PDXNRTLHR

Believe me, I'm very annoyed with the sluggish bureaucrats. It's not just flights that a lack of passport is causing me trouble with.

PDXNRTLHR

Even if I did get a second passport, and traveled on that, the act of leaving the UK before my visa application was processed would cause the UKBA to cancel my application.

So regardless of having my current passport returned, or getting an emergency passport, I'd still have to reapply for a visa.

rthib

Start with the US Embassy and also call your Congressman's business office.

See if one or the other has someone who will care about your problem and see if they can expedite things or can tell you who might be able to help you get things moved along.

Keep trying with Delta, but also see if the government can help.
You would be surprised what can happen if you get to the right person.

If that still doesn't work - Try the press.
Local TV (in either country) or Travel desk at Major Paper (USA Today, WSJ Etc...)

This is the sort of story they love to run.
Poor couples wedding put in jeopardy because of slow government.
Evil Airline stealing money that could be used for wedding.

Rules are rules - but when you have a good story, you can sometimes bend the rules.

Often1

Lots of bad info in this thread:

1. OP expressly said that he was told by the UK that if left the country, whether on his existing or another passport, he would have his application withdrawn.

2. TSA has nothing to do with the entry of individuals, including USN's to the USA.

3. It is true that if OP attempts to travel without a passport, he may be denied by the air carrier and will certainly encounter lays at CBP upon arrival, none of this is important because OP's problem lies with UK rules which prohibit his departure if he values the visa.

4. OP has one of those EU-issued tickets which are truly non changeable. No penalties, no vouchers, no nothing. They are super deep discounts, but cannot be changed for any reason. If you don't fly as scheduled, you lose all value.

OP - Only you can make the choice here.

PDXNRTLHR

Here's the backstory:

He's British, I'm American. We met in Tokyo while we were both working in Japan.

I applied for (and received) my fiance visa in February. I moved to the UK in May, and we got married in July. I'm applying for a visa that will allow me to stay in the UK and work, and start the path to residency.

If I wait to reapply after I get back from the US in November, my fiance visa will have lapsed, and I'd have to apply from outside the UK. In that case, I'd be stuck in the US for months until the new visa is processed. I can't do this, as my mother in law has terminal cancer, and I'm her primary caregiver here in the UK. I was only planning on being away for a week to see family, and introduce my husband to Thanksgiving dinner.

PDXNRTLHR

I couldn't get the agent at the Medallion desk to explain why my ticket is fully non-changeable, but my husband's was. Both were U fares, both purchased at Delta.com.

MSPeconomist

Different U fares between the same city pair can have very different fare rules, even if both were purchased on delta.dumb. Look at the entire code for your fare, not just the single letter fare class U. The very different rules could be the result of European versus USA points of sale.

Emma1420

I wouldn't want to fall under the new immigration rules. And I suspect that there is probably a pretty significant back log of cases given that I'm sure many people were applying for their partner/spouse/fiance visa before the rules changed in July. I would follow the suggestion of others who have said to call Delta back until you get someone who can help you. It sounds like you don't want to risk your visa application, and I wouldn't either if I were you.

MSPeconomist

It's not only the visa application but the OP doesn't want to be barred from entering the UK while the mother-in-law is so ill. She could be forced to wait many months to obtain another fiance visa or other permission to enter.

Monk

My wife and I have been through the pain of this, and so has one of my best friends, we both married americans.

Re the UKBA there is flat out nothing you can do about it. They will not give you any indication, priority or squat for chasing it. Lesson I have learned from this is ALWAYS pay extra for the in person appointments and get it done on the day. Otherwise you open yourself up for a world of hurt waiting to get it back with no timeline or indications. The UKBA suck at what they do, but that is unfortunately the way it is. Don't attempt to flaunt the rules, you will get chucked out that way.

Re your flight... is there anything you could use from your travel insurance? Failing that try complaining on twitter, kick up a fuss perhaps you'll get lucky.

You'll have to go through this whole thing again when applying for indefinite leave to remain and final citizenship. Worst case is you have to put it down as an expensive lesson learned.

I've learned the hard way also. Up until summer '11 you needed a 'certificate of approval' to get married even if the non uk citizen had the valid visa. We applied for this at the earliest point possible, and only received it back 2 days before the wedding after getting our MP involved. Indefinite leave application is going to cost a fortune too.

Good luck on the long, expensive, discriminatory road to UK citizenship.

kburges

you need to see which is more important to you. from the post it is the visa. get it and then go, so what if you missing thanksgiving this time, there will be other times and u could also introduce hubby after visa is issued at a later date.

the ticket is a non issue with regards to the problem b'cos if u use it u will loose your visa priority.

PHLyer82

I apologize for having you post redundant info. I had read through the thread, but clearly missed the post that stated the exact info I was asking about.

Good luck on this issue and hopefully Delta will take pity and give you credits for the fare cost minus a rebooking fee or cancelation fee.

MSPeconomist

I'm guessing that the cost of the ticket and the marriage visa application fee are very roughly the same, but the bigger issues are (a) new visa application rules, (b) starting the visa application process again, which sounds like it also means a further delay before being legally able to work in the UK, and (c) having to wait for another fiance visa before being able to re-enter the UK to live with husband and see/care for mother-in-law.

It isn't clear to me, as another reply here suggested, that the OP eventually wants UK citizenship rather than permanent resident status and a work permit.

MSP-MN

About 9 years ago I was living in the UK and applied for a work visa extension while in-country. I sent my passport off to the Home Office and even after my application was denied, they still held onto my passport for 30 days "in case I appealed." Since my passport wasn't back to me, I couldn't use an airline ticket that I had purchased for a trip to France.

Because they didn't return my passport within their service time frame, I was able to get reimbursed from the Home Office for the cost of my ticket, since it was a failure in service on their part.

I don't know if this will apply to you, and again, it was 9 years ago; however this may be an option for you to re-claim your lost funds.

Good luck!

cygnus

Before anybody singles out the UK for such a behavior, it is unfortunately very common for countries to behave like this. For example, if one has started a green card application process in the US leaving the country also is only possible in very special circumstances (called "going on probation"). Similar regulations also apply to Germany (these are the three countries I have most experience with). The regulations seem to be very much stuck in the times when air travel was not commonplace and people immigrated to a country to stay for good. Unfortunately. But since nowhere on this planet immigrants have a voice, I doubt this will change in our lifetimes.