# Is legal for UKBA to send me my passport after I have requested?



## Hicham841 (Aug 29, 2012)

Hi there, 
I have applied for spouse visa on march 2012 since then I have been waiting until I relised that I need my passport to take an exam to start a masters course so I called the ukba on the 30/07/2012 and requested my passport they told me that it takes 20 working days to get your passport so I was waiting. I sould have recieved it yesterday the 28/08 but I did happen so I call them again to ask but they did not give me any information and told I need to make an other request!!!!!
Is it legal for them to send me my passport within 20 working days? Cos I can not start my course if I do not take the exam this Friday.


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Hicham841 said:


> Hi there,
> I have applied for spouse visa on march 2012 since then I have been waiting until I relised that I need my passport to take an exam to start a masters course so I called the ukba on the 30/07/2012 and requested my passport they told me that it takes 20 working days to get your passport so I was waiting. I sould have recieved it yesterday the 28/08 but I did happen so I call them again to ask but they did not give me any information and told I need to make an other request!!!!!
> Is it legal for them to send me my passport within 20 working days? Cos I can not start my course if I do not take the exam this Friday.


No, there is no legal requirement for them to do so, but normally you should get it much quicker than that. Just request again, but emphasising that it's your second request and you have been waiting over 20 working days.
Remember requesting your passport back usually means withdrawing your application and you lose all your fees, and you have to re-apply, this time under the new rules.

Can't you explain your circumstances to your uni and request an extension, or can they accept an alternative ID?


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## Hicham841 (Aug 29, 2012)

Thanksfor your reply, 
but on UKBA website it says that: If you request for your passport to be returned, delivery will take 20 working days from the date of your request. Without drawing the application unless people do not travel abroad.
So why did they put this information on the website if they do not respect it!!!! 
I really do not understand!!!!


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Hicham841 said:


> Thanksfor your reply,
> but on UKBA website it says that: If you request for your passport to be returned, delivery will take 20 working days from the date of your request. Without drawing the application unless people do not travel abroad.
> So why did they put this information on the website if they do not respect it!!!!
> I really do not understand!!!!


Because 20 days isn't a guarantee or anything, but what they aim to do in normal circumstances. There are times they cannot fulfil their target, and there are isolated cases, of which yours may be one, that for some administrative reasons they cannot meet their standards. 
It's like your promsing your friend you will phone them up today, but for a variety of reasons you cannot do so, like you forget, your phone is out of order, an emergency has arisen etc etc. It's the same, multiplied by 100 times, for a big organisation like UKBA. At any one time, they may be holding on to tens of thousands of passports, and I have personally seen a huge pile of applications waiting to be sorted. In your case, someone has to go through that pile to find your package, retrieve your passport and send it back. It's not an easy operation.


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## Hicham841 (Aug 29, 2012)

I completely disagree with you cos when a big organisation like UKBA puts information on their webeaite must be correct. Who do people trust them again?
Any way I really need to ask someone who knOws about immigration law.
Thanks a lot


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## Joppa (Sep 7, 2009)

Suit yourself. I told you the truth.


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