Passport problems

lawrenson

Hi, my cousin has a passport problem. Looking for any advice to move forward at this point please.
My cousin has lived in the USA for over 30 years. She holds dual nationality and is married to an American. Almost all her family live in the UK.
She and hubby have decided to leave the USA and move to France. She is spending at least a month in the UK "on the way" to visit family.
She has an American passport but didn't renew her British one.
She started in October trying to renew it, from her Florida address. Surprisingly, she sold her home very quickly, and is therefore in the UK now.
The passport office closed her application 2 weeks ago. We are not clear why. She has requested that the documents they hold for her (birth certificate,  marriage and divorce certificates) get returned to my address, which is where she is staying.
I sent a letter in with a bank statement showing proof I live there. She sent a letter in requesting the address change.
However the passport office now say that they need proof of her living at my address, a bill or similar, or they will return the documents to her sold florida home.
What can we do at this point to get her documents please?

eskbanker

The process as seen from the HMPO perspective, including evidential requirements and clarification about why controls need to be tight, is described at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/delivery-addresses-for-passports-and-documents/delivery-addresses-for-passports-and-documents-accessible#when-customers-change-their-residential-address and other sections of that document.  Maybe an in person appointment at a passport office?

lawrenson

Thank you for the reply.
Unfortunately she can't sign up for anything (bank account etc) because they have all her proof of identity documents.
What could she use as proof please?

TELLIT01

Would the passport office accept a photograph of her holding a utility bill outside your property?

lawrenson

Lol. It might come to that.

marcia_

 She could put herself on the electoral register and request proof from the council she has done so. 

NoodleDoodleMan

Years ago our local Member of Parliament told us that an approach from an MP gets priority response from the Passport Office as routine.

The problem here I suspect would be that your cousin is not a constituent of any MP - but they might take up an enquiry on your behalf based on her staying with you ?

smudge56

Your cousin will have to write a statement- with a wet signature (not an email) and send it to the address they sent their documents to.
This is the examiner instructions:

When the ‘care of’ address is another residential address

If the customer asks us to deliver their passport (or supporting documents) to an alternative residential address, where they do not live, you must ask for written confirmation from:

• the customer (if the alternative address was not given when they sent in their application

• the owner or occupier stating they will accept delivery

The owner or occupier must also send us evidence to confirm their link to that address, for example a utility bill showing their name and address.

When you receive the letter from the customer (if one is needed), you must:

1. Check the customer’s signature is genuine (where needed).

2. Check the address exists using online sources (where possible).

3. Scan the letter onto the system (if the application in on AMS).

4. Add a case note to record your decision.

5. Update the customers address on the system by:

This is HMPO guidance that the examiner should be following. If she had provided this - a phone call or email to remind them of their own guidance would be advisable 

Brie

fyi - the passport office might be a bit overwhelmed with other work possibly?  I know that there's something going on with e-visas currently.  Not sure where that lands specifically but the work is supposed to be finished by the end of March and many of us haven't even submitted any paperwork yet.

Voyager2002

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Years ago our local Member of Parliament told us that an approach from an MP gets priority response from the Passport Office as routine.

The problem here I suspect would be that your cousin is not a constituent of any MP - but they might take up an enquiry on your behalf based on her staying with you ?

Yes: I do have fairly recent experience of this. If she had never lived in the UK then your MP could take up the case for her. If she was ever included on the electoral register in the UK then she needs to make contact with the MP who now represents her last UK address, briefly explain the position, and ask for help.

Perhaps the starting point should be finding out why her application was closed: she does after all have a right to a British passport.

DullGreyGuy

NoodleDoodleMan said:

Years ago our local Member of Parliament told us that an approach from an MP gets priority response from the Passport Office as routine.

The problem here I suspect would be that your cousin is not a constituent of any MP - but they might take up an enquiry on your behalf based on her staying with you ?

Yeah... thats what they were saying during Covid times too so we approached our MP roundabout mid May, had a phone call with one of his staff a week later to explain the problem, carried on with the HMPO in the meantime. Left a couple of voicemails for the staff but never got a call back.

In June case was allocated from Peterborough to Belfast, Mid June had a conversation with the actual case handler rather than just the call centre and 1 week later the passport arrived. 

In October we got a letter from the MP saying he'd discuss the case with HMPO and please find enclosed their response. In there was a letter from HMPO to the MP dated late September stating "we are not authorised to discuss cases with you"

Voyager2002 said:
Perhaps the starting point should be finding out why her application was closed: she does after all have a right to a British passport.

Presumably because the application was 4 months ago?

As a dual citizen you have to supply both your UK and non-UK passports to renew your UK one. On the basis they have travelled to the UK since applying they clearly held on to a passport to be able to travel and hence HMPO have been waiting and they do close cases after X weeks of not receiving what they requested.