EXCLUSIVE: Gay British couple who paid a surrogate in Cyprus to give birth to their boy are stranded in the country for three months due to ‘insane incompetence’ of passport office

• James and Ian Buckley-Walker have spent over £20,000 on their forced stay
• They arrived in Famagusta in Cyprus back in March to collect baby Henry 

A gay British couple who paid a surrogate in Cyprus to give birth to their baby boy have been stranded in the country for almost three months due to the ‘insane incompetence’ of the passport office. 

James and Ian Buckley-Walker have spent over £20,000 on hotels, flights and legal fees during their enforced stay after arriving in Famagusta, northern Cyprus in March to collect their son Henry.

Henry was born on April 2, but the couple can’t fly home to the UK until he is issued with a British passport.

His parents have been shunted between three different passport offices in Bootle, Corby and Durham, who repeatedly ask for documents that have already been received by staff processing their application.

Speaking to MailOnline, James, 39, said: ‘The insane incompetence of the passport office is just breathtaking.

James and Ian Buckley-Walker have spent over £20,000 on hotels, flights and legal fees during their enforced stay after arriving in Famagusta, northern Cyprus in March to collect their son Henry

Henry was born on April 2, but the couple can’t fly home to the UK until he is issued with a British passport

‘On one occasion they rejected the application as there was no signature. I had to point out it was an online application and so was an electronic signature. It was what they had asked for.

‘We are just so frustrated and want to be able to return home with our son. Ian has not been able to work, and I have been flying to and from Cyprus. It has cost us well over £20,000.’

The couple’s passport nightmare began days after their son Henry was born.

They had only planned to stay in Cyprus until a passport was issued to allow them to fly back to the UK.

All the necessary paperwork – including a birth certificate. documentation from their solicitor – was filed on April 16.

Ten days later they received confirmation the application had been received.

The pair requested the new passport be sent their solicitor who had acted for them during the surrogacy and gave his address.

Three weeks later they received an email informing the couple that the document’s they had sent did not have an original signature.

The couple’s passport nightmare began days after their son Henry was born

They have been shunted between three different passport offices in Bootle, Corby and Durham

James, a project manager from Clapham, south London, said: ‘It was just incredible that they were asking for a signed document when they knew it was an online application.

‘When I spoke to the office they said they use a letter template for replies, even though it had no relevance to me and Ian. The incompetence was staggering.’

In a later email James, who is originally from Australia, was asked to send his naturalisation certificate to another passport office.

He said: ‘That was back home and so a big problem. They already knew that I was a UK citizen and had a copy of my passport, but I had to fly back to London and send it off the following day.

‘I just did not understand why they were asking for these documents now. They also asked for another £10 and said the figure quoted on the application was wrong.’

On one occasion they were told by the passport staff in an email that they had not received the documentation – even though it was sent by recorded delivery and signed for.

James said they face being forced to leave their hotel in Famagusta in Northern Cyprus as their 90-day visa has expired.

Ian, 49, has not been able to work as a fitness instructor and has already lost three months wages on top of the money spent to stay in Cyprus.

‘We had only planned to be here a few weeks, and we are already 10 weeks in and no sign of a passport,’ said James.

James and Ian have criticised the ‘staggering’ and ‘insane’ incompetence of the passport offices

James said they face being forced to leave their hotel in Famagusta in Northern Cyprus as their 90-day visa has expired

‘We have contacted the British embassy but they have not helped. They say as it is Henry’s first passport they cannot issue an emergency travel document. We are at wits end, incredibly frustrated and upset by how we are being treated with no regard for our or Harry’s health or wellbeing.

‘We understand that passport applications can take up to 10 weeks, and Harry’s is one of the more complicated ones. If it took this long to process properly then we would understand. But this is not processing time, it’s a catalogue of errors and diabolical mess.

‘This is not a question of Harry’s legitimacy for British citizenship as he is automatically due this. It is an issue of an incomprehensibly incompetent public service that is failing its citizens.’

MailOnline told last year how another couple who used a surrogate in Cyprus faces a similar delay in getting a passport for their newborn twins.

Alex and Greg De Mario-Ellis were caught up in the UK’s passport chaos caused by Covid and civil servants working from home.

They spent three months in Cyprus before being issued with a passport to fly their daughter’s home.

The Passport Office has been contacted for comment.

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