Re: Passport Delays
 

Yes, as I now gather from this very informative forum. It has now been almost 7 weeks from the date payment was taken and I was hoping to leave on a flight June 24th. It is very important.

Re: Passport Delays
 

We're traveling on the 23rd - so we're in the same boat to some degree (since you have your Canadian passport also, correct? And Bella has her American passport). I do hope yours comes!

I got an email from the Embassy today saying that while her passport has been flagged as urgent for travel, it is still in a queue! How ironic. Anyway, the lady says she hopes that they will be able to produce it by the end of this week or the beginning of next week... So maybe it'll actually get here before we leave.

Let's hope so! Ah, deary me.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Correction: In my earlier post I meant to say JULY 24 not JUNE 24th as the day I should be leaving.

Also how did you go about getting an email from the Embassy?

I hope you get yours as well. Good luck.

Re: Passport Delays
 

I contacted Dean and got an email from the Embassy not long afterward! He is a very effective gentleman! :)

I thought you meant the 24th of July - after all, if it were June 24th, that'd be next year and it'd be rather shameful if you hadn't received the passport by then! :)

Re: Passport Delays
 

I wanted to say that I got her passport about half an hour ago via UPS Next Day Air! Whoop whoop! Very happy! Thank you to Dean and the powers that be - now we have one less thing to wonder and worry about! :)

Re: Passport Delays
 

Wow, that's amazing, congratulations. Sounds like we both sent the applications in around the same time in early May so hopefully mine will also arrive this week. Enjoy your trip.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Have you been able to get in touch with the Embassy to find out if your application is marked for travel?

Re: Passport Delays
 

My timeline:

We're (hopefully) leaving August 7th for our first trip "home" in six years. I sent off my passport for renewal and name change at the end of May. It doesn't expire until next March, but it still has my old name on it.

4th June: Application received at British Embassy in DC

16th June: Credit card charged

7th July: Application returned, rejected. Highlighted on the form letter as reason for rejection are the name change documents.

7th July: Call the "Careline". Representative confirms that I sent the right documents and the application should not have been returned. Recommends I send it back with additional evidence of new name and Strongly Worded Letter.

Still 7th July (busy day): Send application back with copies of all my photo ID, plus the documents I sent the first time, plus Strongly Worded Letter

8th July: Application received at British Embassy in DC

8th July: Credit card charged $13.30. Presumably return postage?

Nothing since then. Less than 3 weeks until we travel and I'm getting nervous. My questions:

1. If they reject it again, can I travel on the passport if I bring my name change certificate? Or would that be a major hassle?

2. If they don't return it in time, can I enter the UK on my US passport? Is that allowed?

3. Can I get an emergency passport from the Consulate, or is that only for people with sick relatives and so on?

And of course, the question I will probably never get an answer to:

Why the heck did they reject it the first time?

Re: Passport Delays
 

I've answered your PM on this, but to recap:

I'd travel on your US passport but make sure the airline tickets match the name in the passport.

It takes 4 weeks to process a "properly completed application", so the clock would start ticking on 8 July.

The Emergency Passport is available to all British nationals as long as they have previously held a full British passport (either expired, lost, or stolen, or off somewhere else getting a visa for example). You decide if it's an emergency (basically do you want to pay extra as you'll still need to apply for a full passport). The exception to this is if you've held an old blue passport - sometimes we can issue an emergency passport, other times we can't.

Hope this helps.

Dean

Re: Passport Delays
 

Thanks again, Dean. Good to know I have options!

I thought I was being so clever allowing 9 weeks for the passport processing. Should have checked here first!

Re: Passport Delays
 

As a FIRST TIME APPLICATION by a person who is a British Citizen based on my parents both being born in the UK but myself being born in Canada and applying out of Toronto to the Embassy in Washington, D.C. I received mine today! So 8 weeks exactly since the money was taken from my visa and about 10 weeks or so total time.

I would also like to thank Dean for looking in to it for me.

Now I am off to Greece and Albania to see my wife who I haven't seen in almost 3 months and then hopefully we can both go to the UK within a year either through a settlement visa for her or we will find work in other parts of Europe as we are both photographers. I wish a spouse was simply allowed to live and work where their husband is a citizen but unfortunately that is not yet the case. But in the meantime the EU laws help to make that possible in the other EU countries which I can live in as a British Expat together with my wife :)

Re: Passport Delays
 

Extreme frustration at the delays I am suffering.... but at least having read through this thread I realize I am not alone. Does not help my situation but a problem shared......

Background: Jun 10 accept company transfer from Canada to Abu Dhabi :D. UAE visa requirements state minimum 6 month validity required on passport, mine expires in Oct so look to renewal via Washington. Plan initial business trip to UAE on Jul 12 for client forum..... and now the saga begins :(

Timeline:
- Courier application on Jun 14, tracking shows receipt Jun 15, mastercard statement shows payment taken on Jun 22.
- No news by Jul 12 (3 weeks) so cancel business trip and call Careline. They know nothing but advise that Washington will contact me within 3 days. :unsure:
- Receive email Jul 14 confirming payment and to expect to receive passport in 'a few business days' :) Family are already on vacation in France so make plans to join them on Jul 19 for family wedding Aug 7 and we will all travel to UAE together Aug 16.
- Still no passport or news by Jul 23 (4 1/2 weeks). Vacation plans now unravelling :frown: Call Careline again. They know nothing but will escalate again!
- Receive 2nd email from Washington 26 Jul where they simply cut&paste their previous email from 14 Jul (including dated header!!) that had stated 'a few business days' (Have been out of the UK for a while but do not remember that 12 = 'a few':curse:
- Still no passport or news by Jul 27 (5 weeks). Vacation plans now shot and beginning to get seriously concerned that will miss family wedding:curse::curse: Call Careline... guess what !.... they know nothing and will escalate:banghead:

I apologize for the length of this post but it was either that or melt-down. In summary, to date 5 weeks have passed since payment. Careline useless and no way to contact Washington and actually speak to someone. Business trip to UAE had to be cancelled, family vacation plans shot and still no idea when I will get my passport. HELP!!

Yours in desperation.

Re: Passport Delays
 

We sent off old passport and aplication form for Son (10) on the 7th July.

Recieved new passport 27th July!!!!

Grand total of 20 days. Very impressed.

Porvera

Re: Passport Delays
 

Had the same experience last year when I renewed my daughter's passport, they turned it around in about 2 weeks. Based on this I did not for a moment anticipate the delays I am now suffering and planned travel according to their online guidelines. I think the worst of it all is the 'black pit', no information, no feedback.... just wait, wait, wait with no idea when all will be resolved. With the family already in Europe, house etc here sold and all our belongings in a container on a ship, I find myself in a hotel room with one suitcase, my laptop and a great deal of pent-up frustration.

Re: Passport Delays
 

Aaaaarrrgh!!! ... Washington now inform that the delay is because I supposedly have two passports and they need to verify the second..... I do NOT have two passports !!!