Can anyone tell me if there's a photo place available somewhere between Cabarete and Puerto Plata that the UK government would recognize as a valid entry? It's rather urgent :ermm:
- Thread starter swellsurfcampcabarete
- Start date
passport photo booth
- Status
Ted Jimenez studio in Puerto Plata (on old JFKennedy, now Juan Bosch) - I got my photos done there for renewing UK passport & it passed muster. I DID take in the UK renewal instruction leaflet about size, background etc & translated it for them.
Ted Jimenez Studio
Ted Jimenez Studio
Thanks Lambada, I was wondering if the Fuji place in Cabarete did it (only because we are seriously short of time) - we are travelling in 2.5 weeks and just realized my son's passport is out by 3 weeks. I was planning to Fed-ex expired passport to UK for one day service and get it sent back (horribly expensive) - anyone had to renew or get a temporary one in SDQ? Thanks in advance for responses.
passport pics
We had photos done in Cabarete I believe at the FUJI place , required 2 diffrent sizes ,and were very happy with the photos .
We had photos done in Cabarete I believe at the FUJI place , required 2 diffrent sizes ,and were very happy with the photos .
Check that you can actually do that. Maybe with a child you can? For an adult the application forms you download from the Washington website are different from the ones you fill in if in the UK. An adult expat 'passing' as living in UK
would need the forms sent out from the UK to make sure the correct ones were used.The temporary ones are still done in SD but renewal is now via Washington - see
http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/101121-q-about-uk-passport-renewal.html
http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/95555-british-citizens-passport-changes.html
http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/101121-q-about-uk-passport-renewal.html
http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/95555-british-citizens-passport-changes.html
I doubt very much if you would get a Passport to the UK, get it processed & back to you here within the two & half weeks time-scale you mention EVEN if they accept your application. CERTAINLY there is no way (INMHO) that the passport will be renewed by Washington in the time-scale mentioned!
My advice would be to call the Hon. British Consul in Puerto Plata & ask him if he could arrange a temporary passport for your son's journey 'Back to UK'. He can normally get this processed within 7 days - quicker if you sit on Santo Domingo once he has submitted your application! Things MAY have changed recently & MAYBE he is now empowered to process the Emergency Passport himself. Check that point with him!
You should then make immediate application for the renewal of his passport once you land - either the same day or certainly the following day. If you use the check & send facility via The Post Office (see their service on their webpage) you should get it back within 14/20 days. You can take the fast track which guarantees 7 days as I recall!! The cost of doing it in the UK is going to be a lot less too ................ even with the 'Fast-Track' service!!
Hon British Consul is Genni Mendez & his number is 809 586 4244. The address is Edificio PuertoPlatania, 2nd Floorm Calle Beller #51, Puerto Plata. If you need more PM me ~ Grahame.
Grahame, thanks for that info - I appreciate it.
In fact, the UK passport office do a one day (4 hour) service (London office) if you go in person and that is what my ex-husband was going to do once he receives the passport from me. However, given what you have told me I will call Genni Mendez first and explore getting the temporary one here instead - it makes more sense.
Thanks again to you and Lambada for your help on this one - Clare
Aha! The missing piece of the puzzle - your son's father lives in UK. BushBaby & I were scratching our heads last night wondering how you could pull this off via a third party, but the father - well, that's different.
But yes, Mendez first for the temporary passport route. Then your back up plan if Plan A doesn't work out.
Good luck & let us know how it goes.
But yes, Mendez first for the temporary passport route. Then your back up plan if Plan A doesn't work out.
Good luck & let us know how it goes.
kind of solved..........
Ooops, sorry I should have mentioned that before - vital piece of info missing.
In fact, I spoke with Mendez today and whilst very pleasant, he could not be particularly helpful. He asked me what 'emergency' it was - and apart from the fact that my son cannot leave the D.R. without a passport, he was of the opinion that it was not an emergency situation. He said I would have to go in person to SDQ to the embassy (which I was prepared to do), but he added that in any event, the passport could not be processed before 14 days as everything is handled in Washington.
I also found out today as Nikki suspected, that Fed Ex and UPS do not carry passports (you can disguise them and take a risk but with so little time, I don't want to do that and end up with the passport stuck in the system).
Luckily, I have a friend who will now take the passport back to the UK this weekend and my ex-husband will go and do the same day service in London (129GBP) and then on the 16th, another very kind person will bring it back for me.
Lastly, the Fuji store in Cabarete efficiently did 4 perfect photos for me in less than 5 minutes and charged me 250 pesos. Great job.
Thanks Lambada, Grahame, Nikki and Pedro's Wife 09 (what happened to the other 8, I wonder A bad situation (my fault entirely) is now more or less under control :bunny:
Ooops, sorry I should have mentioned that before - vital piece of info missing.
