My not-so-great experience at the Embassy in London

Hi all,

So, a few months back, I went to the US embassy in London to get my son's birth registered and to arrange his US passport. His father is British and I followed the advice given on the site about filling out the application. I sent in all of the paperwork in advance of the appointment as requested. Unfortunately, on the day of our appointment, my son's application for his US passport was rejected and I was told that I needed to supply my expired passports or apply to the US Borders Protection Agency for a record of my exits and entries to/from the US. This was due to their doubt that I had spent ONE continuous year of my life in the US which would have made my son ineligible for US citizenship by descent (this is true only for those children with one US parent for anyone who might panic when they read this).

I answered all of the questions asked honestly and as fully as I could. I listed, as requested, every holiday or exit from the US as best I could. I took three childhood trips to the Caribbean with my parents and the fact that I could not give exact dates (we're talking 30 years ago) was seen as suspicious. From there, I was grilled and finally, they stated that they did not believe that I had spent enough time in the US even though I've spent AT LEAST 20 years of my life there without any interruption of any kind. Luckily, I had an old passport that I could produce to prove my case and the passport was eventually granted. It did, however, mean that I had to delay a trip to the US that I was in the beginning stages of planning.

My experience seems to be very unusual. I have looked on this site and have not found anyone having any such trouble. While I'm glad to hear that things generally go smoothly for people, I thought I would relate this case so that if any of you are considering going and have spent a few years overseas already, I would make sure to keep any expired passports and perhaps bring them along on the day. I wish I had brought mine because the whole experience was quite humiliating, to be honest. At one point the embassy official questioning me told me I was smirking which I most certainly wasn't. If anything, I found the further questioning very nerve-wracking and this seemingly caused me to give off lying vibes! Again, this seems to be a VERY UNUSUAL experience and while I have always thought that I come across as an honest person, clearly to the person questioning me I did not agree 

So, my advice is to keep any expired passports JUST IN CASE. The embassy only gives you 90 days to produce further evidence and if you don't have the expired passports you must write to the US Border Protection Agency. Their process of producing the record of exits and entries takes approximately four months to put together. I guess I also just wanted to get this off my chest. My British partner was with me at the time and he couldn't believe that I was being treated like this by my own country.

Aw- Thanks for posting this.  I've only been here 7 months but I'll bring all that extra stuff just in case- and I'll pack my thick skin as well! Sorry you had just a negative experience.  Tell your DH that  Americans do a really good job at treating each other nasty sometimes!

Wow. So sorry to hear about your rotten experience.  But you're right, it is a good idea to keep copies of old passports. You never know when or where you may need to access the information about your travels.

Hope you're able to get his passport once you've secured your supporting documentation.

When we did our daughters 2 years ago all they wanted to see was my old passport, it was on the list of stuff to bring with us so I had it. Luckily I hadn't left the US until I was 17 (Canada), but they still wanted to see all my entries & exits from my travels.

Sorry you had a difficult experience shannuni...at least you're now prepared for the next time 

What's annoying about this is that you can't always keep your old passports. I know my first passport was not returned when I renewed it in my 20s.

I registered both my kids at the US Embassy in London and I'm now wondering why you had such a hard time because I sure don't recall having to provide the dates of my travels abroad when I was a teenager and in my 20s. I certainly couldn't recall those dates, wouldn't have had that passport, and never got a record of my exits and entries.

Very weird.

Wow, that's ridiculous.  Although, I have to say I really haven't been pleased with the US Embassy any time I have needed any information or anything from them.  It's just silly.  I'm sorry you had such a hard time!!

That is extremely strange!  I just registered DS about a month ago and I wasn't asked to see my old passport (I did bring it with me as it is listed on the required documents).

I was worried because I lived in Italy for 3 years and it said I would need to show my military documents proving where I was stationed and for how long.  I don't have these documents in my possession so I didn't bring them...but I wasn't asked to show them.

I couldn't remember the exact dates of my international travelling but I guessed on the application.  They then questioned me on all the dates I had put on the application and I told them I estimated because I wasn't certain (i.e. summer of 1999, winter of 2002, etc.).

I was questioned for a quite awhile about my childhood and what I did after high school and things like that.  They also spent a few minutes asking about how I met DH and our relationship.

I think I got asked what my high school colors and school mascot were and that was it. So weird.

Yes, I have to say, I already realise that my experience there was not at all the norm which makes me feel all the worse in a way because I feel singled out. I don't want to scare anyone who has yet to do this....just to let them know. I didn't think I had ANY of my old passports so when I found one of my previous ones in my sock drawer after taking the house apart, I was so relieved. I only mention it because it's pure chance I kept it. I never would have thought I would need it. I guess I wasn't thinking 'one day I'll have a child abroad and will need to prove that I am an American citizen who actually resided in America and so, this will come in handy' 

I had to answer all those questions about high school, school mascots,etc. That was all answered and the first person who questioned me seemed happy with my answers. I was questioned by three different people. I have traveled a bit and lived overseas a bit but, like a said, I also lived MANY years of my live in the US. I never thought this would be an issue. So, just a heads up. Maybe I just got an overeager embassy official. Or, like I said, my nerves conveyed something off. Either way, I was very upset by being told I was smirking and the implication that I was somehow lying about my time in the US.

So sorry you had to deal with that. That really sucks as it's stressful enough without all that.

Thanks for the heads up; sorry to hear that you didn't have a good experience. 

I think I got asked what my high school colors and school mascot were and that was it. So weird.

I don't even remember my high school mascot.  I remember our colors, but not the animal.

Thanks for the commiserations, folks. It helps, believe it or not.

As for school mascots, somehow, in the recesses of my memory, the emblem came into my mind. It shocked the hell out of me: I paid attention to alot of things in high school, but varsity wasn't one of them.

Oh No! I just realized I have an old passport I forgot completely about! When I was 3 months old my father was stationed in Korea so my mom and I joined him for a year and a half.  It's the only traveling I ever did with it- and I have no idea if my parents even have it anymore... Ugh- now I'm stressing.

Hi Smashley,

Sorry, I didn't mean to stress anyone although I fully realise that that is what happens when you post about bad experiences. Please be assured that my experience is highly unusual as you'll see from other posters. At any rate, it doesn't matter which expired passport you have. If you have ANY old passport showing time in the US than that's fine. Also, if your current passport shows a continuous year of residence in the US than you really have no cause for concern. My current passport only covers my period of time away from the US. Even if you don't have a current passport covering time in the US they will probably take you at your word. My experience was highly out of the ordinary.

I'm sure it will be fine-    I hope.. I'm glad it's come up really, means it won't knock me for a loop when we go and register the new babs.