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UK Passport renewal - delay, interview & documents request

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 9:38 am
by ghostivv
Hi to all,

Hope I'm in right section to post this.

The old UK passport and application to renew were sent to HO on May 2016. It's for someone else but I've got permission to disclose few details regarding the case. The citizenship was acquired in 2006 and moved to UK in 2007. Now a permanent resident here apart few monthly visits outside UK a year since then.

After few weeks of sending application, he was asked to attend interview at Peterborough. Then nothing for a month or two until we made enquiry. A letter came through from HO for interview in London office and also request for documents like:
1) school certificate
2) Old employment before coming to UK
3) any childhood documents
4) old family photographs
etc etc.

Now problem is most of these documents will be of at least 15 years back and He don't have them. There is simply no procedure to retrieve these kinds of documents/records from the country he originally came from. School cert would be at lest 30 years old!!! The school may still be present but do HO actually believe some previous staff still working there? and keeping the record in 3rd world country?

Employment before coming to UK was in more developed country but who keeps any old payslips, job letters for 10+ years? Also as the employment was mostly in unskilled sector, Most companies are probably disolved or moved. Utilities bill from 10yrs back?

Same with childhood documents and old family photograph. As already said, he's from poor country where they hardly used to have cameras. Not sure what kind of child document they want as can't imagine we'd any.

The point in above in simple words, he don't possess and can't provide to HO, in present nor in future. After the interview in London, another letter came by requesting similar kind of documents. He already made it clear during London interview that he can't provide these and gave reasons in writing.

We don't know what to write in reply to latest letter and any kind of advice would be most welcome.

Thanks.

Re: UK Passport renewal - delay, interview & documents reque

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 9:48 am
by Casa
How did he qualify for British citizenship? It appears that the HO may have doubts about his identity.

Re: UK Passport renewal - delay, interview & documents reque

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 9:55 am
by ghostivv

Re: UK Passport renewal - delay, interview & documents reque

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:00 am
by Casa
I suggest he applies for a Subject Access Request (SAR) to clarify what information the HO are holding on his previous applications and immigration history.

https://www.gov.uk/government/publicati ... mmigration

Re: UK Passport renewal - delay, interview & documents reque

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:06 am
by ghostivv
Hi,

Thanks. That's the one I was looking for yesterday in this forums. HOw long does it take to receive and what kind information that we can use to reply to HO?

Re: UK Passport renewal - delay, interview & documents reque

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:19 am
by Casa
ghostivv wrote:Hi,

Thanks. That's the one I was looking for yesterday in this forums. HOw long does it take to receive and what kind information that we can use to reply to HO?

If you had opened my link you would see: You should expect a response from us within 40 days.

Without knowing what information the SAR will contain, it's impossible to say what information could be used.

Re: UK Passport renewal - delay, interview & documents reque

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:22 am
by ghostivv
ok thanks. which one to apply - the standard or fast track SAR? Fast track is within 20 calendar days.

Re: UK Passport renewal - delay, interview & documents reque

Posted: Sat Oct 22, 2016 10:40 am
by Casa
ghostivv wrote:ok thanks. which one to apply - the standard or fast track SAR? Fast track is within 20 calendar days.
Well that's entirely up to your friend. :idea: