Question on requesting return of passport (How soon?)

[embassyinternational]

Hi,

Haven't been able to find much info on the timing of passport return requests so I thought I would start a new thread on this.

I've submitted my EEA RC application (EFM route for unmarried partner), received my letter to submit my biometrics, and will be doing that on Monday October 5th. I travel a lot for work and need to leave the country November 9th for a work trip. I have two options:

1. Apply for a temporary passport with the Canadian government. This is allowed by the Canadian gov't with proof that my current passport is unavailable because it is being used for visa processing. It takes up to 20 working days to process and would cost me (or my office) a few hundred dollars.

2. Request that the HO return my passport in time for the November trip.

I'm unsure which is the best approach to take. Obviously asking for my passport back is cheaper, but I don't know if I'm way too early into the RC process to be requesting it. Would requesting it a week after I submit my biometrics, for example, be too soon?

Any views on this?

Thank you!!

[Anna1912]

Hi,

I would definitely advise requesting your passport back, as it doesn't affect your application.

Although I waited for my CoA first, but saw a lot of people here doing this right after submitting the application.

It takes up to 10 working days, but for me it was even sooner - I submitted the request on Tuesday and next Saturday the passports were posted (I received them next Tuesday), so a week overall.

Good luck!

[embassyinternational]

thanks for your views on this. I submitted my biometrics today, so I will give it a few days for those to be received and logged with Home Office then request that my passport be returned. Fingers crossed!

[Teerak]

I submitted request for return of my passport and that of my spouse on 28th sept. 2015 and the passports were dispatched on 30th sept. 2015, I received them on 2nd October 2015.

[voxnihili]

I submitted request for return of my passport and that of my spouse on 28th sept. 2015 and the passports were dispatched on 30th sept. 2015, I received them on 2nd October 2015.

Hi, I just wanted to know if we can also request the non-EEA passport back, along with the EEA one, since now they are not issuing the RC as a vignette.

I just want to make sure not doing something wrong or to interfere with the process.

Thanks.

[Teerak]

Of course you can request both, if you read my reply to you I said I requested the passport of my spouse and mine, meanwhile requested after we have received COA. Cheers!

[kamoe]

No, it is not too soon.

I requested all of our identity documents back (passports -mine and my partner's-, and my current biometric residence permit) on the cover letter I enclosed when I made the application. In other words, I requested our passports back literally the same moment I applied.

I enclosed a pre-paid/stamped envelope with the application for this. I received all the documents I requested back three days after I submitted my biometrics. All complete, no lost documents, no problems.

See my timeline.

[bfrenchfry]

I've been wondering about the passport return also. I submitted the online application for mine on August 10th, and have since done two followups as documents not returned. My application was received in April and I need my passport for business purposes. I don't know why they won't return it, but I'm looking into just getting a new one and praying they don't come after me for the one they have being invalid when they finally get around to processing my application

[rooibos]

What is the correct way to request your passport back? Can you just mention it in the covering letter or is there a specific procedure?

[hughie33]

What is the correct way to request your passport back? Can you just mention it in the covering letter or is there a specific procedure?

Go to the online form for returning documents, takes about 10 days.

I've been wondering about the passport return also. I submitted the online application for mine on August 10th, and have since done two followups as documents not returned. My application was received in April and I need my passport for business purposes. I don't know why they won't return it, but I'm looking into just getting a new one and praying they don't come after me for the one they have being invalid when they finally get around to processing my application

When you followed up with UKBA did they not tell you why they were not being returned?

Kind regards

Hugh

EEA PR
App sent / received: 06.10 / 07.10
Payments taken: 10.10
Bio dated / received: 16.10 / 19.10
CoA: Pending
Requested Passports back / returned: 26.10 / 04.11

Passports back: 25.09