Re: Passport Delays
 

So UPS tried to deliver this morning (not Friday) but my husband had just gone out to the grocery store. He is not allowed to leave the house tomorrow!
I really think that the call to Careline does make a difference. Now I can plan my holiday -- I wanted to make a booking with a favourite B&B, but didn't want to have to cancel at the last minute and create a problem for the owners if the passport never appeared.
Congratulations to some, and good luck to everyone else!:):D:heart:

Re: Passport Delays
 

I just called Careline, I got through to 'Becky' very quickly. She was sympathetic to my plight. Apparently there is no "tracking on the computer" with regards to my case. An e-mail will be dispatched forthwith to the guys in DC and I should expect a call from them by Monday.I now have a case # with an R which means very little.There's an elderly Scotsman just outside London waiting for a visit from his daughter and I'm crying as I type.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Oh no don't cry :(

You'll have your passport within 2 weeks tops i'm sure! Seems like they're pulling out the stops in DC finally. Do come back and let us know when it arrives!!

Re: Passport Delays
 

Thank you, Shazban. Our time-lines are very close aren't they? I'm just feeling the pressure. I've cancelled one trip already and obviously can't book a new one until my passport arrives I flew to be with my Mum a few years back and got there too late. I can't have this happen with my Dad!

Re: Passport Delays
 

Oh gosh that is sad! I'm sending positive vibes your way. Tell dad to hang on because you'll be there before he knows it!!

Re: Passport Delays
 

It's okay to cry if you want, but be of good faith:heart: as well -- I do think that things are moving now.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I am very happy to hear that some of you are getting your passports!!

Just got through to Careline (no hold time too! 7pm PST may be a good time to call folks)=), not sure if I got an 'escalation' or what, Becky the agent told me that she would make them aware of my travel date, took my phone no. and said they'd only phone if there was a problem. I did not get a no. though. Is that an escalation??

Re: Passport Delays
 

I really hope you get yours soon :fingerscrossed:

EDIT TO ADD: I think we must have spoke to the same Becky, of all the Careline agents I have spoke to she was by far the nicest.

Re: Passport Delays
 

well it looks like the passports are on the move at last.im still praying and hoping that we will get them within the next 2 weeks,but its so re-assuring when we see happy smiley faces on here.
i will be tempted to snog the ups man when he delivers as well.lol.
hey washington...dont forget about us brits waiting with bated breath here in canada.:(:confused:

Re: Passport Delays
 

I wonder if any "officials" (other than Dean) read this forum? Hopefully they're too busy working on passports to be lurking here.:unsure:

Re: Passport Delays
 

Oh I do hope that they are working like busy bees....:))))

Re: Passport Delays
 

Looks like the careline is now free and is contactable on this number :
+442084958079

Re: Passport Delays
 

OH MY GOD!!!! YOU ARE RIGHT!!!! CARELINE IS CURRENTLY FREE!!

Re: Passport Delays
 

"Due to the delays in passport processing there will be no additional charges for using this service. However, your telephone service provider will charge for an international call."

I don't suppose those of us who paid will be getting refunds!

There is also this new note:
14 July 2011 - Please note that the Washington Regional Passport Processing Centre is experiencing a significant increase in demand for passports which may affect the processing time for applications. Your passport application could take up to ten weeks.

Again not clear if that is 10 weeks from receipt of the application or 10 weeks after payment is taken.

Re: Passport Delays
 

[QUOTE=BellaE;9497489][I][COLOR="SeaGreen"]"I don't suppose those of us who paid will be getting refunds!

Yeah right! .... the cheque is in the mail!!:D

Re: Passport Delays
 

So Careline will be bombarded with Bart and Lisa Simpson's going "are we there yet? are we there yet? are we there yet? are we there yet?..."

Re: Passport Delays
 

Well I'll be damned!!

It was nothing short of extortion and they knew it. They looked like do-do heads taking our money for that service and I'm glad people spoke up about it. Yeah they got my money already but at least I did get my passport so it I'm not feeling as gypped as some others might be feeling. Just thankful that they've been shamed into doing the right thing at least.

Hope the rest of you still waiting are blowing up their phone lines :thumbsup:

Re: Passport Delays
 

Probably been hacked into by News Corp as a public service

Re: Passport Delays
 

Okay, so I need some help! I got a call from the passport office in DC today and they have started processing my application. They said in order to move forward and print it they need my mother's original copy of her divorce papers between her and my father. I sent in the original copy my dad had, but she no longer has hers. How would her copy be any different than my dad's copy?

Re: Passport Delays
 

bump

Re: Passport Delays
 

Please do not do that just to take advantage of the Private Messaging System. BTW if you're busy PMing Dean...it's no use...he's away.

Re: Passport Delays
 

He got his passport renewed then? :rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl::rofl:

Re: Passport Delays
 

I see no reason why they should even demand this. You are claiming British citizenship from your father and you only need to show that he was legally married to your mother at the time of your birth. If they divorced afterwards it is irrelevant to your eligibility for British citizenship.

So go back to the Embassy and ask them why they are asking for something that does not have any bearing on your eligibility for a British passport. If whoever you speak to reads from a script and says "it's the rules" then he or she is wrong and demand to speak to a manager/supervisor. If that doesn't work, call the Foreign Office Nationality and Consular Registration Division in London - +44 20 70081500.

