Aqua credit card -- confirmation of identity/address:

suregena

I was accepted for an Aqua credit card. I mailed back the documents they requested nearly 2 weeks ago to confirm my identity (an actual bank statement, and a copy of my passport as initially copies were okay it said in that letter.)

I got a letter nearly a week ago, returning my documents (only the bank statement, NOT the copy of the passport...) and saying the underwriters would be in touch in 5 to 7 days.

Today I got another letter requesting documents again... the same ones, except under the proof of identity list it looks like, among the other options of things I could send, is to send the ACTUAL passport.

I'm not a British citizen so I do not have a full UK driving license.

Council tax is in my married name, so I could send that, though I wasn't sure if it would look funny (I applied with my maiden name as all my financial/important stuff is under that name as my married name was never legally changed so I remain using my maiden name for official, financial stuff because that is what my name is in my passport. My Indefinite Leave to Remain/Permanent Status permit/visa mentions my husband's name so that ties us together with the married name, I suppose...)

Or, of course, my passport. Only thing is... we're going on holiday 29th June and I am a little worried about sending my passport, though they say they would return it immediately.

Do they often ask for these things two separate times, more or less? Is that common? Should I call them? And do you think sending my passport is the best thing and I shouldn't worry about getting it back in time to go abroad?

And anyone who has done this (sending proof of identity and address twice) how long after before you actually received card/pin? Lots of back and forth mail and post going on here! :think:


Many thanks, all.

spikescot2005

Give them a call and tell them that you sent in the documents and that they had also returned them so know they were received. Let us know what they say.

suregena

spikescot2005 wrote: »

Give them a call and tell them that you sent in the documents and that they had also returned them so know they were received. Let us know what they say.

I just called them and they said it was likely because I only sent a copy of my passport last time which is why they are having me do it again (the last letter didn't indicate that it had to be my actual passport.)

They assure me if I send it recorded that I will get it returned ASAP...

I've got my very important residence permit/visa/etcetera in there so they better return it ASAP... :eek:

On the plus side, they are quite friendly over the phone...

Guess I'll do that and I'll simply have to harass them if I don't get it back within a week or so.

*gulp*

izools

B***ocks to that, I'd never send in my actual passport.

They should accept a certified copy if you get your GP or a Solicitor to sign the photocopy; not 100% sure, ask them if that'd be OK.

Are there no other forms of ID you could send in? You know you shouldn't be using one name for your Council Tax bill and another name for your credit card applicaiton - that is illegal.

You're either Messers X or Messers Y, you can't be X when you feel like it and Y when you don't.

suregena

izools wrote: »

B***ocks to that, I'd never send in my actual passport.

They should accept a certified copy if you get your GP or a Solicitor to sign the photocopy; not 100% sure, ask them if that'd be OK.

Are there no other forms of ID you could send in? You know you shouldn't be using one name for your Council Tax bill and another name for your credit card applicaiton - that is illegal.

You're either Messers X or Messers Y, you can't be X when you feel like it and Y when you don't.

I always use my maiden name... but I didn't set up the council tax, my husband did and put it under his name or they assumed that as we are married. So it is addressed as such.

I've been very careful about not using my married/husband's surname for official stuff. The council tax bill is the only thing I believe is like that. I think, a year into living in the UK, they would not add me onto it (but I needed to get added onto it for visa stuff a few years ago), and my husband had to supply bills with my name (which was difficult at the time as I was in that strange limbo of not able to get a job because I didn't have a NI number, and not able to get a NI number because I didn't have a job)--in the end, we got there, but for some reason my husband's surname got put for my name.

ACTUALLY, this very thing happened recently. I am employed by the NHS. I have been working as my name as in my passport since starting with them in 2008. Upon returning from my maternity leave November 2010, I noticed my payslip had changed from my maiden to my surname... not at all prompted by myself! Very confusing. I've asked them to change it.

My bank account and so forth is my maiden. Everything is. I guess I should fix the council tax bill because I was always under the impression it wasn't a big, bad thing, which is why I never had him see if he could get it changed around, as sometimes I'm addressed either name because I am married to him so have had mail under both names. Not something I do intentionally, you see. Anyway, will get that corrected (if they let me...) ASAP. :embarassed:
Anything I have gone and set up myself has always been the name in my passport. Will try to get that corrected then. Cheers.

I see the post office charges £7 to certify a copy. Eeeegads.

izools

You could just correct the local council, get them to send out a copy bill with the correct name, and fire that off to Aqua instead of your passport (or certified copy thereof)

rodrigopr84

Hi, just take you documents to any Halifax or Bank of scotland branch and they will take a copy and do a stamp on it and put in the internal mail,the aqua card is issued by Bank of Scotland, I have done it with my one, I dont trust post office,good Luck.

suregena

rodrigopr84 wrote: »

Hi, just take you documents to any Halifax or Bank of scotland branch and they will take a copy and do a stamp on it and put in the internal mail,the aqua card is issued by Bank of Scotland, I have done it with my one, I dont trust post office,good Luck.

Okay... so far today I have gone into these places and tried asking if they could certify a copy of my passport:
Bank (mine and Halifax): They said no.
Post Office: They said no.
GP: They said no.

Yes, so, er, I give up. I'm either going to have to wait for Council Tax to mail out a new statement with my corrected name on it, or send in my passport.
Blah!

suregena

Just to update (though I know no one cares :P)...


I just felt sick over the idea of sending my passport, so I began to call all sorts of solicitors. Several said they only sign/certify copies of passports if "they know you" but I found one right in my town who did it for £5.

I sent everything off again and received everything back today (three days later) with the standard letter that they forwarded everything to the Underwriting Team and I would hear back in 7 to 10 business days.

When I hear back from them, how likely is it going to be just a standard letter stating my pin and card are on their way or will it literally be my pin number next I hear from them? At least, what has everyone's experiences with them been?

I guess I am getting a little antsy as we'd like to have it land by June 28th as we go on holiday June 29th (we'd use it to pay for one of our hotels and then pay the balance off in full on the first statement.)

So, I'm just curious what other people's experiences with Aqua RE: receiving the card after proof of identity/address received. They couldn't possibly ask for anything further from me considering I have sent them exactly what they requested of me, so fingers crossed...


Cheers. This forum has been a help and an eye opener and I find myself reading it constantly! I have learned a lot about understanding how the credit system works and it is no longer some abstract thing. And I have done so much for my credit score in just a few months as a result of it. What a handy thing it is!

mauriphonic

Just to update (though I know no one cares :P)...

Please do update, as I've been lurking and watching this one with curiosity. I'm in a fairly similar position, applying to Aqua with no credit history as I'm not long returned from 10 years overseas, except they told me not to worry about getting the passport copy certified. They wrote back with their 'passed to the underwriters.......7-10 days' and then nothing seemed to happen. I'm starting to wonder if the initial acceptance meant very little, and only now do they actually process the application.

Fay_elizabeth

Yes please do keep us updated. I applied for an Aqua card in order to build up my credit history and was accepted after the soft search, sent away passport (actual) and proof of address and got the 'Passed to the underwriters' letter too, this was 5 days ago so I'm keen to know what kind of time scale everything is taking for everybody else.