Vexed laments the requirement of changing UK passport requests to being processed through the embassy in the US rather than locally. I for one am encouraged by and look forward to the move.
A few years back I tried getting my British passport via the local immigration office. I turned up, grabbed one of the pamplets, gathered the required information, filled out the forms and returned to submit my passport only to be told the pamphlet was wrong and I didn't have the correct information. So, I asked what the correct information was, gathered that and returned only to be told this time that the previous woman had been wrong and that I needed a different set of information. So I found out what was needed and I turned up once again to thankfully be told that I had the correct information, but since I was headed back to school in a month they'd no longer accept my application because I'd be travelling so soon. I ended up with no British passport and out the fee I'd had done up via bank draft.
Vexed notes:
"a cynic might understand this kink in the process as a subtle way of dissuading Bermudians from taking up their citizenship rights, and of distancing ole Blighty from those troublesome little pink bits on the map."
This cynic has long wondered if all the hoops were a way of dissuading me from taking up my citizenship rights and is more than happy to give the new method a try.
The process you described is standard operating procedure for most Government departments. If you don't like the advice you got the first time, just come back later, you'll get something different next time.
They never seem to have gotten the hang of this "post useful information on the internet" thing.
I am sure the DC bureau will be efficient and well run. I just object to the Depty Gov saying its to your benefit, when it is to his own (the central passport issuance is part of a cost saving drive).
Posted by: Caliban | October 22, 2009 at 08:46 PM