Documents returned but not the passport!

[BusyBee123]

Greetings,

having been initially excited that our UK visa application had been processed and would be with us in 2 days I looked forward to my girlfriend telling me we had passed again. Alas this was not to be as somehow her passport and bank book were not included in the documents sent back! After phoning they said they would look into it and phone her back but never did.

So where do they get sent from in Bangkok? Can I get my girlfriend to go there and kick up a fuss? Do I write it off and get her a new passport and do another application or are there any other suggestions?

How the heck does this happen has anyone heard of this before?

Edited February 13, 2014 by BusyBee123

[7by7]

Passports etc. are returned by the embassy to the UKVAC in a sealed package for collection by or forwarding to the applicant.

I can only think of two possibilities:

1. That whoever made up the package at the embassy somehow forgot to include them; which is unforgiveable.
2. Someone in the chain opened the package, removed her passport and bank book and resealed the package.

Have you checked with her bank to see if any withdrawals she doesn't know about have been made?

Who did you contact before?

I can only suggest that you contact them again.

It may also be an idea to report the loss of her passport and bank book to the Thai passport office, her bank and the police.

[BusyBee123]

Thanks she is going to the bank to withdraw her cash I never thought about option 2! With no money being in the bank I think we can wait until the morning and see if anything turns up. She phoned the visa office where she submitted the documents but the second time she tried they were closed, do you think she should phone the British Embassy? is that where the actual documents get sent then back to the visa office for forwarding to the applicant?

Thanks for any advice much appreciated.

[7by7]

Yes, the UK Visa Application Centre are merely handling agents. They collect the application and biometrics then forward everything to the embassy whre the application is assessed and the decision is made. The embassy then return everything to the VAC for collection by or forwarding to the applicant.

As said, this should be in a sealed package which the VAC, or anyone else, are not supposed to open.

Yes, I would contact the embassy; unfortunately the entry clearance office does not give out their phone number, but the embassy switchboard is +66 (0) 2 305 8333

[Satcommlee]

Passport and bank book is not a good combination to lose!!!

I would call the embassy and report it them also, just in case it has happened to anyone else.. a few reporting this could ring alarm bells that there are possibly crooked staff in the system.

Good luck!

[BusyBee123]

Well all her funds were still there and she has taken them out just in case. I'll report back tomorrow with regards to what the embassy say.

If the visa was issued will she be able to present her new passport for the visa to be stamped on it or will I have to apply again? I was hoping she could produce a police report saying it has been stolen which may allow her to circumvent another fee for applying again. How would she find out if it had passed!

Edited February 13, 2014 by BusyBee123

[Basil B]

Well all her funds were still there and she has taken them out just in case. I'll report back tomorrow with regards to what the embassy say.

If the visa was issued will she be able to present her new passport for the visa to be stamped on it or will I have to apply again? I was hoping she could produce a police report saying it has been stolen which may allow her to circumvent another fee for applying again. How would she find out if it had passed!

I would get back onto VAC ASAP pointing out that that no one called back, and you want to know whether you should report them lost or stolen.

My advice to anyone else collecting documents from VAC is to open up the envelope and check for important documents before sighing for them.

[BusyBee123]

^{Still no passport and no phone calls back the embassy told her to phone the visa place and they told her to wait but time is short I fly out in 3 weeks. So if she gets a new passport will she be able to go to the embassy and ask for a new visa stamp or do we have to pay again for a new visa application and a fast tracked one at that incurring unnecessary costs. Really annoyed now.}

[7by7]

I admit to being at a loss; I have never heard of this before.

As there was no refusal notice in the envelope, it does seem that she got the visa; unless that was missed out as well!

You need to keep chasing VFS and the embassy. If they try to fob you off by saying that they will check and call you back, tell them that they have promised this before and not done so and insist that they check now.

If in Bangkok, go there in person.

Fair play would dictate that as they have lost her passport then they should issue a new visa in her replacement passport PDQ and FOC; but UKVI and fair play don't always go together!

