UKM application experience and timeline

[hlassell]

Ignore my above post. I misunderstood. I would delete it but this board doesn't seem to allow that.

[sunburn]

So there you have it folks: from passport application submission to it being dispatched to me has taken just over a week. I'll probably receive it from DHL either tomorrow (Saturday) or Monday. Just to confirm the documents I submitted were: colour copy of every page of my SA passport, 2 passport photos, my citizenship certificate (as received at ceremony), copy of my drivers license, copy of ID card and copy of countersignatory's British passport.

What is the 'ID card' ? Some form of national ID ? Regarding a separate proof of address, I assume your drivers licenses do not print your residential addresses on them, as US ones do ?

[balles]

So there you have it folks: from passport application submission to it being dispatched to me has taken just over a week. I'll probably receive it from DHL either tomorrow (Saturday) or Monday. Just to confirm the documents I submitted were: colour copy of every page of my SA passport, 2 passport photos, my citizenship certificate (as received at ceremony), copy of my drivers license, copy of ID card and copy of countersignatory's British passport.

What is the 'ID card' ? Some form of national ID ? Regarding a separate proof of address, I assume your drivers licenses do not print your residential addresses on them, as US ones do ?

Our ID card is a form of biometric identification Which includes a photo. It’s about the size of a credit card and is official form of national identity. Our drivers Licence does not include residential address but I included it as a futher form of photographic identity for HMPO to confirm who I am

[KZ303]

Happy update! Although delayed due to who knows what, I received my documents today and my application was successful!

Eligibility criteria: UKM
Nationality: United States
Applying from: Unites States
Method of application: USPS to UK with return UPS envelope/label. NOTE: This was a complete waste of money and time. I spent the money on the return label and even a courier in Liverpool to pick it up only to drop it in the nearest UPS bin, but in the end UKVI dropped it in the Royal Mail, tracked with signature required. Would have much preferred to avoid using USPS, which delayed my documents from mid-November until just today and would have probably still been there had I not been maniacally contacting every supervisor and call center I could manage. Royal Mail portion went smoothly.)
Date of application: July 25, 2018
Payment method: Credit card
Date of receipt by UKVI: July 31, 2018
Date money gone off account: Sept. 4, 2018
Date of UKVI acknowledgement email: Aug 4, 2018
Date of UKBA acknowledgement email: Aug 7, 2018 (Got two emails, one from UKVI, the other from UKBA, not sure why.)
Date of emailed letter requesting biometrics: Sept. 7, 2018 (Dates/location proposed to Home Office by me Sept. 4, 2018)
Biometrics done: Sept. 19, 2018
Date of approval: October 24, 2018 (NOTE: I did not receive notice of this approval via mail until today, December 8, 2018.)
Date of ceremony: PENDING
Date applied for passport: PENDING
Date passports received: PENDING

[luthersnowak]

Happy update! Although delayed due to who knows what, I received my documents today and my application was successful!

Eligibility criteria: UKM
Nationality: United States
Applying from: Unites States
Method of application: USPS to UK with return UPS envelope/label. NOTE: This was a complete waste of money and time. I spent the money on the return label and even a courier in Liverpool to pick it up only to drop it in the nearest UPS bin, but in the end UKVI dropped it in the Royal Mail, tracked with signature required. Would have much preferred to avoid using USPS, which delayed my documents from mid-November until just today and would have probably still been there had I not been maniacally contacting every supervisor and call center I could manage. Royal Mail portion went smoothly.)
Date of application: July 25, 2018
Payment method: Credit card
Date of receipt by UKVI: July 31, 2018
Date money gone off account: Sept. 4, 2018
Date of UKVI acknowledgement email: Aug 4, 2018
Date of UKBA acknowledgement email: Aug 7, 2018 (Got two emails, one from UKVI, the other from UKBA, not sure why.)
Date of emailed letter requesting biometrics: Sept. 7, 2018 (Dates/location proposed to Home Office by me Sept. 4, 2018)
Biometrics done: Sept. 19, 2018
Date of approval: October 24, 2018 (NOTE: I did not receive notice of this approval via mail until today, December 8, 2018.)
Date of ceremony: PENDING
Date applied for passport: PENDING
Date passports received: PENDING

Congratulations!!! I hear you about USPS. I didn’t know it was going to be “signature required”. I was home at the time they ran, but my house is down quite a few stairs at the bottom of a hill. They typically won’t come down to the house. I had to drive around with the “missed delivery” slip and find the guy to get my letter. A bit annoying.

[Shaun45]

As I mentioned before in an earlier thread the return of original irreplaceable documents seems to be a huge problem and stress and problem to many applicants. I am very worried that I will ever get back my documents. I'm just hoping and praying I do receive it... eventually .

[PleasantThebest]

As I mentioned before in an earlier thread the return of original irreplaceable documents seems to be a huge problem and stress and problem to many applicants. I am very worried that I will ever get back my documents. I'm just hoping and praying I do receive it... eventually .

