Home Office requested my original passport for citizenship application

Hi,

We had our biometrics and doc scans taken for the British citizenship application on 24 Nov 2019. Today I received an email from HO asking that my wife and I send our current passports along with old passports covering a specific period between 2014 and 2018 (different periods for me and my wife). The letter says that I must submit the requested documents within 2 weeks, otherwise my application will be refused. Couple of questions:

- I have some travels arranged in two weeks and I have little hope that if I send my passport now I will get it back in time. In case I don't send the passports and my application gets refused would I get a refund?
- If I do send the passports, and make a request to the HO to return them asap without cancelling the application. Do you have a feel of how long this may take. Not confident they will expedite the return just because I requested that!
- Lastly, any reason why you think the HO has requested these documents. UK-Visas already scanned all pages in my current passport.

Thanks!

I doubt that they would give you a refund.

ayorabi wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 10, 2020 12:56 am

- I have some travels arranged in two weeks and I have little hope that if I send my passport now I will get it back in time. In case I don't send the passports and my application gets refused would I get a refund?

Definitely will be refused and not be refunded if you don't send requested documents. As tough as it is I guess it's a matter of weighing up which loss is better between British Citizenship + Application fee vs your planned trip!

ayorabi wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 10, 2020 12:56 am

- If I do send the passports, and make a request to the HO to return them asap without cancelling the application. Do you have a feel of how long this may take. Not confident they will expedite the return just because I requested that!

There is no harm in trying, after all they're humans and not robots. I suggest you request for them to return passports as a matter of urgency (shouldn't take more than a few minutes to flip through pages and check what they need to check). Include copies of plane tickets and hotel bookings if applicable as the reason why. Send as special delivery and enclose a self addressed envelope for return also special delivery stamped. Very Important that you address to the caseworker on the envelope! Write FAO: caseworker's name in full and your case ID on the envelope at the top of the given address; a few people have sent requested documents on time only for their applications to be refused anyway as the documents didn't get to the right person.

ayorabi wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 10, 2020 12:56 am

- Lastly, any reason why you think the HO has requested these documents. UK-Visas already scanned all pages in my current passport.

Anyone's guess really, could be your immigration history, could be human error with the UKVCAS scans, or something else.

Many thanks for the detailed response. I have emailed the case worker asking whether they could extend the deadline for submitting the passports. Awaiting their response.

Also phoned the HO visas help line, they said a refund is at the discretion of the case worker but highly unlikely in case of refusal due to not sending the required documents.

Hi,

It has been 8 weeks now since I sent my passports to the HO (4 months since I made my application). I know I'm still within the 6 months processing window, but the fact that they still haven't returned my passports is a bit concerning.

I'm considering submitting the 'return of documents' form, however in the declaration at the end of the form they say that "if I ask for documents back, the application may take longer to process".

Can anyone share their experience with a similar situation?

A

Just an update in case someone gets into the same situation, I finally received my passports on 30th of April (bear in mind there has been over a month of HO work suspension as I understand it due to COVID-19).