Re: Passport Delays
 

After calling careline yesterday and having being told it was ready, my passport arrived this afternoon. Time for some bubbly. It "only" took 31 days after my payment was cashed. That shows hope for those still waiting. Good luck to all.
Alan

Re: Passport Delays
 

Like the many people here who've had problems, we've run into some unique issues.

We're moving over to the UK in August, and I finally got my Settlement Visa for going over there (I'm a US citizen). My husband needed his UK passport renewed and our son needed a new UK passport.

Timeline:

• passports and applications mailed 6th May (back when the website claimed 4-6 weeks processing time)
• Received by Washington 9th May
• credit card charged June 20th
• Careline called July 11th and 18th

Both times we called Careline, we got through to someone who just didn't seem to care, and was unconcerned that we were running up against immigration deadlines, etc... However she DID promise to put in an email for us, expressing our delay issues.

She also asked if we'd booked tickets. We had, but had made sure they were WELL beyond what we'd need for a timing cushion, WE THOUGHT (back in early May, who knew late August would be an issue!). She issued us a case # followed by an 'R'.

However, yesterday we got a phone call from Iain, a Careline Team Lead. He said my husband's passport had been processed and they just had a question about our son's documentation.

A HEADS UP for anyone who might run into the same problem. Iain said that because I'd been overly helpful and included a photocopy of our marriage certificate (it didn't actually ASK for one, I was trying to cover everything), we NOW had to prove that we were married when our son was born.

I expressed incredulity at that, because if I was a single parent applying for my son's UK passport (he's a dual citizen), they wouldn't have needed to see anything. Iain shrugged and said that was the procedure.

So we had to overnight Iain 1) our original marriage license, 2) my original divorce paperwork from my first marriage, plus we had to fill out and sign two forms (which are nowhere on the website, as far as I can tell): 3) a Marriage Declaration Form (where we both had to swear that we were married when our son was born), and 4) a separate Mother's Declaration Form (where I had to swear that I was either married or not married, as appropriate).

The (hopefully) good news is that Iain promised us it would take no longer than 2 days to process once he got the documents, and that we'd have everything back in a week. So YAY!

I'll let you know whether it does or does not happen.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Not yet - I only got my little one's escalation done on July 8th (and given that it was Friday afternoon, it may has well have been July 11th), and the payment only cleared last Thursday, 14th, so I wasn't really expecting anything just yet. I'm going to give them until next Wednesday, which will be four weeks before our moving date and almost three weeks since I got my "R" case number, before I call them and give them a nudge.

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How old is your son? The rules around passing citizenship from British fathers to children when the mother is not British are a little more complicated and change depending on when the child was born. I ask because if he is 5 or older (born before July 1st 2006), it does make a difference to eligibility. IIRC, since your husband is a UK citizen and you are not, you would have to prove that you were married at the time of your son's birth. If your little one was born after July 2006, then so long as your husband's name is on the birth certificate, it shouldn't really have made any difference.

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Excellent news. Have a good trip, enjoy that wine!

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Thanks so much just-jenn It's been a week and I'm still overjoyed :D

Now it's time to get down to some serious packing. Only 3 weeks before we are home for good :thumbsup:

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Just to clarify for you and the others, there is only one UK Embassy in the US... and it's in Washington, DC. Everything else is a UK Consulate. :)

Ian

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Yes! Got my passport, thank you Green Team!!! I doubt I would have it had I not found this thread and persisited in calling Careline till I got the escalation. Hang in there guys, you'll get yours!

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Hi I sent my passport application in on the 27th of April, CC charge was taken on the 1st of June and I still don't have my passports and I am traveling to the UK in one week!!!!!! Have called Careline twice now and the fist lady said she would send an email to Washington and I should hear something in 3 days, guess what.......nothing. Called tonight.....see now that there is no charge.....and was told that my passport has not been processed yet and that as it is 5 working days till I travel they now have to advise people to call the consulate for an emergency travel document. I see some people have got passports back in less time than mine, there seems to be no rhyme or reason to how they are processed. Will be calling care line for the next 7 days, maybe they will get sick of me and do something about it.......NOT!!!!!!!!

Re: Passport Delays
 

Good point. However, my son is only 4. We especially wanted to clarify that to the Consulate, and they STILL didn't care, and required all the additional paperwork. So treat us as a cautionary tale: others with young children may run into this problem :)

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My mistake, brain is foggy :)

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Is it only free for people in the US? I phoned them on Tuesday this week and had a huge argument about having to pay for the call as it was for my mum who has applied for a FREE war vets passport that they got the application for on March 8th and she still hasn't got it.

