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. :(

Re: Passport Delays
 

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.

Re: Passport Delays
 

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.