport, it's not mandatory. If the form says something else, ignore it.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Hey everyone
Just want to give a bit of an update. After almost 5 months and 6 calls to the Careline I finally got a call back from Washington about my passport. I dont know why they waited so long to contact Washington. 3 months after applying for my passport you would think I would have got someone to call me. The Careline is just a money grab as far as I am concerned because they did absolutely nothing for me til now.
Canadian passports are issued 1 to 2 weeks after they recieve the application and you dont pay to call someone to find out info.
It cost me almost 70 dollars to call England and now they get Washington to call me???
Well my point is everyone be forewarned...Dont assume your passport will be processed and delivered in 4 weeks ... That isnt always the case. Some do ,some dont.
Hopefully I will get my passport by the 6 month mark lol

Re: Passport Delays
 

First time applications take longer.

Dean

Re: Passport Delays
 

Send me a PM with full name, dob, and city application should be mailed to. The British Consulate-General in Chicago doesn't register births, only the British Embassy in Washington (see. www.ukinusa.fco.gov.uk).

JAJ - thanks for pointing that out. I wasn't going to go there...!

Dean

Re: Passport Delays
 

Properly completed applications should be processed within 10 working days (i.e. that means allow 4 weeks for it to get back to you by mail). First time applications, and those without the correct supporting documentation, will take longer. I can only assume that there was a problem with your original application?

Dean

Re: Passport Delays
 

Sure. The techno-boffins are in the process of repainting the site - keep an eye out for a new look in the next couple of weeks.

Dean