When she received the package, is your girlfriend sure that it was sealed and the seal showed no sign of being tampered with?

Even if the passport and bankbook turn up, were I you I would still definitely make an official complaint; see Make a complaint.

Edited February 20, 2014 by 7by7

[BusyBee123]

Ok I have sent this to both emails thank for that makes me feel a bit better. My girlfriend will go to the visa centre on Monday and if she gets nowhere stop at the passport office on the way home for a new one.

Re: APET/

Application ID: GWF

Application Date 27/01/14

Passport No:

Name:

DOB:

20/02/2014

Dear Sirs,

I wish to make a complaint about the appalling situation I find myself in. Having applied for a visit visa and receiving the documents back last Thursday 13^th Feb 2014 we found that 2 things were missing.

1. Passport
2. Bankbook

Obviously this was a concern as these are the 2 most obvious documents for someone to go to a bank and try to obtain money fraudulently. This has not happened and I have informed the bank that it has been stolen.

The passport is of even greater concern, where is it? I have tried the visa centre several times and each time they say they will call me back but never do and have a distinct lack of interest in finding out what has gone wrong. I call the embassy and they tell me to call the visa centre. I'm going around in circles.

I can think of only 2 possibilities.

1. Whoever put the documents in the sealed package at the embassy forgot to put the passport in or even worse has put it in with someone else’s application.
2. The package has been tampered with from leaving your embassy and arriving at my home ..... Pathum Thani . I do not believe this has happened as it did not look tampered with.

This is causing a considerable amount of stress and I do not know whether to give up on the embassy and the visa centre, report the passport stolen to the police and get a new passport, then redo a visa I have already got causing me considerable and unnecessary expense. I will also have to pay extra for a fast track service as I am due to fly on the ^.. March 2014 with my son who holds a British Passport.

I really need some help on what to do here. If I get a new passport will I be able to come direct to the embassy to get it stamped again?

Please can someone respond as I am now at a loss at what to do and no one seems to want to listen.

Regards

[matsky13]

Good luck Busy bee , I like your letter . To the point , strong but not rude . I hope that it is received quickly and dealt with even faster . I will be interested how it turns all out . I had a good experience with the British Embasy after they put the wrong date on my wife's visit visa last year and we went back they stamped cancelled on that one and 20 mins later I was on my out with a new visa inside . only a couple of emails and a telephone call to arrange this . So I am sure you should be able to get get it sorted pretty quick .

All the best .

[TCA]

Although you're not the applicant, you could perhaps also try calling the relevant bodies yourself. Especially the embassy. I'm not being cheeky regarding your girlfriend's level of spoken English (because I obviously don't know) but maybe a native speaker who can incline themselves to be a bit forceful or less polite, could kick them into action. I'm not a great believer in emails in urgent cases.

Good luck in a horrible situation.

Edited February 21, 2014 by TCA

[BusyBee123]

Thanks everyone for your help and advice but special thanks to 7by7 it has been resolved, she is going on Monday to pick it up as she doesn't want it to get lost again!

Brilliant result.

Dear ,

Thank you for your email dated 20 February.

We have your passport and bank book here at the British Embassy Bangkok. I would like to apologise that we did not return your passport with the other documents we returned. This was due to an internal error, and I would also like to apologise for any distress caused by this situation.

I have asked for this matter to be investigated immediately to ascertain exactly what has happened and so we can ensure this is not repeated.

We will return your documents to you as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely,

Customer Manager

Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam

UK Visas and Immigration, Home Office.

British Embassy, 14 Wireless Road, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

[theoldgit]

Did they confirm that the passport contains the all important sticker?

[TCA]

Congrats. I stand corrected on the efficiency of email. Good result, assuming, as the OG says, they've remembered to put the visa in!

[BusyBee123]

Yes it has the visa in just picked it up today after a long wait.

Thanks

[theoldgit]

Now she can relax and enjoy her holiday.

[rhodie]

At least you got the right outcome.