To want our passports back from the HomeOffice

[smashedinductionhob]

I mean the Government Home Office, not the little room in your house.:)

Dh has indefinite leave to remain here and has lived here since 1995 and worked here since 2000.

We sent off the forms to get him citizenship on 10th Feb together with both our passports.

I thought it would be like passport renewal where the first thing that happens is that they return your documents. But it seems not. You can't speak to anyone and there is a rather fierce form for getting your docs back that says they will only send them back if they cancel the application.

Is anyone going through this process or works in the system? We want to go on holiday in May and July!

[akpounce]

It can take six months, I'm sure it says that online and I know someone who's documents were lost but they made her wait until the time frame was up before she could call and ask them to investigate. I really don't think a month is long at all, the usual is about 3-4 I believe.

[smashedinductionhob]

Bloody hell! Why don't they return the docs earlier like with passports?

It seems a bit crap I can't get mine back when I'm British.

[Eminado]

I think your panic is unrealistic sorry. 6 months is the stated processing time. It's nothing to do with how long you've been in the country - why do you think it does? They are just really busy.

On the plus side:

1.they do try to call you if there is an issue.

1. We got everything back within 3 months.
   

Why are you getting so worked up so soon?

[akpounce]

I don't know :( I think when I got my indefinite leave to remain that my documents showed up pretty much at the same time as my card.

If you are on Facebook there is a great group of ladies called American Expat Women in the UK. Not sure where your husband is from but they are great with advice for expats.

[smashedinductionhob]

I'm worked up because we supposed to be making travel plans now and I thought they would operate like the passport service :(

[smashedinductionhob]

"If you are on Facebook there is a great group of ladies called American Expat Women in the UK. Not sure where your husband is from but they are great with advice for expats."

That's a great tip, thanks.

[channing55]

You have to request return of your passports with the tracking number you sent the supplementary documents with. That is what I have been told anyway.

[smashedinductionhob]

Thanks channing

[BoboChic]

The whole thing where you have to send in original travel documents is outrageous and emblematic of the crazy ignorance of the reality of modern lifestyles by the retrograde narrow minded Home Office who seem to think people barely leave the country save for an annual week on the Costa del Sol. Grrr.

[smashedinductionhob]

Thanks Bobochic.

There can be no reason to hold on to the docs for the whole period.

[akpounce]

Well I think you can pay extra and go to the checking service and then you don't have to send in original documents. Unless that isn't true for citizenship. But then are you able to leave the country while citizenship is pending? I'm not sure

[BoboChic]

I completely agree. It's monstrous authoritarianism and abuse of power. I am outraged on behalf of anyone whose legitimate freedoms are being withheld by the Home Office in this way.

[smashedinductionhob]

I may tell them that Bobo.

They'll be quaking in their boots I tell you, quaking....

[charlestonchaplin]

Yes, what about the nationality checking service? Why send your valuable documents off if you don't need to? I can't really advise you as my experience is probably out of date but if the Home Office has had cause to look into your situation previously then you may not have to wait too long. I got my citizenship in exactly ten working days but I suspect the Home Office already had a file on me.

[smashedinductionhob]

We didn't see anything about that.

DH says he did send off an SAE for the return of the docs.

Well that 's alright then......

[Imamouseduh]

You only sent them in February? They had mine for nearly 6 months so good luck getting them back anytime soon.

[smashedinductionhob]

oh fuck a duck.

Where are you/your partner from?

[Lunde]

Wow that sounds really slow and inefficient

When I applied for Swedish citizenship you have to send your original passport but you can have it back once your file has been registered if you ask - I was going to do this but in the end my citizenship only took 12 days to process

[triedandrusted]

They had ours for 6 months. We didn't dare ask for them back in case they cancelled the application and we had to pay all that money (£1000 or more it was) again.

[smashedinductionhob]

Oh bloody hell.

DH is supposed to be organising a conference in Brazil in July (and I want to go, and it is bloody expensive).

Tried, it's impossible to work out whether the asking for passports back thing automatically loses you our £1200 or whether they warn you isn't it? :(

[HeartsTrumpDiamonds]

What on earth happens to people who have to travel all the time for work?? Ridiculous system.

[Almostfifty]

If you get nowhere with getting them back from the Home Office, you could always get second passports.

[ItsAllGoingToBeFine]

It's actually a very sensible system if you consider that the UK doesn't really want to give citizenship to random foreigners. If you make the system as difficult / frustrating / expensive as possible you can "encourage" these foreigners to settle elsewhere, and hopefully take their traitorous families with them.

OP that sucks for you, but from what I have heard I would put any travel plans on hold for at least six months as they will take any opportunity to cancel your application.

[akpounce]

I am pretty sure it cancels your application and you lose the money. I hope the process is quick for you though.

[allegretto]

What a terrible system. I hope you get them back in time OP.