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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to think that the passport office are taking the piss?!

52 replies

Doodledumdums · 29/05/2013 12:57

Seven weeks ago I applied for my baby sons passport, and STILL no passport. We are supposed to be flying on Friday Sad (luckily haven't booked flights yet, just accom- which I know was stupid)

They decided to do a spot check on the person who countersigned for us, even though he has signed loads of passports before. So this has held things up, but he complied immediately, so the hold up isn't down to him.

But seven weeks?!! Really?!

I don't understand why it is so risky to issue a passport to a four month old that it would take that long and need spot checks?! DH and I both have held British passports our whole lives, neither of us have even a trace of a criminal background, our son was issued a birth certificate so he is officially legitimate and linked to us, so why the hold up?!

I've called the passport office twice, and no one can tell me what is going on with it, not even if it has been dispatched. How am I meant to know whether it has been lost in the post or stolen or anything if they can't even tell me that?

Sorry, bit of a whinge! Has anyone else experienced this with the passport office?

OP posts:
Justfornowitwilldo · 29/05/2013 15:14

Seven weeks is really unusual.

McNewPants2013 · 29/05/2013 15:15

Perhaps phone them up and if the first person can't give you answers ask to speak to the manager.

Original poster
Doodledumdums · 29/05/2013 18:32

Thanks for all of your replies. If it doesn't arrive tomorrow then i'll get my husband to ring and kick up a bit of a fuss (i'm too much of a pushover!) I'm more than happy to go and collect it (though i'd rather that wasn't necessary seeing as it is going to cost me a fair bit to get to London, and it's not an easy task with a little one!), but I just need to know where is is first!

OP posts:
Original poster
Doodledumdums · 29/05/2013 18:36

scholes- As in Franz Kafka? Yes, I have read some of his work...i'm not sure I see the connection?!

OP posts:
Murtette · 29/05/2013 18:36

In July/August time last year there were loads of threads on here started by people having these sorts of problems. I seem to remember that they included some really useful phone numbers. If you search for them, you should be able to find them.
As a warning to others - check & send is not a guaranteed turnaround time whatever the people in the PO tell you.

Original poster
Doodledumdums · 29/05/2013 18:59

oh great, thanks Murette, I will have a look. Smile

OP posts:
ophelia275 · 29/05/2013 19:31

I applied for my two dc passports (one is a first passport) and they both came back within 2 weeks. However, they did fuck up one of the names quite badly so I have had to send it back.

Alligatorpie · 29/05/2013 20:04

I had a nightmare experience with the passport office last year. First they refused my newborns passport because the counter signatory was on mat leave and not working ( and wouldn't let me speak to a supervisor, i was in London with my five day old baby and a bit of a wreck)
After multiple phone calls and visits to London, ( new counter signatory) they finally said it was ready. Went back to London, they didn't have it and told me to come back on Monday. Went back to London on the Monday, it had been misfiled, and had been there the previous Friday. We were moving back overseas on the Tuesday. I was a mess.
Also I had lost my borrowed cell phone. When i called, they said it was there, when I went to pick it up, they said I couldn't have it as it was registered to my fil. It was a 10 year old payg. I told them to keep t.
It was one of the most horrible, stressful, expensive experiences ever. I remember standing in the hallway bfing my 2 week old, and the bastard at the desk had no empathy for me.
The year before, we got dd1's UK passport. No problem it was back in 5 days.
Sorry, my story probably isn't helpful, but i will never trust them again when I have a deadline of less than one month.

Hassled · 29/05/2013 20:05

I'm amazed - I sent a renewal for DS3 off a 3 weeks ago and got it back last week.

EuroShaggleton · 29/05/2013 20:12

I recently countersigned for a friend's baby and I received the checking letter. She got the passport about a week after I replied confirming I was who I was supposed to be. It sounds like something has been misfiled/mislaid.

MrsTomHardy · 29/05/2013 20:17

I sent off DS1's first adult passport through the post office check and send and it only took 18 days....got it back yesterday

Original poster
Doodledumdums · 29/05/2013 22:22

OMG Alligatorpie that sounds horrendous, poor you. How could they mess anyone around like that, but particularly a new mum, that's horrible, you poor thing.

EuroShaggleton That is encouraging....hopefully his passport will arrive tomorrow or Friday in that case. If that happens then hopefully we could get a flight on Saturday. Figners crossed!

