Passport delay

I mentioned earlier how great a hassle it is these days to get a passport.

In addition to the prescribed identification, including an original birth certificate, I needed a guarantor who had known me for at least 12 months.

I don’t have an original copy of my birth certificate and had to request this from the Victorian Office of Births, Deaths and Marriages.

To identify myself for this request I had to get a police officer to swear that three copies of other identification were indeed mine.

I was told it would take five working days to receive my birth certificate after they received the sworn copies of ID.

Last Wednesday (about eight days later) I received a phone enquiry from the Victorian department, which I answered. The lady said she would mail the certificate that day.

Nothing arrived in Mount Gambier until Monday when an Express Post envelope turned up containing only my marriage certificate, which I had also requested.

So what happened to the birth certificate? I have no idea, but I’m rather concerned because Juliet said the envelope appeared to have been opened.

An original birth certificate is the hardest ingredient to obtain for any lowlife wanting to steal someone’s identity.

I’ll now have to ring the Victorian authorities and possibly file a police report. This blog article also serves as an electronic diary entry to note what happened.

Not to mention, I’m no closer to getting my passport. Very frustrating.