aml1982

Steve, I'm confused - you're going to criticise Britain for "insular thinking" regarding passports, and yet you make mention the US population's lack of passports as a positive "because they can go anywhere in North America without one". Never leaving your home country (other than quick trips across the border to Canada or Mexico) is about as insular as it gets.

Steve_

Huh? Insular because they can only go everywhere on their own continent and you need a passport to get back into the UK if you go to France to buy some wine?

Don't be daft.

LP9

http://m.wusa9.com/dcnews/article?a=155797&f=235

Kristin Fisher, Digital Correspondent
June 22, 2011

WASHINGTON, D.C. (WUSA) - If you're a British citizen living in the United States, it could take up to three weeks to get a new passport or renew your old one. The British Embassy says the delay is due to a massive spike in applications, and it's causing big problems for Brits trying to travel overseas this summer.

Diane Hill and her two teenage daughters spent Wednesday morning at the British Embassy trying to renew their passports. They need them for two reasons. One, they've already booked a summer vacation overseas.

"Our plane tickets are $5,000 just the three of us," said Hill.

The other reason is that Hill's mother has just been diagnosed with cancer and she wants to visit her. Hill submitted her application via certified mail on March 31st. Nearly twelve weeks later, there was still no word on the status of her application.
<snip>

aml1982

Of course, I'm daft because I don't think the way you think. You're talking about Nexus, ID cards, passport cards and such - personally I don't see the point in having multiple different systems. If you have a passport, you know where you stand, it allows you to travel anywhere provided you have the supporting Visas, etc. You're comparing one land mass that contains the US, Canada and Mexico - three countries separated by two borders (not factoring in Alaska and Hawaii) - to Europe, a continent with what, 50 countries? More borders, more political relationships, both friendly and unfriendly, more economies, ultimately far less simple. How is carrying a passport when you travel to France and back any different than carrying a passport card? You take it with you, you show it, they either let you in or they don't.

And yes, it's insular to never entertain the idea of leaving your own continent, even if just for a vacation.

cheryl56

Voted

LP9

Talking to someone who has a contact inside the office. The higher ups are saying its our fault for procrastinating.....like we knew it was going to take 4 months. You expect 4 weeks, so you plan for 6-8 weeks, and then get screwed.

aml1982

Yeah, that makes no sense - if everyone procrastinated, then all that would be happening is the people who should have applied 3 months back would be applying now, while the people who should be applying now put it off until September. It wouldn't impact demand. It's not like all of this has been publicised so that everyone is now rushing to get their passport done. Most people don't even realise there is a delay until they start the application. The fault lies with those who inadequately planned for the move to process all North American/Caribbean apps in Washington.

ian-mstm

I'm not up on Twitter etiquette so forgive me if this is an exceedingly stupid question, but do these people know that you are rebroadcasting their tweets in an open public forum?

Ian

LP9

Yes, everything done in public is for public consumption.

I haven't reproduced anything that was sent as a direct private message.

Bob

On the other hand, if you've only got a weeks holiday a year, aren't you more likely to take 3 day weekends away than spend a huge wedge of money, flying to and from somewhere to only spend a couple days there?

Especially if that time is eaten up on sick days and waiting for the washing repair man etc.

Bob

retweeting, it's a given, don't need to be signed up to twitter to see the tweets.

It's only things sent privately as direct message, ala a pm, that you don't publicly share.

ian-mstm

This is why I love BE... I learn new stuff every day! Cheers!

@Bob - many thanks, also!

Ian

Ozzidoc

Ditto

celticgrid

Three weeks? No-one's going to get riled up by that reporting...

LP9

Agreed. Already requested a conversation with her to set the record straight.