2014-06-09 18:54:19 +0100
To: Her Majesty`s Passport Office
Get our expat families home for the summer
Dear Minister
.Passports only issued in UK for expats living abroad is not working>
The reason behind the delays is that all applications for overseas passports are now processed by HM Passport Office in the UK. Previously, overseas applications were handled by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office's seven regional processing centres in Düsseldorf, Hong Kong, Madrid, Paris, Pretoria, Washington and Wellington.
Passports take about three weeks to be processed for those living in the UK. But for overseas applicants the wait is at least six weeks and first-time applications can take eight weeks or more.
I would like someone to look at this situation and not treat expats any differently to all UK citizens.
Why is this important?
Our Grandson was born in Doha on 27 April 2014. His passport was applied for immediately. His parents, my daughter and her husband come home to Wales each summer as soon as school finishes at the end of June. However, all family summer plans including two Weddings will be put at risk if Baby Dylan`s passport does not arrive.That is bad enough but we all need to meet Baby. So many family+friends to be introduced to this "new little person".
If only they could pop to the Post Office or Passport Office to obtain a passport! They are living out of the country but haven`t become criminals or a danger to anyone!
