Buddha | ExpatWoman.com
 

Buddha

Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 15 June 2014 - 18:41
Everyone recently seems to be getting new and old passports back together but I still waiting in the old one...
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 15 June 2014 - 18:41
Everyone recently seems to be getting new and old passports back together but I still waiting in the old one...
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 15 June 2014 - 18:26
I got nowhere with Etisalat re this a few months ago. They said I would need to pay a deposit of several thousand AED and couldn't prepay. I even spoke to a supervisor but on their website it did look possible. I just bought a prepaid SIM card in uk for approx AED50 and my daughter did the same in Oz.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 15 June 2014 - 17:36
Think most are a week on Thursday ie the 26th June..
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 15 June 2014 - 15:54
My DD passport reached office 25th April, I got it back a few days ago ( wed, I think) but still no sign of the old one. Several people who didn't send till middle of May got both old and new one back together today - things def seem to be improving. Just hoping the old one turns up.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 14 June 2014 - 21:24
I looked at doing the courier option and getting a friend to do it for me and couriering back but apparently it is illegal to do it that way. You have to physically be in the uk...I guess you might get away with it but you might not.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 14 June 2014 - 19:22
My documents received 30April, new one back on Wednesday. I think new ones take a bit longer. On plus front, they seem to be getting act together and speeding things up.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 14 June 2014 - 14:20
Seems like they gave really got their act together in last week but makes you wonder why they couldn't do it earlier. Weeks of worry and needless phone calls etc. People who sent middle to late April only just getting theirs back now so they have def got things moving. I am just waiting for old one now.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 13 June 2014 - 16:52
Check with consul but when I enquired re an ETD if my DD renewal was not back in time I was told I would need a letter from them to take to UAE immigration where residency visa would need to be cancelled. If old passport is still in Dubai with you but simply expired then you are ok to go out on an ETD as far as I know. Problem is if the passport with residency stamp is in Liverpool at the office. Check with embassy here though ..they got back to me within 24 hrs.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 13 June 2014 - 16:08
Emergency travel document is a step forward but still angers me as doesn't take into account people living in countries like UAE where only way to exit an an ETD is to go to UAE immigration and cancel residency visa. I know there are some other countries with similar immigration rules. Maybe the overwhelming amount of people in Uk I receive passports within three to four weeks but certainly not the case for overseas renewals...they are being very disingenuous in their wording.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 12 June 2014 - 18:52
I just checked - mine was signed for on 25th April at passport office. ( earlier post I said 27th but I just checked my DHL tracker and it was 25th) but did not reach office till 30th April according to an email that I received back from passport office. When I phoned I kept getting told AT LEAST six weeks from the 30th April. Mine was finally printed on 4th June but I contacted Mr Pugh secretary on the 3rd June and she said she would investigate so I have no idea whether it did get speeded up or if it would have been done then anyway.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 12 June 2014 - 18:25
My kids started school in sept but did not get visas till January due to various problems. We just had to keep getting letters from the company for school saying that they were in process and had to do a visa run once a month to Hatta.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 12 June 2014 - 18:20
If stuck you can watch it on Filmon
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 12 June 2014 - 18:19
Friends send small presents regular mail. So far, I have received 8 out of 9 mailed...one is still missing, sent in December. If it is not valuable then maybe straight mail and risk it.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 12 June 2014 - 17:29
Vaseline on feet and shoes...
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 12 June 2014 - 16:52
My DD's passport has finally arrived after many sleepless nights, many phone calls and emails and finally a response from Mr Paul Pugh. I can not believe I sent it on 27th April and it has only just arrived back and yet it appears to be back quicker than some. Mine was printed on 4th June and arrived back 11th June so exactly one week to get back , still waiting for the old one. What was angering me more than anything was that British Passport office continually told me to get an ETD if not back in time but were unaware of the difficulties of doing this from Dubai. I spoke to Uk embassy in Dubai and they said that although possible it was complicated and would depend on where your passport was in the application process whether or not it was granted.. They also said that in order to exit the residency visa would HAVE to be cancelled and to get back into Dubai you would need the new passport as can't get in on an ETD. You would then require to reapply for residency on returning to Dubai. Yet, passport office in UK blithely kept telling me just to get an ETD. <em>edited by Buddha on 12/06/2014</em>
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 11 June 2014 - 22:41
I know several women who sponsor husbands and kids...