Re: Passport Delays
 

hey i called careline as soon as i knew it was free...thanks guys for that info..
nice guy called ian checked my file...its going to quality control apparently by tues.
so long as theres no queries.:fingerscrossed:
he said all being well i will have them back by friday.:unsure:
oh the waiting is torture:eek::eek:
we will see.but im hopeful now...
will keep you posted.:)

Re: Passport Delays
 

He PMed me but I couldn't see the message. Wanted to be courteous and send a reply

Re: Passport Delays
 

I don't understand it either, but they called me directly from the Passport office. This document isn't asked for at all on the ukinusa page. I sent my father's copy as additional support. I'll call that number and hopefully be told otherwise. I am glad that they at least started processing my app though.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Don't assume that everyone in the passport office is sufficiently trained on nationality law.

Bottom line is that you cannot provide what you don't have so they either need to issue your passport or issue you a formal refusal explaining the basis of why they are unwilling to do so. If they don't think you're a British citizen then they had better be able to explain why not and if they need any help on the nationality law, they ought to be calling the Home Office Nationality Directorate in Liverpool rather than making things up as they go along.

And if they do refuse your passport, they should expect a call from the Foreign Office in London as you will obviously escalate it to them.

This is one of the reasons why applying for a Certificate of Entitlement to the Right of Abode is often preferable to getting a passport - there is less chance of unreasonable refusal. Not least because there is a formal right of appeal.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I've been lurking here for a long time but never posted. I sent off my application for a first time passport back in March and still nothing.

Received in DC: March 17
Payment taken: April 15

I finally broke down and called Careline yesterday, only to find out it was now free. They told me they had no record of me in the system! :blink: Please tell me that doesn't mean they've lost my application! I have visions of it wedged between two filing cabinets never to be seen again. Supposedly I'll get a call next week, but we'll see.

The funny thing is, when I applied I thought I had done everything correctly, and surely that meant it wouldn't take the full 6-8 weeks. That was 17 weeks ago...

Re: Passport Delays
 

[QUOTE=BellaE;9497489]"Due to the delays in passport processing there will be no additional charges for using this service. However, your telephone service provider will charge for an international call."

"I don't suppose those of us who paid will be getting refunds!"
----------------------------

Contest the charges through your credit card company. That's what I'm doing.

Re: Passport Delays
 

That's really awful. I hope they find it -- if you don't hear back from them soon, call again.

Re: Passport Delays
 

No record of you in the system. I was told that there was "no tracking of my application on the computer" Same thing? Why are some told they will receive a call and others will only be called if there is a problem? 17 weeks....Yikes!

Re: Passport Delays
 

<snip>

My reply if you're reading these dean:

Hi Dean,

Many thanks for your reply and advice.
Apologies for not replying sooner - as you may imagine, I was frantically busy trying to sort out an ETD as I was supposed to travel to the US on 3 July (I had to fly to Vancouver on 4 July and then travel overland to the US (was told I couldn't fly due to being unable to complete online ESTA) and found that the ETD is NOT accepted by US Immigration ANYWHERE as it isn't an electronically readable document. :confused:
Fortunately I was very kindly given a visa waiver (and the $500 fee waived :ohmy: ) by the Chief Immigration officer at his own discretion, so was able to complete my journey - at great additional expense due to the detour to Vancouver on a holiday weekend!

I have still not received my new passport and may have to travel again - this time to the UK and France, so I will contact the Consulate about getting the p/port app escalated as you suggest, to try and get my passport soon.
Many thanks again

Good luck to everyone still waiting

Re: Passport Delays
 

It seems he has turned off his PM feature. I don't blame him.

Ian

Re: Passport Delays
 

Dean's away for a while...that's probably the reason.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I have heard about a lot of lucky cases. I have just made a phone call to Careline. Yes, it is now free but you still get charged by your long distance phone service provider for charges.

Anyway, I just talked to Pauline at Careline.
My timeline:
May 10 - sent my application
May 13 - DC received my package
June 9 - payment get processed

And now, according to Pauline, it will take 10 weeks from June 9 for me to get my passport, which would be the week of August 22 for me to receive my passport -- or three months after I sent in my application. I asked if there is anyway they can expedite the application, and was told there is no way they could. I am wondering is there anything I could do so I can get my passport faster?

Re: Passport Delays
 

Well, if you need your passport urgently, they can expedite applications and they have done in the past. Do you have some sort of travel booked before August 22nd, or are you just keen to get your stuff back?

Re: Passport Delays
 

Well, After 9 weeks today I finally got my passport!

That was 3 Careline calls,
2 letters to the Embassy,
3 e-mails to the Consulate,
but eventually it was my local MP that did the deed!...One contact to them and the next day they were on it and my Passport was being sent by UPS!

Of course who is going to cover the 9 weeks in loss of wage and interest on bills I couldn't cover!....

It'll take me another few months to catch up but I am glad that I am back in control of my life!

Re: Passport Delays
 

I followed the "instruction" on the Web site about not getting my ticket until I have my passport. However, my travel plan has been postponed twice now because of all the passport delay :(

Re: Passport Delays
 

Hi Sselbie,

Can you tell me was that 9 weeks from payment taken that you received your passport?

Re: Passport Delays
 

No That was 9 weeks total