scrubbedexpat099

I do not know how often you get back to the UK, you may be in for a shock.

rachiedavis

I'm in a similar situation. Sent all my existing documents off to Washington to renew a passport and am now worried the new one won't be returned to me in time for a trip at the end of April. The app was sent off 5.5 weeks in advance of the trip, but my credit card hasn't been charged yet and I'm getting nervous. I still have a little less than 4 weeks to go, but various posts on this message board have me concerned -- folks have reported everything from their credit card charge going through and the passport arriving a few days later, to the charge going through and the passport still taking 5 weeks or longer to arrive. I don't have that much time!

I had to apply for a new passport because even though the old one hasn't expired, I got married and changed my last name. Got the impression I had to get a new one so the name on my ticket and all my documents matched.

There is a British Embassy here in Atlanta, but now that I don't have my old passport, I can't even talk to them about a temporary amendment.

It is just a holiday, but one that my entire family is going on -- parents, and siblings with their families. There's 20 of us going together and it's likely the last time we'll have the opportunity to take such a family trip. It would really stink if my husband and daughter go without me. Funnily enough, I thought my daughter's US passport app. might be a problem, but we got hers back in about 3.5 weeks!

Keep your fingers crossed for me

randomgirl

That's not actually the case, you could've used your old passport as it was still valid. You'd just need to book your tickets in the same name that is on your passport and carry your marriage certificate with you to show why your name on your green card is different (assuming you have a GC - don't know your situation!)

Good luck getting your new passport in time, hope it all works out for you!

rachiedavis

Thanks randomgirl.

I did consider that. The US immigration office doesn't even want to know me until my green card is within 6 mos of expiration or is expired. They told me to travel with my tix and DL in the correct name and to take my marriage license with me to show why the name on the GC is different. But I read on the http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk website that they DO NOT recommend that as an option saying if the name on your tickets and other documentation differs from that on the passport, they cannot guarantee it'll work. Seemed a bit picky to me, but I didn't want to take the risk just in case, so I sent off the renewal app. Maybe now I'm wishing I didn't. Ack.

Still got my fingers crossed

meauxna

But that is just it.. if your tickets and passport match each other, that is fine.
When you return to the US and use your green card to enter, the marriage certificate makes the bridge between the two names. The Foreign Office doesn't care what your green card says on it.

rachiedavis

Oh, sorry. Maybe I wasn't clear. My drivers license and ticket are in my new married name. Passport and green card in maiden name. So, neither of those match the name on my ticket.

Will be (hope to be!) traveling from the US to Mexico and back. Have a UK passport and US GC.

I did travel to Germany right after I got married, but I didn't change my name with Delta so my ticket and passport matched in my old maiden name. No problems with that trip. It didn't matter what was on my DL. Back then I always figured I would get my passport taken care of well in advance of another trip, so I updated my name with Delta.

Guess I could have booked the ticket in my maiden name, but I was using FF miles and had to use my Delta account in my married name. Didn't really consider that as an option.

Had a problem getting a copy of my marriage license otherwise my application would have been in the mail at the beginning of the year! Oh well, can only hope now.

BritishToTheEnd

Have you had any luck contacting the embassy? I have been calling all over the place, including the premium help line, to no avail.

rachiedavis

Yeah, I figured I wouldn't bother with the helpline. I saw people say in multiple places that it just costs $15-20 for a phone call that offers no information whatsoever. I still have a little bit of time, but am not sure at what point I "sound the alarm" and get more proactive about trying to get additional help.

I found this today on the fco.gov.uk website:

http://centralcontent.fco.gov.uk/res...rt_Service.pdf

In this flyer, it says if you don't have a passport for travel either because it's expired or you haven't received one you applied for yet, to go to your local British Embassy/High Commission/Consulate where they can issue you a temporary emergency travel document.

