Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
The last activity update I received from Newport was 3rd of April. The office is open but with very limited number of staff. The reasons that applications sent to Newport are processed slower than other offices is, firstly, that Newport is in Wales where the lockdown is still (wisely) enforced; secondly, Newport was hit by the virus worse than other cities with a passport office (some say it’s because more test were taken there so the higher number of cases is because of that – but this doesn’t change the fact that Newport had that number of infected residents).
@lukek21 you are likely to receive your passport in 14 days (based on the timeframe that the applications for first passports I submitted since 16th of March – when the process started to slow down).
If your application is for the first passport after naturalisation, you are very very unlikely to be called for an interview. None of the dozens applications I submitted since early 2019 needed an interview.
@kaystar89 I understand the application is for the first passport as a person claiming to be British citizen based on the nationality of their ancestor(s).
Short birth certificate doesn’t show parents names so it was rightly rejected.
Grandparents are on the system for their own passports, right, but no one usually submit their marriage certificate for their own passport so the HMPO was again right to ask for proof of marriage of the ancestors as an identity doc for a citizen of a country is being issued for the first time. The applicant obviously must prove their entitlement to the passport. This, however, won’t happen again for renewals. Hmrc etc also do not have a copy of marriage certificate.
Accept my apologies if this forum wasn’t intended to be about things other than applications during lockdown.
First passport after naturalisation
Submitted online: 18/03/2020
Being processed: 24/03/2020
Approved: 14/05/2020.Two applications submitted on 18th of March (Peterborough and Newport). Both are still being processed.
Documents are scanned and uploaded on the system (we know this because agents at the call centre can also see them). So that’s not a problem for applications to be approved remotely. Probably tbe problem is the enquiries that must be made. Passport Office must adapt itself to the new situation that can be with us for a year or two. It shouldn’t be that hard in the third decade of 21st century.
One might wonder why I need passport during lockdown, I need the passport to prove identity and extend my licence to practice with a governing body but there are lots of other reasons a passport might be needed. For example, a spouse applying for a UK visa to join or remain with the British citizen, as in the application form, passport number of the sponsor is required and you cannot skip that question in the online form.
