citizenship ceremony then emergency travel docs or passport

[dilmundesert]

Greetings- will attending the citizenship ceremony soon in London but have a problem: I need emergency travel docs because a 1st UK passport is going to take 4-6 weeks. I don't want to use my current passport because of stamp/visa issues to country I'm traveling to.
Will I stand a chance of quickly being issued emergency travel docs in London? based on my citizenship certificate, while I start the process of getting the real passport???

[Backer]

Which country are you travelling to and why will you have visa issues?

[Greenie]

What is the nature of the emergency?

[dilmundesert]

What is the nature of the emergency?

For both posters above, thanks for replies- the following all apply (1 and 2 are urgent):

1. I want to go to a country on holiday that once entered makes it impossible to go to another country due to the political differences;
2. I also need to register to live in an EU country and therefore need the UK passport as they won't recognize the citizen certificate given to me at the ceremony;
3. I also want to use one passport for certain travel and the other one for other destinations, for convenience and e.g. Australia, I'll use my aussie passport, not the UK one.


(For the those who have picked up that I said I was a UK citizen in a previous thread, it was a foregone conclusion based on approval- but have only just finalized the date of the ceremony with one of the local councils).

I used the term emergency loosely I agree- its not a matter of life and death- just a requirement to use my rights as a UK citizen in traveling abroad as well as registering to live in an EU country without having to wait what could be longer than 6 weeks if the waiting times to date are anything to go by.

So with all that as a background, am I able to obtain an 'emergency' or probably better described as a temporary set of travel documents with which I can:
1. travel to another country?;
2. use to register as living in another EU country?

[Jambo]

No one would give you a temporary travel document if you haven't had a passport before. First time passport application takes longer to be issued due to identify checks so why would IPS issue you a different document without checking your identity.
Apply for a passport immediately after the citizenship ceremony. Passport applications can take a short as 2 weeks. Just phone IPS a week after applying to check if an interview letter has been issued. In that case, ask for the reference and book an interview as soon as possible (you might need to travel further out if you want an early date). You should get the passport 2-3 days after the interview.

[Greenie]

What is the nature of the emergency?

For both posters above, thanks for replies- the following all apply (1 and 2 are urgent):

1. I want to go to a country on holiday that once entered makes it impossible to go to another country due to the political differences;
2. I also need to register to live in an EU country and therefore need the UK passport as they won't recognize the citizen certificate given to me at the ceremony;
3. I also want to use one passport for certain travel and the other one for other destinations, for convenience and e.g. Australia, I'll use my aussie passport, not the UK one.


(For the those who have picked up that I said I was a UK citizen in a previous thread, it was a foregone conclusion based on approval- but have only just finalized the date of the ceremony with one of the local councils).

I used the term emergency loosely I agree- its not a matter of life and death- just a requirement to use my rights as a UK citizen in traveling abroad as well as registering to live in an EU country without having to wait what could be longer than 6 weeks if the waiting times to date are anything to go by.

So with all that as a background, am I able to obtain an 'emergency' or probably better described as a temporary set of travel documents with which I can:
1. travel to another country?;
2. use to register as living in another EU country?

basically, there is absolutely no emergency. i agree with Jambo, you would not get an emergency travel document in your circumstances.

[dilmundesert]

No one would give you a temporary travel document if you haven't had a passport before. First time passport application takes longer to be issued due to identify checks so why would IPS issue you a different document without checking your identity.
Apply for a passport immediately after the citizenship ceremony. Passport applications can take a short as 2 weeks. Just phone IPS a week after applying to check if an interview letter has been issued. In that case, ask for the reference and book an interview as soon as possible (you might need to travel further out if you want an early date). You should get the passport 2-3 days after the interview.

righto, thanks- so the holiday is now officially cancelled as I won't risk the stamp in the other passport where the visa for the political foe is located.....

you sound quite positive about 2 weeks- are you?, everywhere I turn it says 4-6 weeks and with a roll of the eyes being told don't count even on even 6 weeks........perhaps thats because I'm talking to people about applying from outside the UK?

are you saying 2 weeks from within the UK then?

