No passport 10+ days after requesting

[iamkaan]

Hi all,

tl;dr
Requested to return my passport after getting the Residence Card CoA since I have to travel URGENTLY to a conference in the US. No post in over 2 weeks. How can I speed up the process? Any help really appreciated.
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I'm a Turkish citizen living in the UK with my German wife. I've applied for a UK Residence Card 4 months ago, and since then lots of weird things happened. First of all, it took me 5 weeks to get the letter is inviting me to provide my biometrics. It was written that they sent me another letter 15 days ago and I didn't provide my biometrics yet.

After providing my biometrics on the same day, it took me another month (and several emails/phone calls) to get my CoA. Even more interesting thing was that my CoA was saying that they can't confirm my right to work because I didn't provide some documents (listed in CoA) while I'm sure I sent them all the documents they've listed.

This was already a lot to process, and now I'm in a much worse situation. Here is the main problem I'm asking you to help me with:

I need to go to the US for a business trip on 11 May, so I urgently need my passport to travel. After a long research, I've found out that it's possible to request my passport back without withdrawing my application.

I've filled out the form at https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/outrea ... ments.ofml on 19 April. I didn't get anything even if it was written that they'll send me an auto email. They stated that my passport will be returned within 10 workdays.

On 3 May, I've filled out the form at https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/outrea ... quiry.ofml to learn about the progress, didn't get any email either. When I called 0300 123 2253, they said it might take up to 10 days to get an answer. I urgently need to book my flights and travel on Wednesday (11 May) and I've completely lost my hope about getting any post until then.

My last hope is going to Home Office (I was thinking about Croydon) and asking someone there about collecting my passport in person. Do any of you know if it's possible at all? Do you have any other suggestions that can help me out?

Thank you very much in advance,
Kaan

[noajthan]

On 3 May, I've filled out the form at https://eforms.homeoffice.gov.uk/outrea ... quiry.ofml to learn about the progress, didn't get any email either. When I called 0300 123 2253, they said it might take up to 10 days to get an answer. I urgently need to book my flights and travel on Wednesday (11 May) and I've completely lost my hope about getting any post until then.

My last hope is going to Home Office (I was thinking about Croydon) and asking someone there about collecting my passport in person. Do any of you know if it's possible at all? Do you have any other suggestions that can help me out?

Thank you very much in advance,
Kaan

It's only been 12 working days and there's been a Bank Holiday in between.

Probably a waste of a trip going to Croydon, never seen that reported as working.

Here's a number you can try - dating from 2015:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... -1300.html

[iamkaan]

It's only been 12 working days and there's been a Bank Holiday in between.

Probably a waste of a trip going to Croydon, never seen that reported as working.

Here's a number you can try - dating from 2015:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... -1300.html

12 working days (bank holiday isn't included in this) are already overdue and if you have a conference on 15th working day, it's way overdue. Thanks for the URL but it's about citizenship while I've applied for a Residence Card.

PS: Do you think it still makes sense to file a complaint to parliamentary ombudsman?

[DanChak]

The average wating time to receive your passport back is between 10 and 20 days.
Check this link - http://www.immigrationboards.com/eea-ro ... 19593.html

[noajthan]

It's only been 12 working days and there's been a Bank Holiday in between.

Probably a waste of a trip going to Croydon, never seen that reported as working.

Here's a number you can try - dating from 2015:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... -1300.html

12 working days (bank holiday isn't included in this) are already overdue and if you have a conference on 15th working day, it's way overdue. Thanks for the URL but it's about citizenship while I've applied for a Residence Card.

PS: Do you think it still makes sense to file a complaint to parliamentary ombudsman?

The thread doesn't matter - its a common UKVI system for passports return.
Have you tried the number?

HO aim but don't guarantee return in 10 days.
There's no SLA to hold them too. Website clearly states this.

You need to expect your life is on hold and rotates around HO when migration matters are still in flight.
(EU migration is relatively lightweight and painless compared to UK route but principle is the same).

If business travel is so vital suggest looking into getting second passport.

My family had a much more challenging experience to do with passports;
I didn't bother with ombudsman, I posted the experience here in a long-running forum topic to help fellow members.

[salmintin]

It took 13-14 working days for me

[iamkaan]

The thread doesn't matter - its a common UKVI system for passports return.
Have you tried the number?

HO aim but don't guarantee return in 10 days.
There's no SLA to hold them too. Website clearly states this.

You need to expect your life is on hold and rotates around HO when migration matters are still in flight.
(EU migration is relatively lightweight and painless compared to UK route but principle is the same).

If business travel is so vital suggest looking into getting second passport.

My family had a much more challenging experience to do with passports;
I didn't bother with ombudsman, I posted the experience here in a long-running forum topic to help fellow members.

Do you mean this number: 0300 123 2241? If so, I tried it on the 10th workday, couldn't talk to anybody. After coming through the switchboard till the point 'applied for RC less than 6 months ago', it simply hangs up on me. I was able to talk to someone when I called 0300 123 2253, but they just kept saying was that I need to wait 10 more days after each form. I'll try to call Liverpool HO (0151 672 5626) tomorrow.

[Obie]

If passport is not received within 10 working days, there is a mechanisms for escalating the matter further.

[ohara]

Going to Croydon won't help you - EEA applications seem to be processed in Durham.

I believe I still hold the record for fastest passport return. Mine was EEA3 application which probably helps, I wrote on the return request form that I needed my passport urgently and it arrived on the 4th working day.

[iamkaan]

I'm calling the Liverpool Home Office (0151 672 5626) but it's not even ringing, just hanging up on me after 5 seconds of silence. Any idea why? Do you know if it's their current phone number?

[miraculix]

If passport is not received within 10 working days, there is a mechanisms for escalating the matter further.

Could you explain what the mechanism is?

[miraculix]

02 Feb 2016: Application for res. card and certificate of perm. res. submitted (for my wife and me).
24 Apr 2016: Request to return passports through form.
03 May 2016: Repeated request through form, referencing previous request and citing very urgent family matters
09 May 2016: Filled and submitted "documents not received within 10 working days" form.
11 May 2016: Passports return via signed royal mail.

That's "within 12 working days". Could have been faster, but well done home office.

[iamkaan]

02 Feb 2016: Application for res. card and certificate of perm. res. submitted (for my wife and me).
24 Apr 2016: Request to return passports through form.
03 May 2016: Repeated request through form, referencing previous request and citing very urgent family matters
09 May 2016: Filled and submitted "documents not received within 10 working days" form.
11 May 2016: Passports return via signed royal mail.

That's "within 12 working days". Could have been faster, but well done home office.

congrats!

It means you requested them 5 days after me an got them before. Then there should be something wrong with me. Can it because I need my passport for a business trip?

[maksalty]

Hi iamkaan,

In the end did you manage to get hold of your passport??

The obvious reason of my request, is that I am in the same crap situation but fast forward. Applied in May, received COA 20th of June and reguested my EU passport back on the 24th of June...After countless forms filled and calls to useless people in Liverpool, I still have no my passport and its been over 3 weeks now...

No clue how to get my document back to make for important trip to Europe end of this month??!!

[chinkyjoana]

Hi iamkaan,

Were you able to receive your passport in the end?

Anyone,

Is there any standard processing time upon requesting the passport from home office? I applied for residence card as a wife of EU national and already received my COA. I have requested my passport on 14th of July but i haven't received any auto email. I need my passport this week as I need to travel by 2nd week of August and I will still need to obtain my schengen visa next week. Can someone please advise if there's any way I can speed up the process?

Thanks