I told them she didn't have a credit card and how was she supposed to find out what was going on, even the supervisor couldn't help without payment first.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I've been reading this forum for weeks and just registered to share my experience.

UK passport renewal. Expired since 02/10.
Travelling to Scotland on August 14th.

June 1st - Received in Washington.
July 1st - Credit card charged.
July 18th - Called careline - told I would be called back in 72 hours. Given a case number with no R.
July 21st - Called careline again after not receiving a callback. Told that my passport had been printed the day before and that I should receive it today.

Good luck to anyone who's still waiting!

Re: Passport Delays
 

Hi All,
Thanks for the great info posted on here. It's been very helpful.

Can anyone comment on the following scenario?
- I mailed my passport application on 6/28 via USPS
- confirmed via USPS website the package was delivered in Washington on 6/30
- Yesterday I received a return receipt from the USPS and that was stamped by the British Passport office with a date on 7/18.

So, my application was delivered on 6/30 by USPS but made it to whomever in the British Passport office in Washington that accepts packages and stamped on 7/18. Is the clock ticking as of 6/30 or 7/18? Anyone know?

Thanks!
- Rob

Re: Passport Delays
 

It see to be from the date payment is taken from your credit card...which could take a few weeks.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I am planning on that, thanks!

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Hi All,

Just thought I would post my timeline so far, and keep you updated.

Fortunately for me, I have not booked any travel yet. We wanted to fly back to see my parents in September, but I am not expecting any miracles.

Due to my marriage, I decided to change my name on my passport, and of course that meant a renewal!

Although I was married over a year ago, I just put off getting it changed, as I didnt need it right then....of course when I decided to actually do something about it, there is a ridiculas backlog!!

So, I sent off my documents on June 22nd.

Recieved on June 24th (which was a Friday, so I knew that it wouldnt even be looked at before the following Monday!)

Credit Card charged on July 18th.....

Thats it for now, so I estimate around 10 weeks from now going by all of the previous posts, but who knows!

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Called care line again today and spoke to a very nice gentleman who said that he would send an escalation request to the Washington office with my flight details etc. As there is only 5 days until I am supposed to fly and two of those are a weekend I am not holding out much hope, will keep you posted!!!! Am still at a loss at the order in which they process received applications, just saw someones post who's application wasn't received until June 1st, the day my CC was charged, theirs not charge until the 1st of July but it looks like their passport is on the way to them already!!!!! I am glad that someone is receiving passports, but with only 5 days to go, wish it was me :)

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Got my passport today!

They got my old passport on May 5th and charged my card on June 8th. 12 weeks from start to finish, pretty ridiculous if you ask me...

They have also kept my ORIGINAL Decree Absolute, how do I go about getting this back?

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Careline actually phoned me today to say my Mothers passport was ready and was sent via Fedex last week. Mmm shouldn't take over a week to get to my house when it only took one day when they picked it up. Hope it hasn't got lost. I asked if Careline was now free worldwide and they didn't know!!!

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

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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.

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Hi all,
all i can say is yipee.thank god,so de-stressed,happy....:thumbup::thumbup:
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:fingerscrossed::fingerscrossed:

Re: Passport Delays
 

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!!!!:eek:

Re: Passport Delays
 

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.

Re: Passport Delays
 

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. :fingerscrossed:

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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:thumbsup: 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.

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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!

Re: Passport Delays
 

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.

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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

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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...:lol:

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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!

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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.

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

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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.

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I think you may be best to post questions about your US Visa in the US Visa forum. The people who post in there generally have more experience with US visas than most of the people in this forum.

I may be wrong but I seem to remember reading in the US Immigration Forum a week or so ago that you cannot use the VWP is you have a US visa.

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That makes sense. So it would come down to getting replacement visa documentation.

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Even an expired UK passport is proof of UK citizenship. I doubt she'd have any real trouble.

Ian

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Making sense doesn't always come into it as far as US Immigration is concerned. As I posted previously...I think it would be best if you ask the people in the US Imm forum.

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You can choose to enter on the visa, or the VWP, if you're eligible for it. It's entering on the IR jobby to activate the visa that you can't chose to use the VWP for, according to a post on this question last summer.

As for using the EDT to enter the US, depends on POE officer.