If I don't sense that I am going to get my passport back any time soon because I still haven't been debited for the fee, I may start to explore this option. Since I'm in atlanta and there is a consulate here, I hopefully won't have far to go.

This leaflet does say that all passport printing is moving to the UK in 2011. Washington will process the app, but will no longer print. The flyer says turnaround time will still be the average 4 weeks on renewal with 6 weeks for new, but if it's going to Washington to the UK and back to the States, I can't see the whole process happening any faster!

Good luck! Hope this information help you some. I sure hope it'll help me!

bibliobabe

Is this true? we are applying for first time UK passports in a similar situation (uk dad, usc mom, living in us). I would love to hold on to their original US passports during the application process just in case. Can I really send copies?!?

Mummy in the foothills

I sent photocopies of the picture page of the US passport for my kids.

Bob

No, I'm lying, just to shit you up

British Consul

Yes. A trip out of the UK on the US passports would be required, then enter again on the UK passports. Simple.

Dean

meauxna

That is an important detail.. I'm glad you confirmed that, because that was my question!

BritishToTheEnd

Good evening Dean,

Are you able to help me? I PM'ed you more identifying information that you may need. I trying further calls, spending another $20 on the premium help service phone number... No Luck! Also tried faxing and emailing several Consulates... No Luck!

BritishToTheEnd

Good news!

The embassy contacted me today.. they are gonna send to me my son's U.S passport horay!... they also charge me for their application today as well, BUT then said my marriage certificate was not good enough. I have already order the "CITY/STATE" type they require. No idea when it will arrive.

A big public Thank you very much Dean for all your help! I called, emailed, faxed consulates, and sent a physically letter to the embassy. But it was you that made it happen. God Bless.

***BUT CHECK THIS OUT GUYS***

When the polite gentleman on the other end of the line informed me that i needed to send a CITY/STATE marriage certificate not the "religious" one, I replied that i was already working on it BUT.... if i am understanding things correctly, the following premise apply:

although me and children mother ARE married according to the state, even IF we were not married my children would still be eligible for British citizenship according to regulations.

The http://www.ips.gov.uk Web site provides guidance on this matter in a document that describes the Process for determining nationality for those born before 01.07.2006 where their parents were not married. The document is called: LEGITIMATION AND DOMICILE and is found at the following link:

http://www.ips.gov.uk/cps/files/ips/live/assets/documents/Legitimation_and_Domicile_TO_PUBLISH.pdf

(In summary it states)

“Many countries no longer distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate births. Where they do not distinguish, a child will be legitimate even if the parents are not married”.

(Then it goes on to say)

“In UK law, when considering questions of legitimacy, we look at the law of the place where the father was domiciled at the time of the child’s birth. If that law treats a child as legitimate, then UK law will likewise recognise that status [Hashmi v Hashmi (1972)]”.

(and)

“Therefore, if there is no concept of illegitimacy according to the law of the place of the father's domicile at the time of the child's birth, the child born outside a marriage will be considered legitimate in UK law irrespective of whether the child's parents subsequently marry. Such a child will have a claim to British Citizenship”.

(it gives the example)

Example: Child born outside the UK before 1 July 2006
Parents not married
Claim through father
Father’s domicile Jamaica
As Jamaica has no concept of illegitimacy, the child has a claim under section 1(1)(b) BNA 81

(Then it provides a table of different country and how the rule applies – For the U.S it says

Annex A - Legitimation laws in other parts of the world

United states

Is there any distinction between legitimate and illegitimate birth?
No distinction between children born in or outside a marriage

Would a child be legitimated by subsequent marriage of the parents?
Child is legitimate whether the parents are married or not


end

So I if I have understood this all correctly my children are British citizens regardless of whether I am married to their mother or not (Which I am) because at the time of birth I was domiciled in the U.S and the applicable U.S legislation make no distinction between legitimate and illegitimate. Is this reasoning enough to continue with my application?


Am i correct in my assertion? Veteran Expats?