Passport application in deadlock

HM Passport Office did not have the information requested.

Keminghuier2016

Dear HM Passport Office,

My seven year old son's first passport application form was sent out in April 12. Two weeks later we received a letter from the passport office stating that my son's name has got a space between his first name and middle name on the application form, the birth certificate, and the naturalisation letter, but there is no gap on his expired Chinese passport. We were instructed to contact the Chinese authority to issue him another passport with the name changed (add a gap) or if the authority doesn't allow such change, a letter from the Chinese authority is needed to confirm this.

Following the instruction, we got my son's Chinese passport back and contacted the Chinese Embassy by both telephone and Email. Their answer was my son is no longer a Chinese citizen (naturalised as a British citizen already) and no new passport will be issued and his name was correctly written on the passport according to Chinese naming policy. However, the Chinese Embassy refused to provide any written document to confirm this. They even didn't want to reply our email enquiries. We asked for them numerous times, the answer was always no. We informed the passport office our situation and were told that our case was passed to the policy team to check. This was already May 23rd and since then every time I phoned the passport office, I was told to wait and I was reassured that everything should be fine.

Nothing happened until 6th of July we were told that the policy team replied and they could not issue a passport unless a letter from the Chinese Embassy is received. To make things worse, we booked/paid our holiday in January and we are travelling on July 22 an we need to apply for a visa which would take at least 3 working days! The Examiner was aware of our travelling and still is chasing us for a letter from a foreign authority! We have tried by all means to get such a letter, but failed. Now we are stuck in the middle feeling hopeless, frustrated, angry, and depressed. We felt we were bullied by both authorities.

I was told that the British passport will be issued once a letter from the Chinese Embassy is received and a note will be put on the observation page like this person is also known as ... on the Chinese passport. Why would this need such an impossible letter to initiate?

We would like to know :
1) What checks the policy team carried out over six weeks time and what made them come to the conclusion that no passport can be issued?
2) Why were we instructed to deal with a foreign authority which we have nothing to do with anymore as an ordinary citizen. If the examiner doesn't believe what we said, why the policy team didn't make the inquiry to the Chinese Embassy
3) Finally how can we get this issue sorted out as soon as possible. This is really urgent.

Yours faithfully,

Keming

Dear Keming

Thank you for your enquiry regarding your child's passport application.

Unfortunately you have not supplied enough information to find the application. Please provide the applicants:
Application number
Full Name
Date of birth
Address

Any further information, please contact us through our helpline on +44 (0)300 123 1973 or via e-mail [email address]

Please ensure the application reference number is included in any email correspondences sent to us.

Kind Regards,

Steven
Customer Contact Centre Agent
Customer and Digital Services

Her Majesty’s Passport Office
www.gov.uk/hm-passport-office

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