I am beginning to wonder if it has got lost in the post or something, seeing as no one else seems to have experienced a delay like this. It is worrying. If it doesn't arrive tomorrow then the passport office are going to get an earful!!

OP posts:
ddubsgirl · 29/05/2013 23:53

I did my sons through the post office took 7 weeks :( did same spot check on the teacher that signed form & pic an po didn't send my birth cert off so had to send that in plus my marriage cerf :( wasn't happy and he missed his school trip! They sent latter saying I could get refund from the po as it took so long but po refused

Original poster
Doodledumdums · 29/05/2013 23:59

Oh no your poor son :-( That is terrible that the post office made such bad mistakes. They are bloody useless!

OP posts:
loveschocolate · 30/05/2013 05:18

We've just received ours - took 3 weeks. The babys passport was fine but someone obviously didn't proof read mine. Now have to go to a passport office to have it corrected and replaced. With a screaming, colicky 14 week old - grrrrr.

Mumonabroom · 30/05/2013 05:57

That sounds awful! They really messed up ours. They posted them to the wrong house!! They even checked my form and admitted liability as it was v clear. The odd thing was they swapped a number 5 for a number 1? Wouldn't tell me an address originally, but in the end I spoke to a woman who gave the number out. I went round to said house (rented), showed the woman my id and got the passport. Otherwise we would have never received it and had to reapply. Never got birth certificate back even though sent to same address as passport. Still Confused about it!

fedupwithdeployment · 30/05/2013 07:28

I was the counter signatory for a friend's baby. Done it before and they never checked. This time they did and sent a letter to work. I never get post at work and didn't realise for weeks, plus I was on holiday. Rang up immediately I realised and then had to find a fax machine...who else uses those. Given delay was worried my form might get lost in post....

Anyway baby now has passport but check with countersignatory.

RedHelenB · 30/05/2013 09:54

I had to send off some info as a countersig but they got their passport back soon after that was sent. Have only ever had a phonecall before!

AlexReidsLonelyBraincell · 30/05/2013 10:02

My Mum recently had to attend an interview as part of her application process.
They wanted to know the ins and outs of a cats behind, including things like, her exact role within her job, her place of work, how long worked there, how far her house is from her local village, how many children she has, then things about me, where I lived, where I work, my children.

She asked if they were doing random spot checks on applications (new) and was told that they are doing it for everybody now.

We did laugh at her, my 50something year old mum, with the most boring 'English sounding' name ever being subject to an immigration grilling. :)

haveclearlylostit · 30/05/2013 16:48

maybe call your MP's office? they have a direct line to the passport office and might be able to get someone to get things moving. good luck! x

thefuturesnotourstosee · 30/05/2013 17:01

Did it arrive OP?

Original poster
Doodledumdums · 30/05/2013 17:04

It has arrived! Yaaaaaay! This means we can go on holiday tomorrow...talk about cutting it fine!

God I can't believe how seriously they take it, interviews?! I know passports are important documents, but it does all seem a bit extreme.

I think I might make a complaint about how long it took, although for now I am just happy that my baby boy can go on his first holiday tomorrow! Sun, sea and sand here we come!

OP posts:
thefuturesnotourstosee · 30/05/2013 17:13

that's wonderful. You must be extremely relieved.

Have a lovely holiday and make a complaint when you come home. Be prepared for them to take a very long time to deal with it. I had to deal with the immigration department once. I sent them a letter and six months later after various chases from me finally got an acknowledgement letter saying they'd respond within six months!! They never did and I had to get my MP to deal with it in the end.

Justfornowitwilldo · 30/05/2013 17:14

Yay! Talk about cutting it fine Grin

Laquila · 30/05/2013 17:20

I also second calling them again and again until you get someone who can help you.

When my mum's still hadn't come last summer, two days before her hols, she's just sat by the phone all day and kept calling (Liverpool office) until someone answered, and then politely harangued them until they told her they'd chase it up - later that day they called her back, told her they had it and she could come in tomorrow to collect. I know that wouldn't be ideal for you if you don't live nearby but the moral of the story is that just because someone there tells you they can't help, doesn't mean that some other more sensible person there can't help! You've got nowt to lose by phoning again. Good luck!

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