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ike 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.
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.
