Has anyone run into this with a student going to the UK? My DD applied for her visa - sent in her passport and paperwork to the office in NYC - and it’s been over three weeks since they received it. She’s called a couple of times and they said a decision has been made but they can’t see what it is, and they are escalating getting her passport back. She’s supposed to leave on 9/9, so she really needs the passport back. The people she’s talked to aren’t very helpful. I’ll fly her to NY today to pick her up in person if she could do that, but we can’t talk to anyone who can even say if that’s an option.
Has anyone dealt with this?
Last resort may be to make an emergency application to apply for a new U.S. passport, declaring the old one “lost”. You may have to travel to a passport office out of state for the next available appointment, with ticket/reservation in hand to get a same-day passport issued.
Then, if the U.K. consulate ever gets their act together and actually send your U.S. passport back with their Visa stamp (presumedly, that’s what you’re waiting for), then you can use the new U.S. passport as the official exit/travel document, while upon entering the U.K. presenting the Visa in the old/expired/invalidated passport to document their approved student status.
Did you pay to expedite? Dd is leaving for the UK in 2 days. We had our visa appointment in NY back on 8/16, she received her passport back on 8/18. We paid for expedited service, otherwise the wait was going to be around 3 weeks or so. My guess is they are aware of her travel date and will get it back in time. Don’t get another passport as you need the vignette they put inside for her to get into the country.
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My kid has 2 passports for this very reason. They went in and got an expedited passport and it wasn’t too big of a deal. IIRC, they did get their passport from the consulate before they had to leave to study abroad but it was super close.
You’re waiting on the British Consulate for the visa?
Update: It was sent completed on Friday and is on its way back. I sent a second-day mailing label but of course it’s the holiday weekend. It has made it to Newark so hopefully it will get back by Tuesday.
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