British Embassy = Wankers

Stramash · Post by **Stramash** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 1:58 pm

Bit strong I know, but I need to vent about the inefficiency and burying their heads in the sand shown by these assholes.

There used to be a time (dons pith hat) when your embassy was there to help you; now it's all receptions and trade deals and shining Lord Puttnam's shoes.

So...I lost my passport. My fault, no-one else's. Followed instructions; filled in LS01 form, hand-delivered it to embassy, then proceeded to apply for new one (at this point, I must doff said pith hat to the overseas team at passport HQ in Liverpool who had my new passport back in PP within 10 days).

Next step was to look at how to do my visa - on old passport it was due to expire on 1/9/16 so no super rush. Went off to agency, gave new passport, sheaf of dollar bills and police report.

They phoned me later and said they also needed letter/email from embassy confirming report of lost passport to them.

And this is where the fun starts; Contacted the same person as when I made my original enquiry, politely requested a confirmation email and received this -

"All forms we receive to the Embassy regarding lost/stolen passport would have been entered into the system, however we have no record of yours being entered. Therefore the Embassy has no involvement with your old passport reporting lost. If you are still facing visa problems, please contact HMPO directly or if it is the Cambodian visa, contact the Cambodian Immigration."

This despite it being delivered by hand and my details recorded in their visitors' book.

Since then, they have not bothered their lazy fat bureaucratic arses replying to any of my emails and even went as far as to remove the complaint I placed on their FB page.

Wankers.
\
Rant over. I feel a little better now.

Khmerhamster · Post by **Khmerhamster** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 2:04 pm

Pitiful. Sadly all too common.

badboybubby · Post by **badboybubby** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 4:15 pm

kind of comical...i wonder how they account for issuing of new passport without receiving lost form/report...

delivered by hand

copy always a good idea...

On The Buses · Post by **On The Buses** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 4:19 pm

Hah. Many moons ago, 1989 or 1990, or maybe 1991, I was in Mogadishu, and had cause to visit the Britshit Embassy, which was housed in some kind of castle structure on the seafront. On my first visit they were somewhat taken aback and actually let me in, thing they only shouted at me through barred windows. On a subsequent visit they drew up the drawbridge,and sent out a lacky to do a full body search. After that I was handed a note, which said 'you shouldn't be here, and if anything happens to you there is nothing we can do. Go away.'

Under the circumstances it was a bit rude, but they probably had a good point.

The sods fled soon after though, and I chuckled when the embassy was overrun

Stramash · Post by **Stramash** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 4:24 pm

badboybubby wrote:kind of comical...i wonder how they account for issuing of new passport without receiving lost form/report...

delivered by hand
copy always a good idea...

Her excuse for that is that the passport office would automatically cancel old one when I applied for a new one, which is frankly rubbish.

I normally copy everything official, but assumed (wrongly) that hand delivering it (not just to the gatehouse but inside and to an actual person) would suffice.

I do have to say; both the immigration police here and the passport office back in Liverpool were both very helpful and efficient. (the former so much and surprisingly so that I dropped in a nice bottle of Scotch for them the week after)

badboybubby · Post by **badboybubby** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 4:52 pm

Her excuse for that is that the passport office would automatically cancel old one when I applied for a new one, which is frankly rubbish

yeah seems odd...not the way bureaucracies usually work...the lost report is as much a record of new passport as old...and even if it were true by definition a new passport i presume can only be issued if a report was lodged...the fact they have no record is their problem...

batshitcrazyweirdo · Post by **batshitcrazyweirdo** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:26 pm

All, repeat ALL immigration rules have changed.

I suggest you contact all your embassy webpages and get current.

Or just put yer hands up, mister.

Bubble T · Post by **Bubble T** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:41 pm

The British embassy here is an absolute disgrace, they are beyond useless. Sorry you had to find out the hard way.

batshitcrazyweirdo · Post by **batshitcrazyweirdo** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 5:43 pm

Yeah, but you have to shout, spit, swear and mf tell them things 20 times at US Embassy almighty. Cuntz.

alifeapart · Post by **alifeapart** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 6:26 pm

Yes, indeed the British Embassy bring shame upon themselves and the country they are supposed to serve.

My own experience was to request a confirmation letter of some such nonsense that is oft required here. Despite my reciting the opening page of the Passport to the Embassy staff:

"Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary";

I was met with insolence and idiocy when suggesting that this request was aimed at all officials, regardless of Nationality and that, as British Embassy staff, they should be the most focussed on affording the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary. Alas no.

In the end, I had to draft said letter by way of my own lawyer, self certifying 'what the Embassy would have said' in their non-existent letter. The Head of Khmer Immigration admitted that he was shocked and amazed that such letters are indeed beneath staffers at the (redundant) Embassy.

The Embassy site should be shuttered and sold off, proceeds used to clear the National Debt for all the good that they do.

Stramash · Post by **Stramash** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 6:28 pm

batshitcrazyweirdo wrote:All, repeat ALL immigration rules have changed.

I suggest you contact all your embassy webpages and get current.

Or just put yer hands up, mister.

Both random and irrelevant at the same time.

Great!

Khmerhamster · Post by **Khmerhamster** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 6:36 pm

alifeapart wrote:Yes, indeed the British Embassy bring shame upon themselves and the country they are supposed to serve.

My own experience was to request a confirmation letter of some such nonsense that is oft required here. Despite my reciting the opening page of the Passport to the Embassy staff:

"Her Britannic Majesty's Secretary of State Requests and requires in the Name of Her Majesty all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary";

I was met with insolence and idiocy when suggesting that this request was aimed at all officials, regardless of Nationality and that, as British Embassy staff, they should be the most focussed on affording the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary. Alas no.

In the end, I had to draft said letter by way of my own lawyer, self certifying 'what the Embassy would have said' in their non-existent letter. The Head of Khmer Immigration admitted that he was shocked and amazed that such letters are indeed beneath staffers at the (redundant) Embassy.

The Embassy site should be shuttered and sold off, proceeds used to clear the National Debt for all the good that they do.

Had exactly the same issue. A university here needed a letter from my embassy. 'All embassies provide this, it's simple, here is an example from South Korea'. Took the example letter to the British Embassy and they said 'Sorry, we don't do this service'.
They also refused to certify a letter drafted by me.

'All embassies provide this'
Unless you are British...

vladimir · Post by **vladimir** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 6:47 pm

I am not British, but from what I have read about the embassy it is nothing more than a dinner club which promotes UK commercial interests. Perhaps they should move the office to the old WA premises, similar work ethic.

My own embassy in Bangkok makes them look like schmucks. Then again, just about every other embassy in Cambodia makes them look like schmucks.

I bet even the N.Koreans look after their citizens better.

If I were a UK taxpayer, I'd raise bloody hell.

Bubble T · Post by **Bubble T** » Wed Aug 17, 2016 6:48 pm

Just checked their website to see if there is a list of things they actually do, and found this laughable tidbit:

"We also provide significant financial support for the Extraordinary Chambers of the Courts of Cambodia (Khmer Rouge Tribunal), to bring to justice those responsible for the atrocities committed during the Khmer Rouge era"

I'm assuming they don't mean bringing Maggie Thatcher and the SAS soldiers she sent to train the Khmer Rouge to justice....