Embassy Appointment Advice

Hi everyone,

I'm having grief trying to get an embassy appointment to register my child's birth. This is important because we plan to go to USA next year AND we really need the additional stimulus money for children born in 2021. She won't be able to receive it without a SSN.

So how do people get embassy appointments? They're impossible to get. I read somewhere there's possibly a Whatsapp group.

Also, my wife needs a passport appointment. Seems a waste to have completely separate appointments and makes sense to do them both on the same day, especially travelling all the way to London. Can somebody make some sense of this statement on the booking site for me? The two sentences seem to completely conflict one another to me. Each family member must book an individual appointment but then you have the option of booking another individual?

"Each family member seeking a service related to passports or birth registration should make an individual appointment. At the time you receive your appointment confirmation page to print, you also will be offered the option to make a separate appointment for another individual."

Thanks in adavnce.

I read that as you can't have a joint appointment (2 people in one time slot) but once you've booked one, you can then book the next person presumably/hopefully for the following slot.

I read that as you can't have a joint appointment (2 people in one time slot) but once you've booked one, you can then book the next person presumably/hopefully for the following slot.

Do you think these could be a mixture? i.e. one appointment for passport and the next for registering a birth abroad? There are actually passport appointments available at the moment

They had LOADS of CRBA's yesterday for today, tomorrow, and the next two weeks.

They had LOADS of CRBA's yesterday for today, tomorrow, and the next two weeks.

PM me and I'll hook you up with the details on how to know when they are released

I noticed A LOT more were booked up today.


Thanks KF. Messaging now

Do you think these could be a mixture? i.e. one appointment for passport and the next for registering a birth abroad? There are actually passport appointments available at the moment

I honestly don't now but could you book one and if you don't get the other one you want, cancel the fist one?

So, I just booked an appointment for my wife's passport and it just sends you back to the main appointment screen which is disappointing

So, I just booked an appointment for my wife's passport and it just sends you back to the main appointment screen which is disappointing

You can piggy back a passport renewal on a CRBA but you CANNOT piggyback a CRBA on a renewal.  You can always ask nicely on the day... but don't know anyone who has managed...

Can your wife not renew her passport by post? I'm sure you've thought of that option already but if she's eligible - most adults are - that would obviously mean you only needed the one appointment.

Can your wife not renew her passport by post? I'm sure you've thought of that option already but if she's eligible - most adults are - that would obviously mean you only needed the one appointment.

Ordinarily yes but we need a name change so it has to be in-person with evidence job. A literal new passport application. Unfortunately.

Ordinarily yes but we need a name change so it has to be in-person with evidence job. A literal new passport application. Unfortunately.

A name change in a US passport does not usually require an in-person appointment.... while it is a new passport application, the majority of people on the forum have done their name changes by post.

I'm looking on the US Embassy website and I'm not seeing anything about needing to apply in person for a name change. As long as all of the following apply, you can do the passport application by post (https://uk.usembassy.gov/u-s-citizen-services/u-s-passports/renew-an-adult-passport/):

Eligibility
You may renew by mail if all of the following applies:

Your passport is:
- Undamaged;
- Issued within the last 15 years;
- Issued with a 10 year validity; and
- Issued in your current name or you have changed your name since your passport was issued and can submit legal documentation to prove this change.

Or is there something special about this particular type of name change which requires an in-person appointment?

I’ve most commonly seen Americans who have renewed their passport in their maiden name to not have to change BRP be affected. If you’ve renewed since the “event” (marriage) then it bumps you to needing to appear in person to change the name. It’s a bit silly but we all know these things are a bit silly…

It’s when you fill out the form that it stops you.  Give it a whirl and your expert opinion ksand if you want.  We all trust you the most!

When I married, I changed my first middle and surnames. I did it by post. This was in 2014 and soon after I married. I did the deed poll to change all three names about a month after I married. I’m aware that times change and this may no longer apply…


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I’ve most commonly seen Americans who have renewed their passport in their maiden name to not have to change BRP be affected. If you’ve renewed since the “event” (marriage) then it bumps you to needing to appear in person to change the name. It’s a bit silly but we all know these things are a bit silly…

It’s when you fill out the form that it stops you.  Give it a whirl and your expert opinion ksand if you want.  We all trust you the most!

I wasn’t sure if there was a circumstance in which you needed to apply in person for a name change as I don’t recall people having to go in person before - sounds like it could be required in this case after all though.


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I enquired to a contact email for the London US Embassy (passport and citizenship unit). They actually replied to me...pretty fast too!

Their reply in response to mail applications regarding our issue was "in your specific case, the document you would require is a name change deed poll. If you do not wish to obtain a deed poll, you will need to attend an appointment in person. At the appointment, you would need to present evidence of your middle name, such as a birth certificate or government issued I.D. (i.e. previous US passport or foreign passport".

We obviously don't have or need a name change deed poll as nothing is changing.