A.) If its only 2 weeks does anybody know where I rush off to in a taxi to submit in London? I need a british referee but that can be organized.

My real concern/ problem is I need to rejoin my family in the Netherlands as soon as possible after the ceremony- I can't leave them stranded there on their own while I hang out in London and [maybe] get it in 2 weeks, possibly 6 or more weeks who knows ].

B.) The FCO web site says to apply from the Netherlands it needs to be sent to the British Consulate in Paris....... so unless anyone can suggest a better route to get this done, that is what I'll have to do- that means I can't travel anywhere until the blokes in Paris are done and send back my aus passport.

Is that the way its going to have to work? A or B folks?

[Jambo]

OK. Did not realise you are not in the UK.
As you need to send your current passport with the UK passport application, then applying in the UK is not an option. I'm afraid you will need to wait as long as it takes from the Netherlands.

[dilmundesert]

OK. Did not realise you are not in the UK.
As you need to send your current passport with the UK passport application, then applying in the UK is not an option. I'm afraid you will need to wait as long as it takes from the Netherlands.

Jambo, so I'm re-thinking this- I'm going back to the UK soon to do the ceremony (travel around quite a lot) - are you serious about the 2 weeks, if so then it may be worth staying in London until it comes back- if its only 2 weeks then we will do that rather.....
??

[Casa]

You can't rely on it being 2 weeks. It could be 4 or 6...depending on the level of applications which are generally higher during the summer holiday months. As you've already been advised, you'll need an interview first.

[Jambo]

It can take 2 weeks (personal experience) but this is not guaranteed. Also, if you have not lived in the UK, the identity checks might take longer. I suggest you contact IPS (the passport service) and check with them on this point. Also as mentioned here, summer months might incur an additional delay. You should not book any travel back before you get your documents.

The process to get a first time passport is :
1. You apply
2. You application is processed, your documents examined. If successful, an interview letter is issued and your documents are returned to you by post.
3. You receive the interview letter and phone up to book an appointment.
4. Interview.
5. Passport printed and sent to you.

Point 2 usually takes about a week (this is the case for most people posting their timeline in the passport timelines thread. Point 5 takes 3-4 days. If you are lucky, you can reduce point 3,4 to a minimum.

If you want to try this option, This is why I would advise you to do:
- First, you will need to have an address in the UK for your documents + new passport to be sent to. Can be a friend's address.
- Apply using the Post Office "Check & Send" service. This is available in many Post Office branches. The PO staff go over you application to verify if it filled according to guidelines and they send it directly to be processed. They will give you a tracking code for the application.
- A week after, phone the IPS (the number is on the receipt you get from the PO) and ask for the status of your application. If it is not in the system yet, phone the next day. If you are in the system, ask for the reference number to book an interview. You don't need to wait for the letter to arrive. All you need is the reference number.
- Call to book the interview (a different number from the one to check the status). The London office usually has a backlog of about 7-10 days so if you want a next day interview (you need to allow 24 hours from the booking until the interview), you might need to go to an office outside London (try Luton, Reading).

If you are lucky, it will take 2 weeks.

Your call.

[dilmundesert]

Thanks everyone, especially Jambo for the detailed responses- (I've noticed too on the sticky that 2 weeks is achievable).

I may get the originals back after maybe 1 week including my aus passport- is that right?

In that case if theres a need for any urgent travel, e.g. hop back to the Netherlands for a day or 2, I can do this when I get my aus passport back?

[Jambo]

I would say more likely 10 days to 2 weeks for you documents as it takes time for IPS to dispatch them and then for them to be delivered (you can pay extra for special delivery of your documents but even with that it takes a few days to get them).
But yes - once you get your aus passport back, you can go to the Netherlands and come back for the interview or more likely go back after the interview and have your friend keep the passport when it arrives.

[vinny]

1. I want to go to a country on holiday that once entered makes it impossible to go to another country due to the political differences;

Which countries are you referring to?

