British citizenship: a comedy of errors
Jul. 30th, 2008 10:37 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
qatarperegrineI've been trying for some time now to register as a British citizen. My forms are filled out; my birth certificate and my mother's are attached; I have the necessary letters of reference from British nationals.
What I don't have is a check for £400.
While the UK government accepts application fees via credit card, the local British embassy does not. Nor does it accept riyals, as the American embassy does. No, this has to be a check, and it has to be in pounds.
I tried to get one from my American bank, but they won't issue a cashier's check unless I go in in person, which, um, I can't.
So I deposited money into my recently opened Qatari bank account and then tried to get a check in pounds. They said, "There's no money in your account." I said, "But I just deposited $1000." They said, "Oh, it takes 45 days to deposit a check."
?!?
So, I waited 45 days. This morning, I went in and again asked for a check in pounds. The cashier's eyes widened and she turned to the manager for help. "In British pounds? I'm sorry, maam, there was just a change in policy. We don't do that anymore."
What I don't have is a check for £400.
While the UK government accepts application fees via credit card, the local British embassy does not. Nor does it accept riyals, as the American embassy does. No, this has to be a check, and it has to be in pounds.
I tried to get one from my American bank, but they won't issue a cashier's check unless I go in in person, which, um, I can't.
So I deposited money into my recently opened Qatari bank account and then tried to get a check in pounds. They said, "There's no money in your account." I said, "But I just deposited $1000." They said, "Oh, it takes 45 days to deposit a check."
?!?
So, I waited 45 days. This morning, I went in and again asked for a check in pounds. The cashier's eyes widened and she turned to the manager for help. "In British pounds? I'm sorry, maam, there was just a change in policy. We don't do that anymore."
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Damnfool Governments
I'll shortly be changing my sir-name (back to the original form), and checked what the local US Embassy would require to update my US Passport. So I can either show them an "Official Name change document" or THREE pieces of valid picture ID, that have all "been valid for at least 5 years". So if the local "foreign government" doesn't supply me with the needed document (probably will), I'll have two sir-names for five years. I expect it will be Very Interesting getting through security with a plane ticket that doesn't match one of my passports. :-P
Why can't the US Embassy just issue me a US "Official Name change document" and take it from there. Just like the US Government would if I was applying for the change from within the USA.