Dear All,
I have been posting on this forum almost since it first started.
Finally mine and my daughter’s has been approved. Timeline below:
Application history
Application approved 2:37pm on 3 June 2020
Application being processed 8:09am on 23 March 2020
Documents received 3:30pm on 20 March 2020
Application received 6:37am on 15 March 2020
Application submitted 6:37am on 15 March 2020
It will be almost 3 months since I started the process. It would have taken even longer, however thanks to the recommendations from some posts in this forum I used twitter to express my case.
When I tried the passport help line by telephone I was treated with complete disdain. As soon as they deduced that my application was from overseas they didn’t want to listen to anything. The answer was simply WAIT!
The irony is that it is the overseas applicants that on the “whole” (i know each case is different) probably require a quicker and more efficient service. Even prior to the covid guidlines there is no “express” services for applicants from overseas.
Visa issues and ID checks all are standard procedures which come with the hassles of living abroad. It seems really unfair. May be the government look at it that citizens living abroad don’t contribute as much economically. But if its a money thing just charge. It may feel like extortion to some but the service has to be better and the option must be there.
This is actually the second time that the passport office has significantly delayed my application. On the previous occasion (spring/summer 2014) they took almost 4 months to send my sons passport who was newborn. In Dubai (where I live) it is illegal for newborns to not have a valid visa after 120 days from birth. Even then it would have taken longer still but we had to involve the local FCO and seek their guidelines.
Its just so stressful when it comes to renewing/getting passports. Other countries even the so called “developing” ones it is a virtually hassle free process (even during this covid crisis). I know this because the company I work for has many employees from all over the world.
Im sorry my post has been so long but I owe this forum, because of the relevant information I have been able to extract. I’m sure more better things can come from it and the passport office if they have any sense of self worth must be aware of the trends on social media. This can only be done by sharing as much as possible and creating discussion.
Thank you
