3 Month Wait (84 days & counting..) for Passport to be Renewed?!

According to my bank, this is what happens when you dispute a charge:
* The customer is given a refund.
* The retailer/service provider has 60 days to prove that they've delivered the goods or service. If they do so, the original amount is charged back to the customer.
* If proof isn't provided within 60 days, the case gets closed and the customer is allowed to keep the refund.

I think there could be 4 possible scenarios for my situation:
1. My application is being processed, the embassy will contest the claim, and provide my bank with proof that my passport is on its way - then I would be re-charged the fee.
2. Application is at the bottom of a pile - the embassy will finally process it, contest the claim, and I'll get re-charged.
3. Embassy can't find my application so the claim can't be contested - I'll keep the refund, and will report the passport as being lost.
4. Bank doesn't get a response from the embassy by mid-Oct - the outcome will be the same as (3).

My friend in Surrey just renewed hers & entire process lasted 2 weeks MAX

Your friend's experience doesn't surprise me at all - obviously, keeping new applicants happy is very important. Who cares about delays to some isolated cases?

Charmaine, if I wasn't repatriating, I'd do exactly the same as you based on your outline.  I do feel I have to behave myself atm... !

Please keep me updated - it would be v interesting if contesting prompts them into action, assuming your file isn't lost. In any case, you'll most definitely have an answer this way - well done!

Charmaine, if I wasn't repatriating, I'd do exactly the same as you based on your outline.  I do feel I have to behave myself atm... !

Please keep me updated - it would be v interesting if contesting prompts them into action, assuming your file isn't lost. In any case, you'll most definitely have an answer this way - well done!

Spot on about keeping new applicants happy - stuff those that are lost! Makes me so angry! 

Just to update....I'm STILL WAITING FOR MY PASSPORT!! GRR! 

Same here (112 days now).

At least we have company:
(comments below taken from Google reviews for the London embassy)
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hedwigaw
4 months ago-
Everything for US passports has been contracted to a third party with no accountability. Trying to contact the embassy is a nightmare and all telephone lines are automated. At this point it seems they have lost my passport. Horrible experience.

Avoid this embassy at all costs if you can and try and go to one where you can actually talk to someone.
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Brenda Brooks
a month ago-
I have been trying to renew my US passport for 3 months!  The Passport Division at the Embassy does not accept ANY phone calls and all of my emails have been answered with the same message - 'Your application is being processed' and 'we cannot check on the status of your application while it is being processed'.  I finally contacted the National Passport Center in the States and they have informed me they have no record of my application in any system in the United States.  Their suggestion was that I contact the London Embassy.  I emailed the Embassy again and guess what their answer was AGAIN...'your application is being processed'....At this point, I have engaged my Senator because it is obvious this won't be resolved any other way.  How sad....
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I am going to consider myself lucky then...

I sent in my US passport renewal stuff second week of August and had new one by 1st of Sept.

No issues what so ever.. I had seen these stories and was dreading how long it would be as like everyone didn't want to be without it for a extended period of time just in case.
My thoughts are with everyone having issues with getting theirs..
x

Just wanted to let everyone know I'm in the same boat. I sent in my passport for a name change and renewal back in March. Still have nothing back. All my e-mails have had similar or the same response, calling the embassy makes you go through automation hell, etc.  However my husband did manage to put me through to a woman at a switchboard by holding down the pound key for a really long time. But she said there was nothing I could do but leave an email again.

The big problem I'm having at the moment is that my passport expired in mid-August. I wrote again to basically ask if I need to inform anyone so I don't get in any kind of trouble (I mean did send it in in plenty of time so I'd hope not) and I was told that no further action was needed. This makes me too nervous to dispute the charge since I'd just be getting back a now expired passport, and I imagine that'd just complicate everything trying to RE-send it in for the same service.

The only actions I think I can do now are:
1) Talk to my immigration lawyer to see if he can do anything (awesome guy but not sure what he can do)

2) Dispute the charges and see what happens

3) See if I can make a in-person appointment with the embassy (pain in the ass and costs alot of money for the trip etc.)

4) Get through to the switchboard again and claim it's an emergency (I don't want to be alarmist but I'm going on 5 months now)

I've gotten a job since I've mailed everything off and managed to wrangle a bank account by jumping through alot of hoops, but I'd REALLY like to go get a license and plan a vacation/visit back to the US.

Welshie86, I was pretty stunned when I read that you had applied in March. So your issue has nothing to do with the passport processing delays (described here) which the embassy claims affected only those applications which were 'accepted' on or after 26th May.
(I have to assume that an application has been accepted once the embassy has charged your bank card.)

I'm now aware of 7 people (including 4 UKY members) who applied before 26th May but are in this situation. I wonder how many others are affected, and why it's acceptable for the embassy to provide a super-efficient service for recent applicants but ignore those who are waiting months for their passports.

Welshie86, if you decide to try for an emergency passport, please let us know what the process is like, and what evidence was required to prove that it's an emergency.

Thanks for the updates! There is comfort in the numbers, so thanks all & Charmaine for the updates.  I wonder how that person found out the Embassy contracted out our passport renewals to a 3rd party?  Pathetic.  My mom suggested I resend my application with a note stating it has been lost & as I've already paid for my renewal no charge should be made.  This is tempting because I feel that they should have somehow recovered the lost data by now & give us some type of update/timescale & if they haven't, it's clearly lost forever & they cannot contact those of us who are waiting because they haven't a clue!  OR, any type of "we can't locate your application" message from them will allow some sort of legal action on OUR parts which they would want to avoid at all costs as that would be a huge PR nightmare for them if we did. They must hate these forums where we can gather & compare our situations!

