PASSPORT RENEWAL

[SKingy1 0]

hi all

i sent in my passport renewal c1 forms and 2 identical photos (with statement written 0n them and signed by my minister whomhas known me for 3 years in USA ) included my passport whch runs out in september. i even sent my marriage certification and my birth certificate (original docs) i also included the credit card authorisation payment form. '

i sent them by next day delivery to washington dc british embassy. its been 2weeks now and i havent got my new passport. i tried calling them but at $2.10 a minute it gets expensive while waiting for someone to answer the phone. has anyone gone through this before?

i sent directly to the embassy and foll0wed all the instructions on the britainusa.com web site.

i am worried now that my passport is lost or wont come in time for my trip to the dominican republic. end of august. i didnt use an expediting service bdcsuse the website said that passports get done within 10 days.

just looking for extra advise. i thinkmi might send a fax to the embassy instead of waiting on the phone. any advise?

thanks so much x

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I would fax. Did you send it 'return receipt'?

$2.10 a minute? Calling from Antartica?

[SKingy1 0]

I would fax. Did you send it 'return receipt'?

$2.10 a minute? Calling from Antartica?

HAHA! calling from Antartica! That's funny.

Well I wrote a letter and everything and was ready to fax it off when I double checked the web site for the emergency telephone lines.

Well I called them and was told that this line does NOT deal with Passport information and directed me to call the Passport number (upon which the automated message said that the call would be $2.10 per minute for land lines and then gave another number to call if calling from a cell (still the same price) or wanted to use credit card to make payment. (greedy buggers!)

So I called the passport number and have to call again on Friday if I havent got my passport by then. It cost me $14.43cents for the call!! ugh...at least this time the call was answered almost immediately. I wasted $8 on Friday calling the number sitting listening to music. I thought forget that! Im not paying over $2 a min listening to music!

I just got really nervous this morning. The guy reassured me that I would have my passport before I leave for my holiday. The good news he said the passport application wasn't in the rejected list! So thats good. I must have got everything right!

I DID do the return recipt. I sent it next day air with UPS. (We don't have a fed ex office nearby boohoo) I also got signature confirmation. After all we have been through with immiigration and sending documents to the consulates etc is that you NEED to get a confirmation! After all these documents are so vital! I can't imagine stress of going through having lost my passort with my I-551 stamp in it...ugh makes me get really nervous!

Anyway thanks for your concern!

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

Good luck!!

What a joke. They charge you $2.10/min and put you on hold. I would pay the money if they took care of you right away.

[SKingy1 0]

I forgot I wrote in here but I did also write this in a new topic but here is the update:

Hi all

I sent my passport renwal forms off to the British Embassy in Washington DC 6 weeks ago. I sent it via USP Next day air and had it signed for. I am getting extremely worried that my passport will not come in time for my trip home to uk at 4am 26th August 06.

I have called the passport number mentioned on the ukusa web site. (it costs $2.10 PER MINUTE!!)I have called them FIVE times (in the past 6 weeks) only to be told that I am not on their systems and to wait a week and call again. Well, today was the last straw, I wanted to speak to a suprevisor and get him to explain why I am not in their system even though $185 was taken out of our credit card account on the 2nd August 06. I was again reassured that a call would be put through to the Embassy and someone would contact me. Well,

NO ONE HAS CALLED ME! and I am getting really really nervous about getting my passport on time. I am nervous that on the form I wrote that I was leaving on holiday 26th august 06 which I am just really early in the morning. I want it BEFORE that day!!!

Does ANYONE know another emergency contact number I can call? I really am desperate to find out about my passport as far as I know its been lost and I need it. As you can imagine I am really nervous about this because it also has my I-551 stamp in it and I need that to get my drivers licence renewed and also I need another SS number.

I am really desperate.

getting really reaaalllly nervous about this.

[SKingy1 0]

UPDATE:

The Embassy called me this morning to let me know my passport was approved and it would arrive by fedex today. I am just so so relieved because I really need this. Anyway, I still feel nervous and will feel so much better when I am actually holding it in my hand later!!!

I will let you all know if I get it.

THanks a bunch and thanks to all for reading and advising.

Yipppeeee!

[CarolineM 0]

that must be a relief.

[SKingy1 0]

your'e telling me!

pheeeew!

now I can get my driving licence renewed and also my SSN.

For some reason my SSN needs to be updated.

anyway thanks