Passports tied up in visa processing

Any advice appreciated...I'm here in Germany as a military spouse, and had to apply for visas for myself and two kids to relocate to the UK.  The military passport office advised that I had to apply for the visas online, and it should take a week to get them.  Well, I went through all the steps to submit, sent them by courier, and just learned that it will take eight weeks to get these visas and all my documents back (passports, birth certs, etc.).  I'm supposed to move in four weeks.  The consulate is using an answering service, they are completely unhelpful...They said even if I go there in person no one is going to 'dig through' to find my packet.  The e-mail addresses and fax numbers for complaints are all nonfunctioning.  I feel like I'm totally trapped...If anyone has any advice I'd sure appreciate it!!! 

What kind of visas are you applying for?   Are you relocating with your spouse to a base in the UK?  Or something else?

5 year visit visas...My husband is active duty military and being assigned there, but only the family members need visas.  Thanks!

Just keep calling, I usually stalk the people I need to get in touch with    The best bet is to call exactly first thing in the morning as soon as the office opens...

Which base are you relocating to just out of interest?

5 year visit visas...My husband is active duty military and being assigned there, but only the family members need visas.  Thanks!

That's fine.  Send them a fax with all the details therein...

Just keep calling, I usually stalk the people I need to get in touch with    The best bet is to call exactly first thing in the morning as soon as the office opens...

Which base are you relocating to just out of interest?

We're going to Mildenhall!  I'll be glad to get there, but it sure isn't easy...

That's fine.  Send them a fax with all the details therein...

That's an interesting part of the problem...They provide two e-mail addresses and two fax numbers for complaints / issues, none of the methods functioning (you get failure notices from the e-mail addresses and no answer on the fax machines)...

That's an interesting part of the problem...They provide two e-mail addresses and two fax numbers for complaints / issues, none of the methods functioning (you get failure notices from the e-mail addresses and no answer on the fax machines)...

I just dialed the fax and got through immediately.  are you using 488190?