Nicholeml

Thank you. I guess I will try to call the helpline today. It says that it opens at 21:00 UK time so if I am correct that is 4pm here.

I am just not sure where to tell them to send it. I will be in Florida for two weeks then back home for 4 days and then in the UK for a month. I think I will just change the address to Florida and not worry about them delivering it to my home since I won't be there long.

joyce373

DHL will only attempt to deliver x 3 they leave a sign on the door the first time that you can siugn and tell them where to leave package our passport came before documents were returned from Washington

Isabella17

What happens after the third time? My father said nothing was left the first time though the DHL driver said he left something.

Will they return to sender or will they allow them to pick it up at their office, in this case the airport?

Nicholeml

So I got a hold of them. My application is pending. All he could tell me is there was a missing signature which may well be the counter signatory issue I talked about.

He also said that they needed my parents marriage certificate which I am 99% sure I sent. I hope they can find it because it will cost $60 to order a new one and my parents divorce record which I know I didn't send.

He put on my file that I am traveling on June 26th but wasn't sure it could get to me in time.

He is going to have an investigator or something like that call me to give me more details this week. He said I could change my delivery address at that time.

Such is life. I thought I was so prepared and sent more then I needed to but oh well.

FMH

Careline:

I called Careline a few times during the last 2 days, and got a message indicating that they won't be able to give a status update because of technical issues with the system. Has anyone else been able to connect with Careline during the last 2 days?

My fee was deducted on May 21st, and I want to get an update on my renewal.

THX

FMH

ian-mstm

Passports are usually complete about 4 weeks after the fee is taken. I suspect you'll hear something by the middle of next week anyway.

Ian

Lauren1985

Hi everyone,
I was hoping someone could give me advice or just assure me that everything will be ok with my passport!

I have had a US passport all my life but since I'm moving to Europe in August I decided to apply to the my UK passport (mom's British, Dad's American).

The application was delivered on 3/29
The Fee was processed on 4/19

It has now been almost 9 weeks since then and I still haven't heard anything. The website says at least 7 weeks but I'm getting concerned since I'm going to be changing address in July and I don't know how to change my address with them since I don't have a landline and so can't call the careline.

Anyone have an idea of how much longer this will take?

FMH

Thx Ian. I finally got thru today, and unfortunately they have yet to start working on my case.

ian-mstm

Yah... that's because there are still a lot of applications ahead of yours. Once they get to it, it'll be done in an hour. I mean, it doesn't actually take 4 weeks to renew a passport... it only takes an hour. The rest of the time is spent waiting for it to come to the top of the pile.

Ian

Nicholeml

Mine took forever and I was beginning to wonder so I called and there was an issue. You can call the UK care line with a cell phone just not the US 900 care line. You may want to add an international calling plan first. Calling them will give me piece of mind.

It turned out I was just missing some things and by calling I was able to get a processor to call me back and walk me through what was missing. I ended up needing a marriage declaration from my parents as well as a new counter signatory and photo (my teeth were showing in the first). Once those were mailed the processing went fairly quickly and they said my passport should be here next week.

I wasn't able to change the delivery address however. They said I would have to work that out with DHL once I got a tracking number on my packages.

I would recommend finding a way to call them, like I said with the UK#, 011 44 20 8082 4721. If you don't talk long it's not terribly expensive.

FMH

I realize that the process is probably all electronic , i.e. the application and the photograph is scanned, and once the case officer approves, the passport is printed in the UK, and sent via DHL.

Since I am in a bind, and need to travel, I called Careline to see where I was in the queue. I was told that the regional office processing the passport would call me back within 72 hours. I never got a response the first time, so I called again and the other 72 hours end today!! Has anyone else experienced delays in hearing back from the regional processing centers after they call Careline?

ian-mstm

Many people have reported that, even after repeated calls, they never heard back from Careline. It's a common complaint... and there's not much you can do about it.

I suggest you contact BE member Dean Churm, British Consul.

Ian

krishtopherson

Hi Guys,

I'm new to BE. I was born in the UK in 1988 and moved to the US in 1993. I held a British passport until 2001 when my mother had the family naturalised as US citizens. I recently graduated from college and I'm on the job hunt. I've been told that having British/American dual citizenship can be appealing to some employers?

I thought I would give the details of my application to see if anyone else is in similar circumstances. My most recent British passport (expired in 2001) was damaged and I foolishly threw it away . Luckily I still had a previous passport (first one I ever had) that was intact.

15 May: My application and documents arrived at the British Embassy in Washington, DC. I attached these documents:

1. Application (countersigned)
2. $244 money order
3. LS01 form/police report
4. 2 passport photos (1 countersigned)
5. Long UK birth certificate
6. Mother's letter from UK Home Office granting her indefinite leave to remain ("settled" status)
7. My first UK passport (expired 1996)

14 June: Received an e-mail from a passport examiner at the Embassy saying that she needed a good quality scan of any non-UK passports I have as well as the details of my retired countersignatory (profession and name of firm before he retired). I e-mailed her a scan of my current US passport and the employment details of my countersignatory.

25 June: Received my documents (birth certificate, Home Office letter, old passport) from the British Embassy via USPS with a note saying my new passport will be sent from the UK within 5-10 business days.

Seems like it fit well within the 7 week promised timeline. Anyone else still waiting? Thanks!

Krish

applejuicebaby

Hi! It seems that my timeline was ridiculously fast. Let's see.

30th May- passport application received.

12th June- payment received.

6th July- new passport received!


Still waiting on original docs though! :/ anyone else found this to be the case and is that normal?

P.S. The DHL man just left mine at the door That's how they do around Louisiana way. Though I was in anyway!

Oh, and if anyone's interested, here is how my passport renewal journey started, in case any one else ever has a similar situation! http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=759900

Jscl

Did you guys apply using Form C1 or the fill-in form OL? They look approximately the same but I can't find anything to say you specifically can or cannot use the fill-in form OL.