[mrsi]

It can take 2 weeks (personal experience) but this is not guaranteed. Also, if you have not lived in the UK, the identity checks might take longer. I suggest you contact IPS (the passport service) and check with them on this point. Also as mentioned here, summer months might incur an additional delay. You should not book any travel back before you get your documents.

The process to get a first time passport is :
1. You apply
2. You application is processed, your documents examined. If successful, an interview letter is issued and your documents are returned to you by post.
3. You receive the interview letter and phone up to book an appointment.
4. Interview.
5. Passport printed and sent to you.

Point 2 usually takes about a week (this is the case for most people posting their timeline in the passport timelines thread. Point 5 takes 3-4 days. If you are lucky, you can reduce point 3,4 to a minimum.

If you want to try this option, This is why I would advise you to do:
- First, you will need to have an address in the UK for your documents + new passport to be sent to. Can be a friend's address.
- Apply using the Post Office "Check & Send" service. This is available in many Post Office branches. The PO staff go over you application to verify if it filled according to guidelines and they send it directly to be processed. They will give you a tracking code for the application.
- A week after, phone the IPS (the number is on the receipt you get from the PO) and ask for the status of your application. If it is not in the system yet, phone the next day. If you are in the system, ask for the reference number to book an interview. You don't need to wait for the letter to arrive. All you need is the reference number.
- Call to book the interview (a different number from the one to check the status). The London office usually has a backlog of about 7-10 days so if you want a next day interview (you need to allow 24 hours from the booking until the interview), you might need to go to an office outside London (try Luton, Reading).

If you are lucky, it will take 2 weeks.

Your call.

i foned IPS earlier this morning regarding passport application status as i got my documents back today but no interview letter so i foned them and asked them for reference number they said they are not allowed to give that on the fone so wait until the letter arrives is their any other number from where you can get reference number as you mentioned

[Jambo]

No other phone number. They might have changed their policy and stopped providing the reference number over the phone as there have been several reports similar to yours recently.

You can try and call again and see if a different perosn would give you the ref number.

[mrworld9]

Syed Ali only phoned in last week and got his reference number over the phone. I don't think there have been any changes in policy. It just depends on who you get on the phone. Not everybody knows what they are doing in the call center as you could have gathered when dealing with HO concerning updates on BC application. I would advise you try again as Jambo said.

[mrsi]

THANKYOU guys soooo much for your very helpful replies basically i just foned them again and they gave me reference number .really appreciate for your effort guys jus going to book for interview now gud luk everyone cheerz

[lastlap]

Called the passport number line. After taking the caller through a number of automated extension choices on the phone, finally asked to press the extension number 2 in case you have applied through the post office 'check and send service'. Then an automated message further asks you to only press the number zero and be connected to an operator, if it has been at least 2 weeks since you sent in the application.

Pressed the option zero anyway and was connected to a very grumpy telephone operator, who refused to even check as she stated it has been less than two weeks since I had submitted my application. Again called the pp number to be yet again given the same answer, this time by a different operator. The third time I called, I was informed that the system is down and to call later.

Anyone called the number 0300 222 0000 the last week or this week and was successful in getting his/her reference number, though been less than 2 weeks since he/she made his/her passport application through the post office 'check and send service'? And is there any other telephone number through which one can check whether one's application has been uploaded on the system?

[lastlap]

Some tips if you have applied for a passport and want to inquire the reference number on the phone.

The person who takes the call would ask you whether it has been more than 2 weeks since you applied for the passport. If you tell him/her it's been less than two weeks, the person taking the call would not check your progress of the application and most probably terminate the call.

Therefore, tell him/her that it has been some days since the application and you have the bar code number with you (since you had jotted down this number in your diary), but you don't exactly remember the exact date when you send in the application. So he/she would then be left with no alternative but to check your progress on the system.

Once he/she asks for your details to go check your application, casually slip in the fact (in a friendly manner) that you know the application has gone to XYZ center for verification (this information you receive when you make an online inquiry after submitting your application and get a reply via an e-mail) and then ask whether any reference number has been generated vis-a-vis your application. If he/she states a letter would be soon send out to you regarding the reference number, thank her for the info. but request the person to also verify the reference number to you on the phone itself.