VISA4UK - EMAIL OF STORY SENT TO ALL EMAILS ABOVE
My Passport has been help by the British Consulate General In New York and has not been returned in 2.5 months
I am a South African citizen permanently residing in the San Francisco, USA. I sent my passport to the British Consulate General New York on September 30 to get a visitors visa. Its now December 11, 2014 and I still have not received my passport, with no indication as to where it might be. I have had to cancel 3 international flights now as a result.
I started my application for the UK visa on Sept 17 2014. On September 17th 2014 I applied for a (General) Long term Visitor Visa (2 Year) for the UK. The reference number of the application is GWF03354xxxx.
On September 30 I paid the $512 via PayPal for the visa.
My passport was mailed to the UK visa processing center on September 30 shortly after I finished my Biometrics exam on the same day. I included an overnight Fedex waybill ($70)
The visa was granted shortly thereafter but because I sent a Fedex shipping waybill, it could not be sent. The email announcing this was sent to my junk mail.
I had to cancel the flight to the UK and then a trip to Holland.
During this time I have sent several emails requests via the visa4uk.fco.gov.uk requesting status. My case # is ContactID#31510. Only status I got back was that my email was being reviewed.
Trip to the UK and Holland cancelled, $1800. 500 EURO Conference tickets cancelled. $1200 hotels cancelled.
I called the help line (spending $40+ dollars to be told to search my mail) on November 11. They said to search the email for [email protected].
I found the an email saying the Fedex waybill I send could not be used. I followe the instructions and sent email to [email protected] with the USPS waybill on November 12, as instructed, with the title "SHIPPING WAYBILL 927554". USPS Tracking Number: 940550369930041607xxxx
After not receiving the passport back I have sent numerous requests for status via email at visa4uk.fco.gov.uk requesting status. Again, case# is ContactID#31xxx
December 3rd I send a email to [email protected] asking for status, with the USPS waybill in PDF file (since the tracking number showed no movement). Email title "SHIPPING WAYBILL 927xxx".
December 8th I send a email to [email protected] asking for status, with the USPS waybill as an image file (since the tracking number showed no movement). Email title "SHIPPING WAYBILL 927xxx".
December 9th I sent another email to to [email protected] asking for status and also included a new UPS shipping waybill (cost $30)
Dec 9th I called the visa4uk help line and spent another $30 but no one knew what was going on and said it would take another 5 days to find out.
Dec 10th I emailed visa4uk again looking for status, and once again I was told that my case was being looked at.
Dec 14, went to British Consulate in San Francisco to try find a warm blooded person. No luck. I was not permitted to even come up the elevator to the floor (1 Sansome Street, SF) and was told to phone visa4UK people again.
Dec 14, phoned Visa UK help line again, another $20. Was told, once again, the case was being escalated.
I have a flight to Bangkok on Dec 24th and I must have my passport back by then. As well as that I have my USA naturalization processing pending and I have to have my passport for that. I have no idea where my passport it. Whether to declare it stolen and or lost to the police. I feel like the British Consulate General NY is holding me hostage in the USA and is costing me so much money. I have already lost ~$2000 in flight costs to the UK and Europe, I have already spent close to $800 just applying for this visa. I have another flight in 10 days to Thailand that is another $1500 and I wont be able to take if dont get my passport back.
Please be kind and send this email to anyone in the British Consulate who could help escalate this case. I am incredbily stressed and taken aback that the UK would have such a poort process for people who want to visit. This is worst that I would expect applying for a visa in any other country in theworld.
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