In fact, I spoke with Mendez today and whilst very pleasant, he could not be particularly helpful. He asked me what 'emergency' it was - and apart from the fact that my son cannot leave the D.R. without a passport, he was of the opinion that it was not an emergency situation. He said I would have to go in person to SDQ to the embassy (which I was prepared to do), but he added that in any event, the passport could not be processed before 14 days as everything is handled in Washington.
I also found out today as Nikki suspected, that Fed Ex and UPS do not carry passports (you can disguise them and take a risk but with so little time, I don't want to do that and end up with the passport stuck in the system).
Luckily, I have a friend who will now take the passport back to the UK this weekend and my ex-husband will go and do the same day service in London (129GBP) and then on the 16th, another very kind person will bring it back for me.
Lastly, the Fuji store in Cabarete efficiently did 4 perfect photos for me in less than 5 minutes and charged me 250 pesos. Great job.
Thanks Lambada, Grahame, Nikki and Pedro's Wife 09 (what happened to the other 8, I wonder
A bad situation (my fault entirely) is now more or less under control :bunny:Glad it's sorted. I was going to tell you to have a convincing emergency ready (not 'I forgot') but didn't want to risk offending your smarts :cheeky:. However, it'll be a message to others.
Actually they do, mine went by UPS to Washington. I took this up with the previous UK Ambassador last September and posted the Vice-Consul's very clear response on this thread, post 11
http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/95555-british-citizens-passport-changes-2.html
Actually they do, mine went by UPS to Washington. I took this up with the previous UK Ambassador last September and posted the Vice-Consul's very clear response on this thread, post 11
http://www.dr1.com/forums/living/95555-british-citizens-passport-changes-2.html
That's interesting Ginnie - I was in EPS yesterday AM and it was they who told me that neither couriers would take the passports - clearly there's still some confusion with these companies or their representatives. Yesterday I also heard from someone who sent a received a passport successfully via UPS.
Regarding the 'emergency' issue - I should have thought of that too, but even though it's ultimately my responsibility, having a child unable to return to his 'home' country because of an expired passport, I would have thought would be a situation in which the Ambassador should and could help, without having to lie/pretend someone is seriously ill at the other end. Still we live and learn.
Regarding the 'emergency' issue - I should have thought of that too, but even though it's ultimately my responsibility, having a child unable to return to his 'home' country because of an expired passport, I would have thought would be a situation in which the Ambassador should and could help, without having to lie/pretend someone is seriously ill at the other end. Still we live and learn.
Yes, the land of moving goalposts! I think it's the agents for these companies who are confused because they haven't received the head office memo (because there wasn't one!). The problem is, of course, once you've asked the question, they'll know what it is you want to send. So......you can either spend hours getting them to phone their SD offices, getting the Vice-Consul to speak to them herself etc or you can.........just send it and hope.
Now there's a new UK government I will write to the Foreign Secretary again about the Washington issue spelled out on the other thread (the not telling people when the passport is being sent back). I did get an acknowledgement from the previous Foreign Secretary but ...no reparative action. Let's see if the new lot are any better.
As a footnote, sickness this end is more convincing. I recall your son had a spell in the local hospital, so you have masses of paperwork and now you have heard from his doctor in UK that they are insisting on doing a follow up check over there. Not your wish, but what can you do? (Shrug shoulders in best local fashion etc etc. - you get the drift).
Now there's a new UK government I will write to the Foreign Secretary again about the Washington issue spelled out on the other thread (the not telling people when the passport is being sent back). I did get an acknowledgement from the previous Foreign Secretary but ...no reparative action. Let's see if the new lot are any better.
As a footnote, sickness this end is more convincing. I recall your son had a spell in the local hospital, so you have masses of paperwork and now you have heard from his doctor in UK that they are insisting on doing a follow up check over there. Not your wish, but what can you do? (Shrug shoulders in best local fashion etc etc. - you get the drift
).got it.....
Yesterday my son's new passport arrived - I'm just updating this thread to let people know that Fed Ex and UPS are OBLIGED to carry passports in fact. So, if in the future you are told by a mailing service here, like EPS for example, that they cannot carry these documents, that information is incorrect. Put the passport in an envelope, don't tell them what it is and just send it; it will not be 'impounded' as I was told by EPS in Cabarete.
Thanks to all who helped and offered to help. :bunny:
Yesterday my son's new passport arrived - I'm just updating this thread to let people know that Fed Ex and UPS are OBLIGED to carry passports in fact. So, if in the future you are told by a mailing service here, like EPS for example, that they cannot carry these documents, that information is incorrect. Put the passport in an envelope, don't tell them what it is and just send it; it will not be 'impounded' as I was told by EPS in Cabarete.
Thanks to all who helped and offered to help. :bunny:
- Status