To have no sympathy for people who book their holidays before sorting out their passports...

[NickNacks]

And then have a moan bitch abiut what a nightmare they are having trying to chase them in time.

Obviously there are always exceptions, family emergencies abroad etc but the application clearly states not to make any travel plans before your new passports arrive.

I'm just bemused by the amount of posts which start ' we go on holiday tomorrow and X's passport that I sent off for 3 weeks ago isn't back and the passport aren't being helpful at all'

(very prepared for all the disorganised people who've done this to tell me IABU) :)

HomeEco - there have been about 2 today alone. Do a search and share your happy news - one poster is about to fly to Belfast in an attempt to get her DC's passport renewed

I just started a new thread on travel ... Don't know how to search on iPod so i hope people can find it

Ha NickNacks I thought about starting a thread on this very topic this morning after reading yet another thread on the subject.

But then I bottled it.

I absolutely agree with you!

Every time we have every applied for or renewed a passport, it's been back within 72 hours, so actually I wouldn't be too bothered about booking a holiday four weeks in advance and then sorting the passport although of course I would apply for it as soon as I had booked the holiday.

YABU with the best will in the world mistakes and oversights happen.

I have always found the passport office really helpful. I remember once needing my passport to close a bank account, came home pulled it out of my bag to lock it away again just as the phone rang. Went back 10 min later to get it and it was missing. We searched high and low but could not find it anywhere and needed it in 3 weeks to travel to my DB's wedding. DD who was 3, owned up to putting it in the bin (which had been emptied!). The passport office couldn't have been nicer, even if the man did have a good chuckle whilst submitting the application form.

A security officer rang me the next day to also double check my story about it going in the bin, once she was happy that it was genuine my new passport arrived within 24 hours. I thought they were fantastic.

I haven't been abroad in 6 years and are unlikely to do so in the next 5/10 years or so (DS has allergies and we have no money). But I do know my passport expires next year so was planning to renew it just in case. Bit control freaky I know but I like to keep on top of my admin.

HomeEco have linked one of the other threads to yours.

I guess the agents that you are referring to are the ones who book slots and then don't turn up if no-one buys them. So frustrating for those wanting slots, but useful to know if you are willing, able and sufficiently desperate to pay through the nose.

The problem seems to be particularly with one passport office who are taking 6 weeks to turn things round and have a massive backlog. So if they were working to the published 2-3 week timescale, then people are allowing plenty of time, but as they are not, they are getting bogged down with people chasing passports stuck in the backlog which means that more time is added to all the others that are waiting....