Passport Application - Second Interview, what next ?

[Tuvoc]

My wife's first interview went like this:
She answered the first 10 questions perfectly, but slowly because she is not fluent in English. She thought it was going well but then the interviewer terminated the interview and told me at reception that she anticipated that my wife would have difficulty as the questions got more difficult, so insisted she be called back for a second interview and they would provide an interpreter. Frankly that was outrageous, I suspect to this day that the interviewer must have been having a bad day, or was close to her lunch break or something, and couldn't be bothered. They didn't give her a chance. After this is over I'm half inclined to file a complaint.

Second Interview
A month later, which was a long delay but they said that was the earliest they could do. My wife answered most of the questions just fine, but her mind went blank with the stress of the whole thing. For example when asked the address where we lived 6 years ago before our current address, she could not remember it. When asked how many people lived in our home, she forgot about our live-in housekeeper so that number was wrong. And she could not remember our home phone number, because she never uses it and uses her mobile exclusively. And another couple of things.

She was in tears after the interview, sick with worry. I'm incredibly angry about this whole process, which is supposed to just be a simple identity check. I'm hoping that they got enough information to satisfy themselves as to her identity, and in 10 days a passport will arrive in the mail. But if not and they are not happy with that second interview, what happens next ?

[SSWSZ]

Oh my GOD .and what I am thinking is that this is the most easiest part of visa application section.now I must say we should be worried until we get passport in our hands.


Poor your wife .ask her to relax and enjoy life she will definetely get her passport .due to stress she make mistakes .but hopefully everything will be fine.plz update about your situation .

[royh]

They ask strange questions that the average person wouldn't know straight away and right out of the left field like "father's, mother's place of birth". Really? Like right down to the town. Their marriage date.

Also. . . "What are your full names? Spell them backwards from last to first."

There's a thread somewhere where ppl post the questions they asked at the passport interview so you can read them and come prepared.Fathers and mothers marriage date is always there as well as dates of birth.

[Just Wondering]

Yes, but aren't those largely things you would have put on your application?

[Tuvoc]

There's a thread somewhere where ppl post the questions they asked at the passport interview so you can read them and come prepared.Fathers and mothers marriage date is always there as well as dates of birth.

Yes I saw that thread. I think there are some things I should add to it.

Of course you need to know everything that is on the application form, and she did. That is more than I know about my own family though - for example, I know what dates we celebrate our mum and dad's birthdays, but i don't know what year they were born. And I don't know what dates they were married either.

For my wife, progressing one level on ESOL to gain ILR was her hardest task, that took a lot of study. But this passport application comes a close second. Up until now it has just been very expensive form filling with the home office. At least the passport application is relatively cheap, and once you have it the renewals are much easier.

I am still puzzled about this whole process though. This is supposed to be a simple identity check. They took her biometric information before for the foreign national UK ID card. She has her foreign passport and foreign ID card with her picture on. That proves who she is. It should be enough. It seems as though the passport office are doing what the UKBA should have done ?

[Just Wondering]

Yes, it's an identity check and based off the information on the application forms. So, it raises alarms when she doesn't know where she's lived previously or her home telephone number. Obviously the passport agent gave her the benefit of the doubt by suggesting a second interview with an interpreter. English is a difficult language and even those who have excellent ESOL skills get very flustered, and I am glad that the HMPO saw it on compassionate grounds rather than thinking your wife is a fraudster. Imagine how outraged you'd have been if that was the implication?

The whole point of the interview is to prevent fraud. A passport is a vital identity document and must be issued to the right person. Unfortunately, your wife could not answer those questions, but hopefully there is enough to make a successful application. If not, I hope she has better luck with her next interview.

It really sucks that these interviews need to happen, but they are there because people have taken advantage before.

[Tuvoc]

Yes, it's an identity check and based off the information on the application forms. So, it raises alarms when she doesn't know where she's lived previously or her home telephone number. Obviously the passport agent gave her the benefit of the doubt by suggesting a second interview with an interpreter.

Those questions were asked at the second interview, not the first. From memory, neither of those are on the application form - just current address, and a mobile number as the contact. It is far more than an identity check based on the form. They go very much further than that.

When phone numbers are programmed into your mobile, it is often the case that you forget them, because you don't need to remember. Yes I understand alarm bells would have rung when she could not remember our address five and a half years ago, and our current home phone number. She never gives out the home phone number, just her mobile. So it is understandable. They also asked which Post Office the application was submitted to, and she didn't know that either because I was the one that took it in. She explained that. They started asking lots of questions about her personal life prior to coming to the UK, which was dumb because they can't possibly verify the answers to those.

So yes, she got stressed out and made a few mistakes, but hopefully they got enough to satisfy themselves without having to have a third interview.

We had to wait a month for the second interiew with the interpreter, if there is a third then we will presumably need to wait a month again. Anyway, hopefully there will be good news and the passpiort will arrive in the next 7-10 days.

[Tuvoc]

Good news, the passport has arrived !! So despite a couple of mistakes and her mind going blank on a couple of things, they obviously got enough.

The lesson here is, try and stay calm and relaxed, and be as prepared as possible.

[Heisgood]

Good news, the passport has arrived !! So despite a couple of mistakes and her mind going blank on a couple of things, they obviously got enough.

The lesson here is, try and stay calm and relaxed, and be as prepared as possible.

"Tuvoc"You should still lodge your complaint as these interviews are becoming more outrageous by the day. A friend was asked what type of delivery that took place for her last child birth .....what on earth this have to do with identity checks? These people are almost belittling people with a load of silly questions. My Interviewer a few months ago was very sarcastic and aggressive. I just smile all the way through the interview. In the end she barked that they will need to conduct further checks.......that still didn't stop the obvious which I received 3 days after.

[royh]

A friend was asked what type of delivery that took place for her last child birth .....what on earth this have to do with identity checks? These people are almost belittling people with a load of silly questions.

That is terrible behaviour. These questions are rediculous. Mothers and fathers dates of birth and marriage dates too would be awkward if you don't come prepared or just have a bad memory.