North American Passport Production Center

[JayJay 4]

I am so mad right now I could explode.

Been waiting for a month for a passport renewal. Sent it in a month ago, and nothing. At the time, the passports were taking ten working days to issue. Shortly after I sent the package in, that time went up to four weeks.

The time scale is now six weeks.

So I call the ridiculous, overpriced, $2.60 per minute Abtran line to try to find out what the heck is going on, and am put on hold for minutes while they try to find out what is going on, only to be told that the only information I can be given is that "the passport has not been issued yet". No sh*t Sherlock. That's why I'm calling.

So I go to my online banking after the call ends, which has been no more that four or so minutes long, to find I've been charged $21.

We're traveling in June. The rest of my family have their American passports - first time applications which took three weeks on the dot to process, and here I am, waiting to get my renewal. Ticket prices are increasing, and now it looks like the very first holiday that Harry has had is going to not happen at all, because we won't be able to afford the tickets.

The kids haven't ever been on a plane; they haven't ever seen the sea and they've been looking forward to this for six months. This is totally unacceptable.

I am going to send a letter of serious complaint to the British Embassy and copy the passport production center in on it. It's absolutely ridiculous that we should have to be charged $21 for a useless four minute phone call and have this kind of stupid turnaround time and no information on something that should be simple. I am completely angry and totally p*ssed off. I know, I know, that's the same thing...

[JayJay 4]

J**** B****

*** *st Ave SE

***, ** *****

Consular Section

19 Observatory Circle, NW

Washington, DC 20008

14th May 2009,

Dear Sir/Madam,

I am writing to lodge a complaint regarding the service I have received from the North America Passport Production Center.

When I submitted my application in mid April, the processing time was approximately ten working days. Shortly thereafter the processing time went up to four weeks. Recently this time has increased yet again, to six weeks.

The application I submitted, along with important documentation, is a simple passport renewal that I need very soon, to be able to book a flight home to see my family after four years away from England. Without a passport number, the flight cannot be booked. If the flight is not booked soon, we will not have the money to even go.

My American partner and children had a turnaround time on completely new passport applications of three weeks, on the dot. They have not been on a plane before – they haven’t even seen the sea. This will be my family’s first ever proper holiday, and one we have all been looking forward to for seven months. We lost our baby daughter in October of 2008 and this trip was something we had to look forward to. It now looks like our plans will be completely ruined.

When stating that one should allow sufficient time between applying for a renewal and one’s travel plans, I sincerely hoped that applying in mid April would allow time for a June departure, but I am left with serious doubts regarding that fact at this stage.

When calling Abtran, I am told simply that the passport has not been issued yet. Thereafter I was charged almost $21 for a telephone call lasting approximately five minutes – which is more than the stated and already extortionate $2.60 price per minute. When going through American Immigration proceedings as a foreign national, their helpline was free. To even talk to someone about the status of a British Passport application at the Passport Production Center, as a citizen of England, I have to have a credit card. I cannot tell you how absolutely angry that makes me.

At this stage I am left with no information as to the status of my application: if it has been rejected; accepted; whether the photographs are alright; where my documents are; whether anyone has even taken a look at it yet or anything of that nature. I have not received any acknowledgement of receipt apart from the certified mail tracking number having been listed as received. If there are any problems with my application, I presumably will not know for another, unknown amount of time.

As I mentioned before, this trip is something we have been looking forward to for seven months. If ticket prices rise any more, we will not be able to go at all. I would be very appreciative of any help you can give me in this matter. Obviously we are all very worried indeed.

My date of birth is *** **th, ****. My address is at the top of this letter, and my telephone numbers are as follows:

Home: ***-***-****

Cell: ***-***-****

I have copied the North America Passport Production center in on this letter as well.

Yours Sincerely,

J**** B****

CC: North America Passport Production Center

[john & jean 37]

I would pay a visit to my congressmans office and ask for assistance.

[MARM 7]

Just to share in your frustration, the British system is really not our cup of tea either...for some reason they have delayed processing in all areas. We have suffered at their hands as well so we know what you are going through. I hope you get the issue resolved soon! And I too, recommend you get your Congressman involved to make an inquiry on your behalf. Good luck!

[JayJay 4]

Just to share in your frustration, the British system is really not our cup of tea either...for some reason they have delayed processing in all areas. We have suffered at their hands as well so we know what you are going through. I hope you get the issue resolved soon! And I too, recommend you get your Congressman involved to make an inquiry on your behalf. Good luck!

Good idea. I wonder who my congressman is.... Isn't that awful - I get so confused as towho is in senate and who is in state and who is where...probably because I can't vote yet and have never had to contact my congressman before

[john & jean 37]

GOOGLE IT

[MARM 7]

Good idea. I wonder who my congressman is.... Isn't that awful - I get so confused as towho is in senate and who is in state and who is where...probably because I can't vote yet and have never had to contact my congressman before

Search here!

http://www.congress.org/congressorg/dbq/officials/

Congressmen are by district and Senators are by state, so there are more Congressmen than Senators for each state (if that is how you can remember it easily...).

Edited May 14, 2009 by MARM

[JayJay 4]

Well, we are booking the bloody flights. We can't wait any longer for someone to get of their butt and do something with my application. Harry and the kids have their passports.

I am now going to spam the Embassy every single day, politely, and also contact my congressman as well.

I WILL get this passport. This is something we've been clinging to for seven months and no Embassy is going to shoot it down.

[rebeccajo 14]

I would pay a visit to my congressmans office and ask for assistance.

She's talking about services from the British government.

JayJay - You might want to check britishexpats.com and see if there are any threads about other Brits in the US who would have encountered this problem.

Edited May 14, 2009 by rebeccajo

[JayJay 4]

Yep, I am participating on a thread there as well. There are a bunch of us in the same boat. My mother in actually going to contact Gordon Brown about it! I love my mother!

Tickets are now booked for the 21st of June. If the passport isn't there by then, then that would be truly shameful.

[rebeccajo 14]

Yep, I am participating on a thread there as well. There are a bunch of us in the same boat. My mother in actually going to contact Gordon Brown about it! I love my mother!

Tickets are now booked for the 21st of June. If the passport isn't there by then, then that would be truly shameful.

Your mum should probably contact her MP.

[broma25 2]

Dont want to put a spanner in the works, but Gordon Brown can look out for the people that live in the UK I am not sure he is even remotely concerned about us Expats.

I once wrote to Tony Blair about UK immigration when my husband was not allowed to work until we got married but that asylum seekers were able to work on entry and also got free house...nice huh!!

I did get a reply all be it a few weeks later and it really just said "Thanks we have passed this to the relevant dept" of course that was it, I never heard from anyone again.

I hope you get your passport in time for your trip...

[jok235 0]

I completely sympathize, I'm in the same situation, mailed my application to renew my passport at the beginning of April. The only info I have so far is that it arrived, as I sent it by recorded mail. We're going back to England for a wedding reception at the end of June that has already been organized but we still haven't booked flights because I have no idea when/if my passport is gonna arrive. When I applied it said that applications were taking 10 days so I thought that leaving two months would be plenty of time, perhaps not...

I wish you luck for receiving yours, keep us updated!

[JayJay 4]

Well, I mailed two very strongly worded letters of complaint to the Embassy.

We shall see if that has any impact.

[JayJay 4]

Just as an update - the friendly Dean Churm (just a star) of the Orlando, FL embassy just emailed me telling me that magically, the Washington people are now saying my passport is due for completion this week. Hurrah! They took the wonga out of my bank account yesterday as well.

I don't kick up a fuss often, but when I do...