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 11 June 2014 - 21:30
Gosh..that is a tad worrying as I got email from her on 5th June saying it had been issued on 4th June but no sign of it. <em>edited by Buddha on 11/06/2014</em>
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 11 June 2014 - 20:59
Sanddydog and Pandabeer - can. I ask what day his secretary got back to you. She got back to me thurs and said it had just been printed but no sign of it yet.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 11 June 2014 - 16:01
When you applied online you should have been sent an email. If you can find that then the reference number should be on that. It is different from the tracking number and password. There is no way of getting the password etc if you didn't make a note of it at the time but the reference number should be on the email.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 11 June 2014 - 15:35
I had an email last Thursday to say mine had been printed and would be dispatched in next few days. Still no sign of it.... PS I never got my password to work..pretty sure I had copied it correctly but kept saying it was wrong and locked me out. TBH, I don't think you learn much even if you can get online. I know people who received theirs back and yet tracking system was still saying it was in process. <em>edited by Buddha on 11/06/2014</em>
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 11 June 2014 - 09:11
you can NOT fast track overseas renewals. If no response from Paul Pugh then ask your MP in UK to intervene as apparently that gets results.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 June 2014 - 22:15
I got an email last week saying mine had been printed and would be sent back. They gave me a courier tracking number. Mmpico - when you couriered it over to uk, what address here did you give to the courier company. It should come back to that address.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 June 2014 - 14:53
First time I emailed around 4 weeks after sending it I got no reply. I then emailed about ten days later and got a reply so I have a feeling she maybe doesn't answer until it gets to around 6 week after sending
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 10 June 2014 - 11:05
Mine reached examination stage on 30th April. I DHLéd it 25th April. As far as I know examination stage is , as someone else said, just where it sits and waits till someone is ready to do it. I was told at least 6 weeks from when it reached examination.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 09 June 2014 - 17:41
I believe the Daily Mail has phoned at least two people living in Dubai today re the passport issue. They are running a feature tomorrow. Whether or not it will help is anyone's guess.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 08 June 2014 - 05:34
I spoke to lady here at UK consul. You may or may not get an emergency travel document issued. She said they would need to contact passport office and find out at what stage your application was. You then need a letter from them for Ua E immigration where you must cancel residency visa. You can NOT get back into UAE in an emergency travel document so you need someone here to send new passport to you when it finally arrives. On arriving back in UAE you need to re start residency process. She was very helpful but said it was a complicated process and not guaranteed.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 June 2014 - 19:29
Sent mine 25/4 and was told it went for examination on 30th April. Many phone calls to call centre and I managed to speak to a manger this time last week who told me probably at least( she emphasised the words at least) another two weeks then at least a week more before it got back here and the old one could be a further week later. I was panicking but emailed Mr Paul Pugh on Tues evening, received a reply immediately and next day was told that mine had now been processed. Yesterday I received a standard email reply to a query I had made earlier in the week suggesting that it would be at least another row weeks before the renewal process started. I am just so glad my email to Mr Pugh got answered. I suggest everyone waiting fires an email to him as certainly has worked for a few of us. I'm hopeful mine will now be back end of next week but that is 7 weeks with intervention, otherwise I think would have been at least nine weeks.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 07 June 2014 - 13:49
Check with embassy here but I think you can fly a new born out without a visa and enter on a tourist visa then get it done when you come back.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 06 June 2014 - 19:28
Throw talcum powder every where and leave for a few hours before cleaning it up ...gets rid of thrm every time.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 06 June 2014 - 18:35
Alismum..depends when you need them. If you need them in winter then I would send now in case still taking months. I gues Mr Pugh is busy but his secretary was lovely and very efficient.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 06 June 2014 - 17:42
Parsley - just over a day after first emailing Paul Pugh I had two different emails saying mine now printed and will soon be winging it's way back. Fingers crossed for you. Still getting replies to emails I sent to call centre place earlier in week suggesting it will be at least another couple of weeks before even gets sent back.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 05 June 2014 - 16:18
Mine arrived 27th April. After hours of phone calls and many emails with conflicting advice I was told yesterday by progress team that at least another two weeks plus allow a further one week to send out and a further week for old passport. I was getting very worried as appeared that this wasn't going to be enough time. BUT I just had an email this afternoon saying it would be sent beginning of next week....I had escalated the application last Sun to managerial level and on Tues I emailed Paul Pugh...thanks so much to the OP who provided his details. His secy got back to me almost immediately and told me not to worry and that she would try to sort it then hey presto I got email today.... Def seems like if you push can get process speeded up.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 04 June 2014 - 17:16
It's fantastic. Used it a lot last year. Car parking is expensive but if you can brave the two min walk you can park across the road for free. You just register your details when you go in..I think they asked me for my ID card to borrow table tennis bats but running track is free as is table tennis and badminton. Last year, they were giving out free ice cream most days we were there plus the cafe is great in Ramadan.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 04 June 2014 - 15:54
Not out of the woods yet but I almost cried when I got reply from Paul Pugh secy today. I had written to ask whether if I flew tol Liverpool overnight and booked a fri appt whether I could retrieve my DD passport and would then renew in the Summer. I could not bear flying all the way there to find out they would not give to me so I had wanted some written confirmation. She replied saying she would investigate but would be much better if could simply get renewed so that hopefully it would not come to that. It's just sooo lovely to get to speak to a real person. Fingers crossed all of us in here get sorted. From what I can gather the backlog is actually worse at the minute than it was a few weeks ago.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 04 June 2014 - 11:36
Cymraes..great news. Mine was received on 27th according to text from DHL but didn't reach office till 30th April so I am two weeks behind you. After hearing from Paul Pugh secretary yesterday I emailed details back and also enquired as to whether if I flew to Liverpool I could retrieve her old passport and then I will do the renewal from UK in the summer on the one week priority service. Still waiting to hear.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 21:15
I assume OP is hoping there are some mums in Doha who came from Dubai and would therefore know how to do it as mums in Dubai would have no need to know.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 20:50
Hey Sandydog... You can't even stay in RAK as need your passport for that. Sorry, i shouldn't be facetious, I'm in same situation as you. Got to try and laugh or I would cry..
