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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To be pissed off with the passport office

68 replies

loueytb3 · 17/10/2011 21:44

I know some of this is my fault for not applying earlier so you're probably going to all say IBU...

Sent off passport application for DS3 (4 months old) 3 weeks ago tomorrow. I did it through the post office check and send service which is supposed to take 2 weeks, except for busy periods which this isn't. I've always got passports within the 2 weeks when I've used this service before.

2 weeks pass, no passport. I phoned the passport office last Wednesday to find out what was going on. They said they had sent a letter to the counter-signatory to ask her to confirm in writing that she had signed the photo. She wrote a letter and put it in the enclosed envelope on Thursday. I phoned again on Saturday and twice today and they still haven't received it. The person I spoke to today said the envelope they enclose is 2nd class. We go on holiday on Friday morning so we need the passport by Thursday. They won't let me apply again because there is already an application open. I can't speed it up until they get the letter. I've phoned my friend and she is going to do another letter tomorrow which I can send recorded. They won't accept faxes, we've already tried.

I'm fuming because 1) they left it until right at the end of the 2 weeks to send a letter to the counter signatory and 2) what is the use in sending a 2nd class envelope when you have a 2 week turn around (allegedly). If we can't go on Friday, I doubt we will be able to go at all because I'm sure all the flights will be booked as its half term.

OP posts:

Andrewofgg · 19/10/2011 21:34

Oh bless you and enjoy the trip.

I have a bit of a vested interest here.

I used to work near the old Passport Office in Petty France and I once queued up there (from 6.15 a.m.) to be first through the door to apply for a passport for my neighbours' twelve-day-old - picked the passport up the next day - and the whole family flew to see her sister in the USA when he was just fourteen days old. Rather them than me.

But then, damn it, five years later they forgot to renew the LO's passport and I went and queued again to save another family trip.

So I am rather in favour of people doing it on time!

PattySimcox · 19/10/2011 22:58

Ah louey glad to hear it. Have a great trip

CristinaaarghdellAaarghPizza · 19/10/2011 23:00

Hurrah - a happy ending :)

kelliegh76 · 26/10/2011 08:50

just read through this feed as i am having exactly same problem this week with my daughters passport. letter not arrived as yet to my counter signature, but we will be sending it back to them by special delivery after reading this thread. we need passport by next tues at latest as we fly weds so i have all fingers and toes crossed that we have same happy outcome.... first time we have had a letter sent to counter signature person so wasnt expecting this at all but is reassuring to know we not the only ones this has happened to.... heres hoping.........

trumpton · 26/10/2011 09:01

""You don?t have to wait until your passport has run out - renew it at any time. You can carry up to nine months validity from your old passport on to your new one. If you renew between September and December you should get it back quicker. Find out how to renew your passport.""

PLAN AHEAD. I did not realise that you could renew 9 months in advance and not lose any validity. I will make a note and do it the full 9 months before.

trumpton · 26/10/2011 09:03

Obvously the ^^ only applies to renewals...not a lot of use to those who are getting new passports for adults or, as yet unborn ,babies !!

kelliegh76 · 26/10/2011 09:06

i will def be more organised when i renew their next passports.... learnt a very valuable yet harsh lesson this week lol x

mummytime · 26/10/2011 09:12

Couriers are great BTW. I needed a document from the US to get a visa (US end had messed up and sent me the wrong one first time). I was in constant contact with the courier, they did mess up because they were supposed to hold it at the airport for me to collect, but when I phoned it was on the van, however they got it to me within 30 minutes. Just in time for me to drive down the M4, dump the car at an expensive car park, and then join a queue to sit waiting for 4 hours. But I got the Visa.
Have a great holiday!

UserNameNotAvailable · 26/10/2011 21:58

Oh god, I'm having the same problems too. I need dd's passport by Wednesday as we go away on Thursday, sent it by check and send on the 14th to the Durham office and it's ended up in Liverpool still waiting to be looked at by the examiner, they are only onto the passports sent in on the 15th and they got mine on the 18th. I gOt ds1 and ds2 back after 10 days (renewal and first passPort) so was confidant I'd get dd's in time. Looks like it's going to cost me £60 to hurry it up. I've cried my eyes out and my stomach is in knots. Not looking forward to my phone bill either lol. I'll be ringing back in the morning and hopefully it's further on.

kelliegh76 · 27/10/2011 21:14

update on my daughters passport. they have now recieved the counter signature letter today because we sent it back to them yesterday by special delivery... but ive had to pay an extra £60 to get passport printed quicker. it was them sending out seperate letter to counter signature that has delayed our application. never had this with other childrens passports in the past. but least now we will be able to fly next weds as ive been reassured passport will now arrive tomorrow so worth paying the extra.
Good luck on your passport xx

leosugar · 16/07/2013 13:30

I wonder why we have to do so much and get countersignatures when they do not even get the information correct. A live in France and applied for renewal of mine and my childrens passports. Contacted passport office via email, got an automated reply, within a week got back to me but had received my childrens passports back, but mine had disappeared. Emailed straight back and by Monday, had found my application but was going to issue my passport in my maiden name, which my previous passport had been in, but on the application form had applied under my married name, the person countersigning had signed saying she knew me under my married name and signed using my married name. How can they do this. Have tried sending several more emails to this person, the emails are not bouncing back but not getting any response including an automated response, if I try to call it is going to cost over £1.00 per minute for cost of call and to pay them for the enquiry. Feel like I am banging my head against a brick wall. Was planning to go to UK at the end of next week, as my brother is planning to go on holiday and with our Mum being elderly and not in the best of health, even though she is in a nursing home, to keep a an eye on her and so he can relax and enjoy his holiday. He is now saying that he will not go unless he know that I have recieved my passport and am on my way. A applied for my passport 6 weeks ago and they said it would only take 4 weeks so I think I have been very patient, but this is now wearing thing thing. Tried contacting British Consultate but they refered me straight back to the passport office.

Trazzletoes · 16/07/2013 13:36

leo this thread is nearly 2 years old...

But did you send your marriage certificate or a change of name deed? If not then I guess that's why they wouldn't issue you a passport in your new name as they wouldn't have documentary proof that you exist with that name IYSWIM?

kali110 · 16/07/2013 13:37

I hope it gets there! I think yabu though as 3 weeks isnt really enough time incase of mistakes or backlogs. I think this last month is a busy time of the year 3 of my friends have already gone in holiday. When i had to renew mine i left it two months just incase.

kali110 · 16/07/2013 13:39

Omg just reliesed how old!!

shemademedoit · 17/07/2013 07:34

Leo. I am in France. When we needed to get to the UK for an emergency, but a passport had expired, the consulate issues us with a one way one use travel passport. Meant we have to get a passport while in the UK or we couldn't come home, but did get us to the UK. Sorry you're having hassle: our passports usually come from Paris to the South with a 10 day turnaround.

Madamecastafiore · 17/07/2013 08:18

I think the posters saying that it is stupid for such a small baby to have a passport would maybe rethink that attitude if they had an abusive spouse who had threatened or intimated that they would take the child out of the country.

A passport is for protection of citizens not just a means for you to take your annual holiday and if you want one for yourself or your child apply in plenty of time.

I am sure if the passport office doubled the cost of applications made within 3 months of the date of travel people would be much more careful about how promptly they apply to renew or get a new passport.

Trazzletoes · 17/07/2013 09:30

Madame it's a zombie thread.

mumeeee · 17/07/2013 13:42

YABU to expect to get a passport in less than 6 weeks. The advice is to always allow at least 6 weeks for a first passport.

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