Whenever I tell my British friends what I'm going through they cannot believe this could happen with a US Embassy!  That or they must think I've done something naughty & the US is withholding my passport for some unknown, dodgy reason..

Welshie - MARCH?!  Oh my...does your passport have your ILR visa in it? (I truly hope not!)  If so, where would you start to get another one in a temp US passport?  I guess I'd call the UK Home Office & see what they say (please say you have photocopies of your ILR)

SF x

Everytime I see an update to this thread, I get all giddy thinking "woo hoo, they've got their passport."  I honestly cannot believe you guys are being treated this way from the US embassy!  Shocking and poor.  We expect this from UKVI, not the USA!

My passport issue is resolved although not in the way I imagined.

In recent years, I’ve been feeling more and more resentful about the time and effort it takes to stay US-compliant – this includes having to keep up-to-date with tax laws in a country that I haven’t lived in for 20 years. (In contrast, my annual UK return takes me around 15 minutes to complete.) Still, giving up my US citizenship to be rid of this reporting burden hadn’t been something I’d seriously considered before.

Ironically, it was my frustrating experience trying to renew my passport that changed my mind. I’ve been less than impressed with the attitude of both the London embassy and the Department of State – their message was pretty clear: “We can’t/won’t help you – go away.”

I’d also found out that I couldn’t open any new accounts at my bank (where I’ve been a customer since 1997). Why? Because I have US citizenship.

So I decided I’d had enough, and applied for renunciation 3 weeks ago. The next day, I received an email from the embassy saying that I was on a waiting list. Another email came 4 days ago, giving me an appointment to take the oath next week.
                         
                                                                           ******************
More irony: 2 days ago, I had a voice mail from the London embassy saying they wanted to speak to me about my passport application! (This was in response to my bank contacting them about my credit card dispute). The fact that they had my mobile number meant that my application wasn’t lost, just in a very deep hole perhaps. When I called, a very apologetic lady told me that – miraculously – my new passport had just been printed, and was on its way to the embassy! Of course I had to tell her that I didn’t need it now.

I asked her why they couldn’t show accurate information regarding the passport processing delays on their website, and why people were (and still are) being kept in the dark about their applications. She didn’t answer any of my questions but asked me to speak to their Information Officer about the lack of (ahem) information when I come in for my renunciation appointment.

Sparklyfairy, Welshie, it’s very likely your applications aren’t lost – just waiting for some attention. Maybe it’s time to call your bank?!

She didn’t answer any of my questions but asked me to speak to their Information Officer about the lack of (ahem) information when I come in for my renunciation appointment.

Irony indeed!  Such an unbelievable lack of help and support is very discouraging.  It does have me wondering if "Information Officer" is in the same category as "Military Intelligence".....

*sigh*

Everytime I see an update to this thread, I get all giddy thinking "woo hoo, they've got their passport."  I honestly cannot believe you guys are being treated this way from the US embassy!  Shocking and poor.  We expect this from UKVI, not the USA!

This is the part that has me worried.  Are we now on the bottom rung of both the US and UK governments as far as support goes? 

US - We don't need to bother with them, they don't live here anymore...

UK - We don't need to bother with them, they're US citizens after all.....

*heavy sigh* 

Wow Charmaine - I'm in utter disbelief how things have panned out on your end! 

You have valid reasons to feel as you do & they shouldn't feel at all surprised that they pushed you to do this.  What happens when you renounce your citizenship? I never realized it was so formal.

I have to say thank you for asking the questions to the Embassy & updating us on here.  Please let us know what happens during your appointment.  I still have to get my daughter's passport renewed & I'll ask where the F*&K is mine?! I will have to try my hardest to keep it civilized, though!

Trust me, I'd go down the path you so nicely paved & fight this through my credit card if I wasn't repatriating.  Nothing surprises me regarding dealing with the US government but it would be my luck that would be just what they needed & put a halt to my husband getting approved. 

Becca, I agree with your post 100%...also wanted to add that anyone thinking their votes count whilst living here are in for a rude surprise..they are only included when the voting is extremely close.  So essentially hardly worth it! 

Hey guys quick update. I was actually wrong about sending my passport in March, it WAS May when that "glitch" apparently happened.

So I called and just waited for the prompt to talk to the operator, she pretty much said I can't talk to the visa office unless I have plans to travel within the next 3 days. She was very adamant about it and said they stopped taking calls 2 1/2 years ago. I'll admit I cried into the phone since my job is putting the pressure on me to show them my passport since I'm done with the training period now, and I'm worried they'll let me go if I put it off much longer. But she said there was no one I could even talk to about it. Apparently it's not an emergency if your passport is still processing. She seemed a little concerned when I said it expired last month, but there is just nothing she can do for me and just no one that can help me there.

So, I'm gonna e-mail Matthew Barzun the US Ambassador to the UK. His email was surprisingly hard to find, and hopefully I have the right one. So just going to see if he messages back.

Contact the congressperson and/or senator for the state of your last residence.  Maybe we should all do that.