To The Next One That Complains About Thailand....

[giruz]

Ok,

this is to cut short a long story.

GF has residency card not endorsed in the passport and therefore lots of troubles to travel in EU.

We requested to have it endorsed in the passport but so far no luck.

We need to travel so we request back the Passport and Current Residency card (end of May), we were given different tracking code for secure mail and royal mail but never received anything.

Friday last week we receive my UK Permit (I'm EU resident) instead of my gf passport and residency card (!!!).

Request after request, we finally receive confirmation that the card & passport will be sent and delivered on Tuesday.

The problem is that the Home Office send the card with my name (Boyfriend) to girlfriend's workplace and because the reception cannot find my name on the directory..refuses the package (even tough they have been advised in advance).

Spend Wednesday begging Home Office & Secure Mail to re-deliver the card. This is because if a delivery has been refused by Secure Mail it needs a fax from the Home Office before it can be re-delivered.

Finally, got lucky. The card can be delivered at my gf' workplace on Thursday morning. However, for this service Secure Mail requires a payment of 20 pounds.

Our flight is on Thursday afternoon. Only choice is to pay.

This morning my girlfriend wakes up at 6.30am to bet at workplace by 8am.

At 8.30am a letter is delivered.

Only one little problem.

There only the passport (no residency card to re-enter the UK)...and is not her passport!

At the end we have:

Cost:

20 GBP for the re-delivery express by Secure Mail

105 GBP for the tickets

85 EUR for 1 night in Hotel.

Gain:

Someone's passport

Call the Home Office, I've been told that I should have everything by tomorrow (!!!).

The Morale of the Story:

EU or Developing world...immigration is always the same.

Edited June 19, 2008 by giruz

[the scouser]

If you want to kick up a stink, G., just tell the Daily Mail. I'm sure they'd love to publish a story on how the Home Office is sending people's passports to complete strangers.

You've not had much luck, have you? Although I still don't understand why W.'s residency card was not placed in her passport in the first place.

Scouse.

[PhilHarries]

Sorry if I'm being a bit cynical, it is early morning here, but what I see reading between the lines is six of one and half a dozen of the other.

If you live a complicated life you should expect complications particularly from public servants that only have the written information you have supplied to go on.

Anyhow, sorry to hear of your problems, I hope all is cleared up asap.