Delays on childs UK Passport, thinking of getting her a Certificate of Entitlment Right of Abode

[cybergypsy]

Hi everyone, I am new here and it is great to connect with so many fil-brit families here!

I am wondering if anyone is familiar with Certificate of Entitlment Right of Abode?

We are thinking of applying this for our daughter since her British passport might take a few more months. We submitted documents on Nov 2014, but from what i read on other people’s experience in the forum it could take 9 months before we get the passport. We just cant wait any more, we have been away from my husband for almost 2 years now.

We contacted the British embassy consul for an emergency travel document but they can only issue it if there is a medical urgency for travel, they adviced instead to apply for Certificate of Entitlment Right of Abode on her Philippine passport.

I am wondering if anyone has gone through this? If yes, could you please give us ideas on processing times?
Thank you

[imagine]

Hi cybergypsy, welcome to the forum,

i cant help you with your question, but hold in there, im sure someone with better knowledge than myself will come along soon, time differences means some will not be online when you posted your first

[Terpe]

Hello cyber gypsy and welcome aboard Filipino UK

This is a very difficult issue and one that has put people's lives on hold many times.
I wish I had a solution for you but sadly there's not a legal one.

Did you already look at the webpage Apply for a certificate of entitlement
You'll see it's not a simple issue and it has a considerable processing time too.

I was surprised to learn that the Embassy refused to consider an ETD for your child.
It seems they have reversed the procedure put in place last year following the Passport Office and reported here

Here's an extract:-

Emergency travel documents for children
Parents or guardians of children living overseas who wish to travel may be able to apply for an emergency travel document in place of both new (first time) passport and passport renewals for their children.

Customers will need to provide the same information as when applying for a passport for a child if the child has not held a British passport before. In most cases, we will also ask customers to provide evidence that all those who have parental responsibility for the child agree to apply for an Emergency Travel Document for the purpose of the proposed travel, or provide evidence that they have sole responsibility for the child, e.g. a court order. Customers can then follow instructions to apply for an Emergency Travel Document.

I don't know if it's worth following up or not. Either with the FCO or your MP or both.

Probably not given the unhelpful response you already received. But nothing to lose IMO

I can't help wondering if the Passport Office has improved it's lead times since last year so maybe the 7-9 months we've seen in the past has been cut down to something less than the 6 months processing of the Certificate of Entitlement.

I do feel your frustrations at the extreme processing times.

I'm just brainstorming here and haven't thought it through properly but I wonder what prevents your child from applying for a visa under the Philippine passport/citizenship then applying for a UK passport once in UK ? Well assuming you could meet the increased income threshold.

Of course the obvious risk would be refusal.
Then what?

As I said just a brainstorm idea to open up some discussion.

Anybody ?

[grahamw48]

If your docs have already been submitted, I would urge you to be patient, while of course making enquiries as to the progress of the application. To give up on it now, would be such a waste of effort, and it will have to be done anyway...now or in the future.

Has your partner not been to visit you during the past 2 years ? What is your own UK visa status ?

[cybergypsy]

I think we can apply for the Certifitcaie of Entitlement Right of Abode whilst there is an ongoing passport application. Once passport is issued, the certificate is automatically cancelled. I have emailed UKVI to confirm this as well as lead times for the issue of certificate.

The 6 months lead time for the certificate indicated on the gov.uk website is for ROA applied within the UK (i guess if you are in the UK there is no rush to get it...). It is the UKVI which issued it for overseas application and they were quite quick to issue a decision on my settlement visa application (just over 2 weeks), so I am hoping it will be the same case for the certificate .. I am not sure..

My husband has visited twice in that 2 years but we just cant wait to be together as a family for good. I just dont think I can have him visit again then bring him to the airport and see him go again.

My kids are growing up without a father, this is such a precious time and my husband has missed a big chunk of their childhood.

It is very hard to raise two young kids on my own, I don't have a big extended family and my mom who has been helping me out the whole time, her health is not great anymore and the two kids are just too much on her.

And at the end of the day I feel that it is our right to be together as a family and this draconian policies of the visas and delayed passport issue has created a big hole in our lives. My children is constantly asking me when they will see their dad again, and I cannot even give them an answer.

I understand that this strict rules have to be implemented to cut down on immigration, but how do I explain that to a 4 year old?

I am sorry for the rant... I am nice really!! this whole thing is just so frustrating. ANyway I think we will go ahead with the certificate of entitlement application, its going to cost us 300 GBP but if it cuts down the wait to 3-4 months, thats fine. The cost of paying 2 rents in 2 countries will cost more anyways.

[BenRicca]

I got my children passports last week, after 49 weeks of waiting. I was advised that my children were not eligible for an ETD, as the concession that the home office put in place last year to ease the backlog, was withdrawn around October last year. Try your local MP. Mine was very good, although they could not speed up the process, they have a hotline to the passport office and can find out about your application straight away, but they will not give you a timeline.

[Terpe]

I got my children passports last week, after 49 weeks of waiting........

Very pleased to hear this news.
Congratulations
You must both feel a sense of relief at last.
But what a torrid time for you and others in the same position.

Personally I think it's a disgrace that it takes such a long time

[BenRicca]

Very pleased to hear this news.
Congratulations
You must both feel a sense of relief at last.
But what a torrid time for you and others in the same position.

Personally I think it's a disgrace that it takes such a long time

Now my children have their British passports, do i have to do anything else when leaving the country with them? Is it as simple as just showing them to immigration at the airport? I mean there is no stamp in their passport as they are new. There must be some fee or hoop i have to jump through first surely..it all sounds to easy! Or would they leave on their Filipino passports and enter the UK on their British, how does it work best?

[will1927]

ben, what I have read, is .....you need to present both passport when you and your wife leave, there British and there Filipino passport at immigration. it might be different if you leave without your wife..

will