My docs were posted on 24 October 2018 via Royal Mail International Signed, and I'm seeing now on SA Post Office's "Track My Parcel" that on 5 December it departed the Johannesburg International Mail Centre.. so looks like its moving - will likely only arrive next year sometime. I'd try obtain a tracking number from HO I were you

[Shaun45]

How and who do you contact to get a tracking number for your return documents?

[PleasantThebest]

How and who do you contact to get a tracking number for your return documents?

Try NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk .

My case worker sent me the Royal Mail tracking number with the approval email. Maybe send an email to the above and ask them how they sent your documents back.

[Shaun45]

Ok thanks. I will send a query.

[balles2]

Happy update! Although delayed due to who knows what, I received my documents today and my application was successful!

Eligibility criteria: UKM
Nationality: United States
Applying from: Unites States
Method of application: USPS to UK with return UPS envelope/label. NOTE: This was a complete waste of money and time. I spent the money on the return label and even a courier in Liverpool to pick it up only to drop it in the nearest UPS bin, but in the end UKVI dropped it in the Royal Mail, tracked with signature required. Would have much preferred to avoid using USPS, which delayed my documents from mid-November until just today and would have probably still been there had I not been maniacally contacting every supervisor and call center I could manage. Royal Mail portion went smoothly.)
Date of application: July 25, 2018
Payment method: Credit card
Date of receipt by UKVI: July 31, 2018
Date money gone off account: Sept. 4, 2018
Date of UKVI acknowledgement email: Aug 4, 2018
Date of UKBA acknowledgement email: Aug 7, 2018 (Got two emails, one from UKVI, the other from UKBA, not sure why.)
Date of emailed letter requesting biometrics: Sept. 7, 2018 (Dates/location proposed to Home Office by me Sept. 4, 2018)
Biometrics done: Sept. 19, 2018
Date of approval: October 24, 2018 (NOTE: I did not receive notice of this approval via mail until today, December 8, 2018.)
Date of ceremony: PENDING
Date applied for passport: PENDING
Date passports received: PENDING

I agree about the prepaid courier. I was in the UK and did the same for my documents to be sent back to South Africa. I was contacted by UKVI as to the format for courier returns but I told them I had a pre-paid courier label with envelope with the application. They acknowledged they had it but it was "not how documents are returned", so fortunately my wife happened to be in the UK so I had them sent to our UK address, they arrived 2 days later.

[hlassell]

OK so the lawyer certified copy of my passport is now on its way to Liverpool via FedEx. Another $90 spent. And I guess back to waiting.

[PleasantThebest]

OK so the lawyer certified copy of my passport is now on its way to Liverpool via FedEx. Another $90 spent. And I guess back to waiting.

$90 is excessive...sorry you had to do that. Cost me 400 odd Rand (roughly 28 USD) to send all my docs via DHL to Liverpool from South Africa. Seems a steal. Anyway, good luck! Hopefully you're sorted soon.

[sunburn]

Try NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk .

My case worker sent me the Royal Mail tracking number with the approval email. Maybe send an email to the above and ask them how they sent your documents back.

This 'approval email' thing is another one of those things that seems inconsistent - some get it, some only find out about their approval when a letter is received in the mail. Did you get an approval email without any telephonic prompting ?

[balles2]

Try NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk .

My case worker sent me the Royal Mail tracking number with the approval email. Maybe send an email to the above and ask them how they sent your documents back.

This 'approval email' thing is another one of those things that seems inconsistent - some get it, some only find out about their approval when a letter is received in the mail. Did you get an approval email without any telephonic prompting ?

I received an approval letter via email together with the instructions for returning the documents to me via courier. My brother did not get an approval letter before he received an invitation to a ceremony so it is very inconsistent.

[PleasantThebest]

Try NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk .

My case worker sent me the Royal Mail tracking number with the approval email. Maybe send an email to the above and ask them how they sent your documents back.

This 'approval email' thing is another one of those things that seems inconsistent - some get it, some only find out about their approval when a letter is received in the mail. Did you get an approval email without any telephonic prompting ?

Yeah largely seems to depend on who is handling your case. There was no prompting.. I just received it. I was quite surprised as many people on this forum only discover their approval (and I suppose potential rejections) via snail mail, and I thought this was the norm. But as I mentioned/ranted a few posts back, the inconsistency really irks me. Doesn't seem to be any standard procedure in place.

[balles]

So my citizenship process has now reached its conclusion with the receipt of my British passport via DHL this morning. Citizenship ceremony on 28/11, sent off for passport on 29/11 and finally received on 12/12. Won’t have to do anything further for another 10 years when the current passport expires. Best of luck to those in the various stages of citizenship/passport application

[hlassell]

OMG this entire process is giving me gray hairs!!! My FedEx package was delivered this morning. Good right? NO! It says it was delivered to "PHARAMACY"!!!! I swear I remember this happening to someone else here in this thread. So I've since called FedEx Canada who tell me they have to contact their Great Britain team to get back to me. It was signed for and everything.

