Declare passport as lost, still waiting for UKBA to return

[moonoi]

Hi, please forgive any mistakes first time posting here.

I applied for my wifes ILR on the internet on the 20th March/2012 and paid online aswell. We then printed the form and sent all documents to the correct address. After 1 week we recieved a letter saying the UKBA had recieved the docs and we should wait for more information on the application.

17th May/2012 we recieved all the documents back saying that we had filled in the wrong version(out of date form) and that we needed to apply again (paying again) and submit the correct version of the form and send all the documents again.

The 'Version' of the form was correct for when we applied (march/2012), we have done nothing incorrect. I copied the letter stating when the UKBA recieved out application ( 28th march/2012) and wrote a covering letter explaining what had happened and sent it all by recorded delivery to the correct address again.(17th may/2012)

We recieved another confirmation letter that UKBA had received all the docs again, and we sat and waited for a response.

7th june i phoned the 'urgent' phone number so i could get my passport back ( my wife was applying for ILR so my passport was just supporting documents) because i would be travelling on the 5th july, i assumed this would be plenty of time, but i was told minimum 20 working days for delivery of my passport and if by then it had not come i should contact the office again and they would look and se where my passport was etc etc.

Now this would be cutting it very close to my flying date and i cant risk not knowing if my passport will arrive before my flight as i will cost me alot money if it doesnt arrive. not to mention wasted holiday time.

Today is the 22 of june still no passport i phoned the urgent return of documents number and the lady told me that she wouldn't check anything until it had been more than 20 working days since i asked for the return of documents.

I must have my passport back before i travel, so i have made an appointment for monday 25th june to get a new passport with the 1 week guaranteed service so i know i will have a passport before i travel.

My question is this, on the lost passport form shall i put down that the ukba have my passport and they have lost it ( which is mostly true as they couldnt tell me where the passport was after i said i would travel to the offices (wherever they were) to collect my passport) or shall i just say that i have lost it at home and if/when the old one arrives from the ukba ill shall send it back to the passport office? What checks do they do on issueing replacement passports, and what question do they ask when you go to the office to get a replacement passport.

I understand that my old passport could be retunred before i go on holiday but i cant take that risk.

it seems that the UKba are losing passports everyday, will the passport office actuall check thats its lost or not.

Sorry for the long story , but i just want some honest information.

Thankyou in advance

[sufferhead]

Hi Moonoi

Based my experience I will advice you to be patient with UKBA, you may get your passport back from them by nextweek. During my time when we call for passport back in similar circumstance we were given 20 working wait as well and the passport arrive exactly 18 days (2 week and 4 days) from the date we called to request passport back. To me 20 working days is the standard time UKBA use for customers on such request.
If your acquire a new passport before before they send the one the have this could invalidate your passport with them and subsequently affect the outcome of the decision on your wife ILR, so you may end starting the race your are about to finish. At least wait till Friday next . Best-still call them again this coming Monday . Good luck.

[moonoi]

the problem is if they dont send the old passport back ( which im sure wil take ages as all things do with these people) then i wont be able to get a new passport in time to take my holiday and i will lose alot of cahs and wasted time