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 20:49
Any UK passport holders requiring to renew passports in the next year may well be spending all their vacations in UAE....
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 19:50
OMG..I got a reply within ten mins of sending but kicking myself so much. I am sooo stressed by whole thing I hadn't sent her name or date of birth or even application number...duh!!!! I was too concerned with trying to word it nicely but concerned. Praying she emails back as just sent the details.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 19:35
Cymraes ..can I ask when you emailed mr Pugh...I emailed about a week ago but nothing . abi300376- did you get a response saying he was too busy to respond. <em>edited by Buddha on 03/06/2014</em>
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 19:10
Cynraes I hsve emailed mr Pugh several times..no reply. I will try again. Thanks I DHL'ed on Fri asking for my application to be withdrawn and passport returned and I would forfeit the money already paid. At same time I sent an email asking how long it would take. I just had n email saying time for this would be at the discretion of the passport office...aaargh...getting nowhere fast. <em>edited by Buddha on 03/06/2014</em>
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 16:58
The staff seem to know very little..constantly give out wrong information. I had one ask for my first name then my last name, then he asked for my Surname. Email responses seem standard and don't actually reflect the question asked. They sometimes email.answers which people on the 300 desk say are wrong. There doesn't even seem to be a system as to which order they deal with passports. <em>edited by Buddha on 03/06/2014</em>
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 16:38
Busybee2 - I think I probably speak for many of us when I say that majority of us sent with the biggest window available to us and we DID take notice of the nine month window It seems that people posting on here have allowed at least nine weeks and majority seem to have had this as the biggest window available. Yes, in hindsight some of us could have done the priority service in UK in summer but with the withdrawal of the one day service for children this isn't always an option for some. Yes, in hindsight I wish I had got done in UK in the summer but with July and August being peak period I figures this might have been worse. FYI - the UK embassy in Dubai said categorically today that the three moth validity IS required for entry to UAE even with a residency visa. Yes, you may get in without this but you MAY not and UAE immigration may or may not enforce this. So, this actually narrows the nine month window down to six months and figure in a couple of other trips and it's clear why so many people are experiencing difficulties.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 16:26
I spoke to Uk embassy here today. It's very difficult to get an ETD when one lives in YAE as even if an ETD is issued you need old passport with exit visa. They have said we can't bank on getting out with an ETD but to call them a week before travel date if no sign of passport. I have not managed to get anyone to call me back and received another email today saying it had gone to be examined on 30th April but that process was taking at least six weeks. What angers me beyond belief is that when I applied their website said four to six weeks. For those who are saying to use the nine month window, many of us used the biggest window we had and I don't think any of us expected 9 to ten weeks or longer to be insufficient . Apparently if passports don't expire till later ie my DD's doesn't expire till Oct, you can DHl a letter requesting your application be withdrawn and passport returned ASAP. You MUST state that you agree to forfeit the fee you have already paid. Whether or not they will actually do this or it will sit in a pile somewhere I have no idea but may be worth a try for those who are not close to expiring.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 16:15
Table tennis was free last year. Running track also free.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 03 June 2014 - 05:58
7th September for our schools.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 02 June 2014 - 20:44
I guess application confirmed is therefore the same as what i was told re it gone for checking on 30th April. I DHled it around 20th April.. I have called five times now and four times been unable to speak to anyone in progress team for various reasons inc computer malfunctions twice. Been told via email that I can withdraw application and ask for original to be sent back but must speak to someone on the 300 number plus DHL a letter of permission . every time I call the 300 line to request they tell me this isn't possible even when I read out two different emails sent by their office. We are meant to fly four weeks tomorrow which hopefully will be enough time but I'm getting very nervous as also need the old one back which takes another week .. So wish I had waited and done in the UK this summer on the premium service. <em>edited by Buddha on 02/06/2014</em>
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 02 June 2014 - 20:18
Cmraes..when you say application receipt confirmed did you receive confirmation at the time. Despite calling many times I have only been through to progress team once - others time they have either gone hone (5.10pm), all been busy or twice the computers were down. Around a week ago , I git told that it had gone to be examined on the 30th Aoril...I'm wondering if going to be examined is the same as what your progress team report meant by application receipt confirmed. Surely if DHL are about to send it should only be 48 hrs...shouldn't be a week? Lady here in Embassy said that the old one normally tajes an additional week to be returned.
Buddha
553
Posts
EW GURU
Latest post on 02 June 2014 - 15:55
It appears that there is no pattern to how long it takes. I'm trying to renew a child's one and it has been gone almost six weeks and all the progress team can tell me is that it has not reached the desk where it will be looked at. I also had an email from UK consul in Dubai saying that ETD may or may not be granted and would also need to clear with UAE immigration....it didn't really say whether an ETD was possible or not.
 
 
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