Need my supporting docs back!

[timber321]

@LAD
Could you give a bit of detail on your US embassy appointment / experience? I’m in the exact same situation as you were in – I’ve received my UK passport back, but have been waiting on my supporting docs (US passport + naturalisation cert) for a few weeks now with no word, no update and I’m travelling to the US in 4 weeks for my brother’s wedding so am very nervous! To be safe, I have an appt at the embassy in a couple weeks in the expectation I still won’t have my passport back. So I’m curious as to your experience, how easy/difficult it was, did they seem pretty used to these requests, were they nice/helpful, what docs you provided, etc. In 10+ years of living in the UK I’ve actually never once been to the embassy!

My plan is to follow the guidelines for a second passport, so DS-11 form and signed statement explaining the situation, plus bringing photocopies of my US passport, proof of flight booking, proof of passport submission to UKVI, US birth cert & drivers license and a couple printed passport photos.

Also, when did you eventually get your US passport back? How many weeks after your UK passport?
Thanks!

[danni_68]

I’m still waiting on my supporting documents – I received my first British passport back at the start of May – don’t hold your breath – who knows what they’ve done with my other documents… calling them they’ve said they sent them – which they haven’t (no tracking number) – i think they’re sitting in a huge mailroom probably somewhere at the bottom of the pile.

[LAD]

@timber321 my experience with the US Embassy was super easy. London is one of the best and most coveted international assignments, so you tend to get the best government workers. I’ve had to deal with the Embassy a few times and always felt like I was in a weird governmental utopia, where things work and workers were friendly. The new building is modern and gorgeous, and there’s even a coffee bar in the waiting area. I’ve actually never seen a nicer government building. It’s a nice change from the other US embassies, which tend to look and feel like maximum security prisons…

Like you, I booked an appointment at the Embassy a couple of weeks in advance “just in case.” You will need to fill out DS-11, AND also fill out DS-64 (lost/stolen passport). I wasn’t sure about DS-64, but the embassy staff told me I needed to fill it out. I explained the situation that it was missing v. definitively lost, and they said it was correct to report it lost at HMPO Peterborough. Your appointment will go faster if you fill out this form in advance. It’s also better to get a US-sized passport photo in advance, though there is a photo booth there. I brought a whole host of documents, but they just asked to see another US government-issued photo ID. I showed my US driver’s license, which I keep renewing (using a US address). They didn’t ask to see proof of flight or anything that backed up my story of submitting the passport to HMPO.

By reporting the passport lost/stolen, your existing passport will be cancelled/invalidated. There’s no way around this (I asked). The embassy officers were extremely understanding, far more than I thought they’d be. The two officers I dealt with both said “the British lose passports all the time.” One was familiar enough with the process to know that they mail the documents back separately (and he offered his opinion that it was silly). I was apparently the second person that day in this situation, at 7:45 a.m…. I got a temporary passport valid for one year on the same day, in less than an hour actually (and less than 15 minutes after I filled out the DS-64 form).

After hounding the passport office almost daily and getting my MP involved, I got my US (and Italian) passport back 9 weeks after I received my British passport and 13 weeks after submitting it to HMPO. I now need to return this passport to the embassy for cancellation, along with the temporary passport, which the US Embassy will replace with a full validity 10-year passport (for free as long as I do within a year). You can use the same photo if you replace it within six months. The process of exchanging temporary for permanent allegedly takes three weeks. I need to go to the US again this month, and I decided to wait to be safe even though I had six weeks between trips. I’ve had enough passport drama this year!

The temporary passport has no chip, but I was (surprisingly) able to use it at a Global Entry kiosk. I had updated my details online in advance.

Hope this helps!

[UWS]

Like many others on this forum I too applied from overseas (USA) and have been anxiously reading this forum whilst I waited for both my new passport and old passport (with my US work visa) to be returned.

My application was submitted online on 20 March 2022 and was finally processed on 27 April 2022. It was processed by the Durham office and it took about 3 weeks for them register they had received my old passport even though I sent it by courier immediately after I applied. After that and once it started processing, it was about 2 days before it was completed and sent via DHL (28 April). I received it on 2 May. I received a text from DHL to say it was on its way on 28 April and continued to get tracking updates via text.

