Dear Dr Schreiber - I am so happy to find this portal for sending you a message, as I did not care to use X - for obvious reasons.
First of all I would like to congratulate you on what was achieved in the early months of your tenure at DHA. However-
I came to live with my civil partner in South Africa in 2018, after having regularly visited here since the early 1980s. I have duly completed all stages of TRP since then, submitted all my documents as required, and have learned patience over the years as the process has gone from 6 months to over a year. I applied for PRP in 2022, which was eventually granted in 2025. I waited a few weeks, as you requested, to apply for my ID in May 2025. Since then I have waited, and waited, and waited. When I try to phone for updates, and it can take up to 20 attempts to get through, I am informed (since October I think) that my application is awaiting verification of marriage. This is a document that has been verified, by DHA, every two years since I came here.
I understand that there is a pressure of volume on the people doing this work, but would it not ease the pressure, considerably, on everyone involved in the process, if there was some kind of integration of the recording of documents?
There are a growing number of instances in which not having an ID number is inconvenient and costly. Having followed all instructions, guidelines and procedures, I see that for mant people the confusion, disappointment and confusion about the "system" grows daily.
I would be very grateful for some sign of resolution of this matter to ease the uncertainty of our situation while my partner are still alive!
With kind regards and good wishes
Jo Ann Crossley