Waiting for Acknowledgement & Docs/Passports to be returned

[frilly_lizard]

Hello All- Any advice on who to contact or what I should do please -

My application was received on the 20th May, 2015, and I have still not received an acknowledgement letter or my docs back. Their website says that the acknowledgement letter should be with you in 4 weeks - but we are at over 6 weeks and still nothing. They haven't even taken a payment yet.

I am panicking as I have booked a trip to Aus which is in 2 weeks time and I need my passport back! At the time that I applied, given that their website said I'd have docs back etc in 4 weeks I assumed that giving them 8 weeks would be plenty of time. But apparently not.

I have called the (un)help line, and they now say that not to expect an acknowledgment letter until 6-8 weeks after the payment has been taken.... but they cant give me a timescale in which the payment can be expected to be taken. Very (un)helpful. Ans who knows how long after that the docs are returned.

So.... I am freaking out and no idea where to turn next. Any ideas?

[noajthan]

Hello All- Any advice on who to contact or what I should do please -

My application was received on the 20th May, 2015, and I have still not received an acknowledgement letter or my docs back. Their website says that the acknowledgement letter should be with you in 4 weeks - but we are at over 6 weeks and still nothing. They haven't even taken a payment yet.

I am panicking as I have booked a trip to Aus which is in 2 weeks time and I need my passport back! At the time that I applied, given that their website said I'd have docs back etc in 4 weeks I assumed that giving them 8 weeks would be plenty of time. But apparently not.

I have called the (un)help line, and they now say that not to expect an acknowledgment letter until 6-8 weeks after the payment has been taken.... but they cant give me a timescale in which the payment can be expected to be taken. Very (un)helpful. Ans who knows how long after that the docs are returned.

So.... I am freaking out and no idea where to turn next. Any ideas?

An unfortunate position to be in if you have not used a local council NCS (which would copy your docs for submitting to HO & so you keep the originals).

This case may give you some hope:
british-citizenship/return-of-documents ... 89369.html

See here to apply for your docs return:
https://www.gov.uk/visa-documents-returned

[sagareva]

Hello All- Any advice on who to contact or what I should do please -

My application was received on the 20th May, 2015, and I have still not received an acknowledgement letter or my docs back. Their website says that the acknowledgement letter should be with you in 4 weeks - but we are at over 6 weeks and still nothing. They haven't even taken a payment yet.

I am panicking as I have booked a trip to Aus which is in 2 weeks time and I need my passport back! At the time that I applied, given that their website said I'd have docs back etc in 4 weeks I assumed that giving them 8 weeks would be plenty of time. But apparently not.

I have called the (un)help line, and they now say that not to expect an acknowledgment letter until 6-8 weeks after the payment has been taken.... but they cant give me a timescale in which the payment can be expected to be taken. Very (un)helpful. Ans who knows how long after that the docs are returned.

So.... I am freaking out and no idea where to turn next. Any ideas?

Did they take payment?
Did you do biometrics? (guessing not)
This is indeed unusual
Try calling 03001232253
this is tenuous but eventually you can get through by trying different options