[sunburn]

Yes, the delivery address is NOT FedEx friendly. There have been UKM/UKF applicants whose package ended up at the neighboring Tesco. When I sent my papers in , I spoke to the FedEx desk guy who suggested I write 'Attention: UKVI' in front as part of the address. It got delivered just fine that way. Rather too late for the suggestion to be pertinent now, but have FedEx edit the destination party to UKVI specifically.

[hlassell]

Yes, the delivery address is NOT FedEx friendly. There have been UKM/UKF applicants whose package ended up at the neighboring Tesco. When I sent my papers in , I spoke to the FedEx desk guy who suggested I write 'Attention: UKVI' in front as part of the address. It got delivered just fine that way. Rather too late for the suggestion to be pertinent now, but have FedEx edit the destination party to UKVI specifically.

UGH! I google mapped the area and saw that Tesco and assumed maybe it was there. Icalled the Tesco to ask and they said they didn't have it. nor did they recognize the name who signed for it. *sigh* This is beyond frustrating. I did have "UK Visas" before the address part. But I guess that didn't matter to whomever delivered it. FedEx hasn't called me back. It's now almost 9pm in the UK. I emailed my caseworker as soon as I got to work 8:30am (2:30pm his time) but didn't receive a reply from him either.

So....it feels great to have no idea where the certified copy of my passport is.

[Shaun45]

How and who do you contact to get a tracking number for your return documents?

Try NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk .

My case worker sent me the Royal Mail tracking number with the approval email. Maybe send an email to the above and ask them how they sent your documents back.

I sent an enquiry regarding the return of my documents to the email address you provided two days ago and I have not got any reply yet, no even an acknowledgement. This is very frustrating. I also sent an enquiry to HM Passport Office about two weeks ago. Same thing. No reply. This is very disconcerting.

[Shaun45]

How and who do you contact to get a tracking number for your return documents?

Try NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk .

My case worker sent me the Royal Mail tracking number with the approval email. Maybe send an email to the above and ask them how they sent your documents back.

I sent an enquiry regarding the return of my documents to the email address you provided two days ago and I have not got any reply yet, no even an acknowledgement. This is very frustrating. I also sent an enquiry to HM Passport Office about two weeks ago. Same thing. No reply. This is very disconcerting.

This is the unhelpful generic response I just received regarding the return of my documents:

Thank you for your e-mail.



All applications are dealt with in application receipt date order. Once your application is decided, you will be contacted by your caseworker. Your documents will normally remain on file, until this time. If however you require the return of you documents, you would need to complete the on online request and submit it on line to the address specified. You should also allow 10 working for this to happen. This can be done by going into Google and type in “return my documents” this will take you to the correct page.



Thank you

I am not sure what to do. I do not know who my case worker is as I received an approval letter and ceremony invitation letter directly from my local Consulate General. The consistency is weird.

[balles]

How and who do you contact to get a tracking number for your return documents?

Try NationalitySupportTeamFMT@homeoffice.gov.uk .

My case worker sent me the Royal Mail tracking number with the approval email. Maybe send an email to the above and ask them how they sent your documents back.

I sent an enquiry regarding the return of my documents to the email address you provided two days ago and I have not got any reply yet, no even an acknowledgement. This is very frustrating. I also sent an enquiry to HM Passport Office about two weeks ago. Same thing. No reply. This is very disconcerting.

This is the unhelpful generic response I just received regarding the return of my documents:

Thank you for your e-mail.



All applications are dealt with in application receipt date order. Once your application is decided, you will be contacted by your caseworker. Your documents will normally remain on file, until this time. If however you require the return of you documents, you would need to complete the on online request and submit it on line to the address specified. You should also allow 10 working for this to happen. This can be done by going into Google and type in “return my documents” this will take you to the correct page.



Thank you

I am not sure what to do. I do not know who my case worker is as I received an approval letter and ceremony invitation letter directly from my local Consulate General. The consistency is weird.

If it’s any consolation, my wife and my brother ordered UK birth certificates separately sometime back. Took about 3 months to receive them but they got here eventually.

[hlassell]

Well after 2 days of stressing out and subsequently yelling at FedEx. They finally get back to me that the driver did deliver it to the correct place but "accidently chose pharmacy as the delivery location." Of course at that point I still haven't heard back from my caseworker so I was still stressed and not exactly confident in FedEx or their driver. Another day later I finally got an email back from my caseworker. He said he didn't have my documents YET but he did confirm that XYZ is an employee there so I should feel confident that my documents are at the Capital Building as they were addressed.

[CR001]

Well after 2 days of stressing out and subsequently yelling at FedEx. They finally get back to me that the driver did deliver it to the correct place but "accidently chose pharmacy as the delivery location." Of course at that point I still haven't heard back from my caseworker so I was still stressed and not exactly confident in FedEx or their driver. Another day later I finally got an email back from my caseworker. He said he didn't have my documents YET but he did confirm that XYZ is an employee there so I should feel confident that my documents are at the Capital Building as they were addressed.

Kindly do not name HO or any other company staff/employees on the forum.