Please talk me off the ledge!

Hi All,

Haven't posted much since DH finally found a job around 7 months after his initial arrival.

Now we're about to apply for his ILR (his spousal visa was issued before July 9 2012) and I am SO stressed as today I found out that his passport has just expired. ARGH!!!

He obviously needs a passport for the visa, but he also needs it to take his Life in the UK test...I'm not sure how long passport renewals are taking, but the US embassy website says 4 weeks. His visa expires on 22/09....so we'll be cutting it really fine to get the renewal and take the test. Not sure whether it would be best to get the test done with next week and then send the passport off for renewal or the reverse (he hasn't even begun studying).

Must breathe....

Does he have a UK license?  If so, use that for ID for the test and get the passport sent off ASAP.

https://www.lituktestbooking.co.uk/eass/pdf/dentificationRequirementsV4_4.pdf

Alas, no...I looked into getting him a provisional driving licence...but you have to send your passports *face*palm*

Alas, no...I looked into getting him a provisional driving licence...but you have to send your passports *face*palm*

Ok, I think this is what I would do: Renew the passport. I had to send them additional info and because DX messed up picking up my package/ it was really hard for me to try and arrange to be home all day, the renewal ended up taking like 10 weeks. Once you have the passport, if worse comes to worse, he can apply for FLR (M) to allow him extra time to take the LIUK test... He would then be able to apply for ILR as soon as he took the test. Yes, this would be a very expensive solution to your mistake.

Who knows, if you get on this quickly, there might just about be enough time for both, but if you don't get his passport renewed, he definitely won't be able to do either application or LIUK, and that would be bad!

Can you swing the cost of a premium appointment?  If so, do the test, appointment, and then get the passport off.

If not, you may want to explore an emergency passport...  But I think you need travel booked to get one.

Can he get a provisional licence by applying in person at a local DVLA office?

Can he get a provisional licence by applying in person at a local DVLA office?

If you don't have a UK passport, I believe you still have to send the US passport off to DVLA, even if you have an in-person appointment at a local office.

I recall someone here on the forum applying 'in person' for a provisional licence in London, but I think it still took a couple of weeks or so for her to get her US passport back from DVLA.

Can he get a provisional licence by applying in person at a local DVLA office?

They've closed all of the local offices.

Can't he just wait for his license? I know it'll be a pain but thé wait won't be forever.

Can't he just wait for his license? I know it'll be a pain but thé wait won't be forever.

If he waits for the license, they will have the passport for most of that time. I know an American who recently applied for his provisional. He sent his passport in in March, they sent it back at the end of April, and he still didn't have the actual provisional license by the end of June. So it took at least 3 months to get the provisional license (I haven't seen him since the end of June...) And they had his passport for nearly 2 months.

Get the passport sorted asap, study like crazy. Book the test as soon as he gets it back. Depending on when it comes back, either take the test and apply for ILR, or apply for an extension if there isn't time to take the test.

Get the passport sorted asap, study like crazy. Book the test as soon as he gets it back. Depending on when it comes back, either take the test and apply for ILR, or apply for an extension if there isn't time to take the test.

My strategy is different.  Book the test, study like mad.  Book the in person appointment.  Mail passport immediately after appointment.  While you will have to pay £400 extra for in person, an extension would be £601.

The good news is both strategies work!  Pick what works for you guys.   

Thanks for all your input, everyone! Certainly some ideas to think about.

So I think I might have found a work around -- DH said the passport had expired but when I looked it actually expires October 2014. I found there is a checking service offered by a nearby local authority that takes certified copies, meaning you don't have to send your documents off: http://m.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/settlementcheckingservice#rdaswrnojs1503

The only thing is...will they issue the visa if they're still processing it in, say, November or December and the copy of the passport they have is expired? Would we be able to forward on a certified copy of the new passport at that point?

Trying to avoid paying for the premium service if possible -- our son is still in full-time nursery and summer is expensive due to no early years funding out of term time!

So much for up to date information on government websites! Sorry to post useless information, I do hope you find a solution that works for you

Thanks for all your input, everyone! Certainly some ideas to think about.

So I think I might have found a work around -- DH said the passport had expired but when I looked it actually expires October 2014. I found there is a checking service offered by a nearby local authority that takes certified copies, meaning you don't have to send your documents off: http://m.bracknell-forest.gov.uk/settlementcheckingservice#rdaswrnojs1503

The only thing is...will they issue the visa if they're still processing it in, say, November or December and the copy of the passport they have is expired? Would we be able to forward on a certified copy of the new passport at that point?

Trying to avoid paying for the premium service if possible -- our son is still in full-time nursery and summer is expensive due to no early years funding out of term time!

Ooh, I think that would work!  I'm sure they would just ask for a certified copy of the new passport.

Now I have to ask where you are.  I'm in Wokingham!   

 

Now I have to ask where you are.  I'm in Wokingham!   

Howdy neighbor! We're in Reading -- moved here in March from Lincolnshire to take up a new job and so DH could be closer to London. My son is about to start at a school that is actually Wokingham BC-run

Re: the checking service, I'm going to see if there's a way to check it over with UKBA before we go ahead. Please send some positive vibes our way!