Getting feedback on application for UK passport renewal

[syntax]

Hi,

Hoping someone can help with this or point me in the right direction.
I applied for a renewal UK passport about 5 weeks ago. This can only be done via post / courier now, no walk in accepted.

they deducted the money within one day, but i ended up waiting 4 weeks, before they told me there were no photos in the application (i put 6 in, 100% sure of it). I re-couriered 2 more photos to them last week.

Now, i have no idea on the status of the application, or when i can expect the passport. The issue, is i am going on honeymoon in 6 weeks, and things are starting to get a little tight . they have an email address for the UK, which doesnt get responded to, and no one picks up the phone for the UK side.

SA side, the cape town consulate cannot assist, and i have no way of getting hold of the people in pretoria to find out if they have even sent my application overseas. I could drive there, and that is my last resort, but has anyone else had this or know how i can contact these people?

Any help much appreciated

 

[chrisc]

UK passports are handed by the High Commission in Jhb. I had mine renewed last year. I found them quite effiicient. Why not get the phone no for the Jhb office?

 

[bwana]

UK Passport applications are handled by the Passport Section of the consulate in Pretoria but on the website they say you'll have to call the UK:

Contact Us
If you cannot find the information you need on the website, you can contact the Passport Information Line on 0044 208 082 4743 (Credit Card Line - calls will be charged at £0.72 per minute plus VAT). This line is open from 21:00 UK time Sundays to 01:30 UK time Saturdays (24 hour service). You will be charged for this call so please try the website first.

 

[chrisc]

The website gives you an email address which he says does not answer. The toll number in the UK might be the way to go

My passport says: Issued by: UK High Commission Passport Office, Johannesburg SA and was issued on 02/12/2011 and is valid for 10 years

 

[syntax]

UK passports are handed by the High Commission in Jhb. I had mine renewed last year. I found them quite effiicient. Why not get the phone no for the Jhb office?

Doesnt exist anymore. You can only renew in Pretoria and only by courier.
I cannot get a number for the department in pretoria though

UK Passport applications are handled by the Passport Section of the consulate in Pretoria but on the website they say you'll have to call the UK:

Thanks, i will try this again, i didnt get joy earlier, but will be annoyingly persistant

 

[Frontline]

My passport expires in December
Can someone perhaps clarify whether Credit card payment is the only option seeing at though the Embassy is now closed to the public?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

 

[syntax]

My passport expires in December
Can someone perhaps clarify whether Credit card payment is the only option seeing at though the Embassy is now closed to the public?

Any assistance would be greatly appreciated!

It was the only option that i could find.
I tried to use one of those companies that does the passports on your behalf so that they could use their credit card and I could reimburse them. However, they wanted me to use mine anyways.

I used my credit card and everything went relatively smoothly.

 

[SoulTax]

The lack of ways to contact them is definitely frustrating. If you included in your app somewhere, that you are needing to go on holiday soon, they usually get it back to you before then. You might be able to find a fax number or something. If you can, I would write a short letter to explain your urgency and fax it through. Including your name and reference number of course.

Other than that the phone numbers are really horrible, I have never been able to get hold of someone at the consulate itself.

 

[syntax]

The lack of ways to contact them is definitely frustrating. If you included in your app somewhere, that you are needing to go on holiday soon, they usually get it back to you before then. You might be able to find a fax number or something. If you can, I would write a short letter to explain your urgency and fax it through. Including your name and reference number of course.

Other than that the phone numbers are really horrible, I have never been able to get hold of someone at the consulate itself.

The UK number is very useful, but you need to pay to use it. I did get very good service from them

 

[Cicero]

How much is it to renew your UK passport?

I'm contemplating going through some sort of agency, like Passport Centre or something.

 

[xrapidx]

How much is it to renew your UK passport?

I'm contemplating going through some sort of agency, like Passport Centre or something.

I think in the mid 2xxx.

Need to do mine sometime, it expired awhile ago.

 

[syntax]

I think in the mid 2xxx.

Need to do mine sometime, it expired awhile ago.

yup, think i paid around R2400.

 

[syntax]

How much is it to renew your UK passport?

I'm contemplating going through some sort of agency, like Passport Centre or something.

Not sure about passport centre, but other places I tried still wanted me to fill in the form with MY credit card details.
All they offered was to put everything together and post it for me, wanted to charge something insane like R700 for that.

My reason for looking at them, is that I didnt want to enter my credit card details on the form. Recently though, i saw what looks to be a top up credit card type thing at dischem. It may be worth it buying something like that and topping it up with the required amount.