Jerseygirl

Before opening a thread asking questions about applying/renewing/replacing a UK passport would you please use the 'Search' engine...the tab is located in the pink bar at the top of the page? There are dozens of threads relating to this subject and a quick search may answer your questions.

Go to 'Advanced Search'...go to the left hand side of the page 'Search Titles only'...put in 'UK passport' etc. Scroll down and in the large right hand box entitled 'Search in all Forums'...scroll down and highlight USA. Press the 'Search Now' tab...this should bring up a list of UK passport threads.

For example here are some of the old threads but please do your own search:

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...t=UK+passports

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...t=UK+passports

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...t=UK+passports

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...t=UK+passports

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...t=UK+passports


Below are links to posts written by Dean, British Consul regarding UK PPs.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...50&postcount=9

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...8&postcount=64

British Consul

I'm sorry to hear about your experience. There are a couple of things I can suggest you do to take this forward, although I should also point out that the British Embassy in Washington doesn't issue passports or take enquiries about passport applications. Passports are the responsibility of the Identity and Passport Service which is based in Washington, but not part of the Embassy.

To complain about the way your call was handled, you should write to the following address. Give the telephone number you called from, the number you called in Washington and the date and time you called:

Counsellor (Corporate Services)
British Embassy
3100 Massachusetts Ave NW
Washington DC 20008

To complain about the Passport Service, you can write to:

Identity and Passport Service
Regional Passport Processing Centre Manager
19 Observatory Circle NW
Washington DC 20008

You can also provide your feedback on the passport service by completing the following on-line form: http://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/help-fo...edback-service (it's important you select the "Apply for/renew passport" from the drop down menu as the other option "lost or stolen passport" refers to the service you would normally get from a consulate).

If you would like to make a complaint about the Passport Information Helpline which is operated by Careline Services, you can email: [email protected]

I hope this helps.

Englishmum

Somewhere, someone on this very long thread (now running at 1300 posts ) asked about how to get a British passport quickly after arriving in the UK.

It's now just gone 3am ET and as soon as it turned 3am the Passport Office in the UK opened up their phonelines (UK time 8am-8pm). One can only make an appointment to get the Premium Service 1 Day Passport from 14 days beforehand. There is no 'same day' service, it's by prior appointment only. I tried yesterday morning ie. lunchtime in the UK and all the appointment slots had already been taken for London, which is where I was planning to stay, so I had to set the alarm for a *very early* wake up call!

I've changed my plans after speaking with the clerk at the Passport Office yesterday and have decided to rent a car (I'll be with my spouse and he's going to take a couple of days off as annual leave to take a long weekend from 1-4 July....it's our wedding anniversary on the 4th - (he's working in London for a fortnight) - and we will rent a car and go away for the weekend as soon as I've got my new passport, probably along the Norfolk coast eg. Cromer, Wells-next-the-Sea which we've never been to before.

I got through pretty quickly to the Passport Office call centre and spoke with another nice guy with an Ulster accent (they're based in Bangor, NI). I could hear a lot of background noise.....he said straight away that the London slots get taken up pretty much straight away, so I said I'd go to Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. I managed to get an 11am time slot which will allow enough time to pick up a rental car in London and drive up; you have to allow up to 4 hours for the passport to be issued and at Peterborough the last time slot is 1pm for same day service. You have to pick up a passport application form in a UK Post Office (you can't download it online, they all have an individual barcode for applications within the UK) and take 2 photos and your existing passport. No countersignatures are needed for renewals in-person unless ones appearance has changed drastically from the current passport's photo.

It will cost GBP 129.50 (GBP 109.50 for a child) but I'll have a new replacement passport the very same day, wonderful for peace of mind and no worries about having to wait for 12-16 weeks if applying for a new replacement passport in the US.

Don't forget that to visit most countries one needs to have at least 6 months validity on a current passport (mine expires in April 2012).

Here is the info if anyone is planning to visit the UK and wants to get a passport whilst they're there:

The phone no. from the US is 011 44 300 222 0000:

http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/TravelAn...ions/DG_174149

Hope this helps someone! I'm going back to sleep now!

Sue

Details of how to get an Emergency Travel Document here