My big issue was getting my old passport with my US work visa as a) I could not leave the counry and re-enter without it. US passport control were adamant about this in spite of having Global Entry and copies of my visa which US immigration also has on their system and b) I needed it for employment verification. Like many of you, I made repeated calls to the progress team 0300 105 0850, waiting for hours on end, getting cut off and starting the process again. The progress team did send emails to the Durham office to expedite my old passport’s return but these were not replied to. I also tried the UK consulate in New York for help (they declined), emailed Durham office directly (Durham@hmpo.gov.uk) and my local MP (based on where I used to live). For the latter two, I did this around 31 May once I had been waiting four weeks for my passport to be returned. I did not receive a reply from either Durham or my local MP but it soon did not matter because miraculously on 6 June I received a text from DHL informing me my supporting documents were being returned. I also received an email from HMPO advising the same. I received my old passport on 7 June (6 weeks after I received my new passport) with regular text updates from DHL. Thank goodness they did not clip the visa page when they clipped the corner of the old passport!

I wish you all luck in receiving your new passports and your supporting documents. This has been a ridiculously stressful process and I appreciate all the advice I read on here so sharing this in case it helps others.

[timber321]

@LAD
Thank you so much for all the information. Hugely helpful in managing my stress levels! I’ll bring both DS-11 and DS-64 as you advise when I go next week so thanks for that tip! Plus all the other documentation that they probably won’t ask for and I already have some printed US-sized passport photos ready to go. Like you, I keep my US drivers license up to date with a US address for just these situations. Shame about my current passport automatically being cancelled, mainly for extremely vain reasons – it’s far and away the most flattering passport photo I’ve ever had or ever will have and I regularly get compliments on it (LOLs, oh well…).

I’m not even sure it’s worth the hassle of the daily hounding the HMPO for my original back. Sounds like it has has never actually helped expedite anyone’s situation?! Such a shambles. I’m already dreading renewing the dang thing 10 years from now, although I’ve vowed to never give them my US passport again and only send photocopies which I saw in asterisked small print somewhere that they will accept in extenuating circumstances if you explain why absolutely necessary. Probably unlikely for 1st adult passport, but hopefully ok for renewals, worth a shot anyways if applying WELL (like 6+ months) in advance.

I’ll update on this forum if/when I ever do get my original US passport and naturalisation certificate back as I know the info is very useful to all of us in this ridiculous situation.

Thanks all!

[nomadland]

Thanks for helping me out so far to track the current timelines. I too applied from overseas [US] and got my Adult passport renewal approved within 4 weeks from sending my passport to HMPO. New passport approved on 20th May and arrived on 31st May via DHL. Got text with tracking number on 26th May for the same.

Old passport has my work visa and I need it for re-entry into US. No updates on it until today but got a text from DHL with delivery due on 15th June. So overall, it took another 3 weeks for them to process old passport for return.

DHL tracker with PEX number [without PEX] is useful. It got updated with new waybill number for the old passport on 11th June [information sent to DHL] which gave me hope that they are sending it shortly. Then that information disappeared from DHL website later but got the text on shipment from DHL anyway with same waybill number, if it helps anyone from overseas to track the DHL. https://mydhl.express.dhl/us/en/tracking.html#/track-by-reference

[timber321]

Update on my timings… I feel very lucky. I’ve just received my supporting documents back, exactly 2 weeks after receiving my UK passport. So I’ve been able to cancel my US embassy appointment and finally stop stressing. I’ve listed the timings, as noted in the HMPO system, for my experience below. All in it was 7 weeks – 5 weeks from submission / mailing docs to receipt of UK passport and 2 further weeks till I received supporting docs back. I never did have an update that my application was being processed – it jumped straight from docs received to application approved. This was through the Liverpool office for a 1st UK passport based on naturalisation.

25 April: Application submitted
25 April: Ask someone to confirm identity
25 April: Email sent to person confirming identity
27 April: Identity details received
27 April: Application received
>> (27 April: Documents sent via Royal Mail, 2 day guaranteed delivery)
>> (29 April: Documents confirmed received by Royal Mail tracking)
11 May: Documents received (updated in system)
28 May: Application approved
31 May: Passport printed
1 June: Passport delivered
15 June: Supporting documents delivered

Thanks everyone. This forum was hugely helpful to me so hopefully this info can help others. Good luck all!

[Author]

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