to want to scream at the incompetence of the Passport office?

[HomeIsWhereTheGinIs]

I did a check and send at the post office and my passport arrived within the three week timeframe. However, they'd misspelled one of my names (despite having it on the old passport in front of them). I was told I had to go to the London office to get that rectified. So I did so, and had to queue for two and a half hours. When I finally saw a cashier she took my passport, told me that I'd get a corrected one back within a couple of days and sent me on my way. That was last Monday. I've been calling them since yesterday and only just managed to get someone to pick up the phone (after literally hundreds of calls yesterday). He told me the woman ought to have given me a new reference number (which she didn't) and without it there's no way of tracking my passport, I just have to wait and see if they send me a new one. Or I can go to the London office again, and see if they let me in to track it in person (he couldn't guarantee that they would let me in).

I am honestly at my wits end. THEIR mistake has already taken up too much of my time, and now I'm stuck here with this "With Compliments" slip with no idea how to get my passport back!

I hate them - WIBU to make a formal complaint? The chap on the phone told me he had no escalation process (unlikely) so of course I'd have to find one first. Or WIBU to go to the Evening Standard about this?

Hello again everyone and thank you for your soothing - it's really made me feel better! Someone called me from the office at 4pm today and the conversation went something like this:

Him: Hello, I'm from the passport office, I understand you asked for someone to call you?
Me: Yes {Explains problem}
Him: Ah, I see. OK, so you asked for someone to call you?
Me: confused pause Yes, please can you help me?
Him: Ah, no, I'm from the helpline. I can't help you. I was just asked to call you. I can request that someone that can help you give you a call if you like?
Me: contemplating throwing phone through window So why are you calling if you can't help me?
Him: Because you asked to be called back about your problem.
Me: But you've just told me you can't help me with my problem so why are you calling?
Him: No, but I can request that someone that can help you call you
Me: So this conversation is pointless. Can you please put me through to someone that can help?
Him: No, I can't make transfers
Me: very tense voice So you can't help me, and you can't put me through to someone that can. So this is a pointless call.
Him: I'd appreciate you not being so rude....sigh {CLICK, DIAL TONE}

THE BASTARD HUNG UP.

I am on the verge of giving up. It seems that the only way I'm ever going to get the damn thing is to go to their London office (which reeks of despair and hatred) and camp out in the lobby.

All this because the person that typed my passport didn't bother to check what they were writing. And the complaints person, whose JOB it is to correct these errors, didn't give me a process number.

I honestly don't think it's to do with the number of staff. I think it's outdated processed and incompetent people that don't double check their own work. If they were a private enterprise they'd go bust.

Thank you for your support lovely, lovely people. Watch for me on the news...should the BBC be covering a hostage situation in the London Passport office, you'll all know I've outed myself in RL..

It's not often I'm speechless - but I am speechless

Home - that is absolutely appalling. If you need any help to hold up the London passport office please let me know.

fucking hell, that is awful. I know lots of people who have had to wait for ages - 12 - -14 weeks, but this is something else.

STUPID STUPID .NO

On some other passport horror story threads, several people have said they've had success when they have involved their MP. The MP (or their office) have called up the passport office and have usually managed to light a fuse and get the situation sorted. So might be worth a try! Think the thread was called something along the the lines of Problems with Durham Passport office.

Would it also be worth trying somebody like Watchdog or similar shows? It's the sort of thing that's very timely and they might be able to raise awareness and help...

STUPID me. Contact your MP. His pa will automatically email relevant official and they will JUMP.

MPs are often very helpful. When my DD was having trouble getting a visa in time, and was getting nowhere, my MP's office sorted it within a day or two. So it's worth asking.

That is outrageous, and I'd be putting in a formal complaint ASAP (copied to MP(.

It was their fault they got the name wrong. They should be fixing it at minimal inconvenience to you.

And if it takes a ring back,they should at least be able at put you through to the right department (in cases such as these, when it is their fault).

Very poor.

I took my dd to USA with less than a month left on her passport. We checked with the American Embassy before leaving. It was perfectly fine. The 6 month thing is recommended just in case something happens whilst on holiday (illness etc) and your stay is prolonged.

I hope you get this sorted OP.

I'm sorry but that conversation made me laugh - but if I were you, I'd have been crying with frustration.

I've got to say though that you've totally been given the run around because they CAN issue passports the same day. I once needed a passport renewal urgently. There were no more appointments when I called the evening before (after I'd been denied boarding at the airport - it was a mess!). I went to the passport office in Victoria early the next morning with all the paperwork and photos etc, explained my situation, got seen by 10 and had to go back at 2 in the afternoon to pick up the renewed passport. This was also on a Saturday so even more pressured.

They CAN help you and they are able to help you.

I'd go to your closest major passport office and basically kick up such a fuss until they DO give you a new passport (AND follow up wiht formal complaints about how you've been treated).

Is this just the Durham office?

We have 4 being processed somewhere,crossing fingers it isn't the Durham office.

Travelling end of July

Got niece who works for Border Agency. DB loved it when they sacked loads of managers. Big UKIP supporter. Was really pisseds of when niece - no shirker- had major problems with stress. Really indignant that no-one could tell her what to do. Tried to explain she was one of the bureaucratic pen pushers he so despises. Tried to explain agency staff on zero hours contract not up to speed. Complete incomprehension.

Eleven bloody weeks for DD's to arrive (overseas). At one point I spoke to someone who said it wasn't even in the system. Also had a phone call with the rudest woman I have ever encountered on the end of a phone, but was too scared to complain in case she sabotaged our application!

Update on Monday post- Monday I had to pay 55 extra to upgrade online application to a premium and was promised to have passport delivered by courier within 24 hrs- - wel now 48 hours later, still no passport- helpline said they cant check-WTF??asked to speak to manager/or someone who could help- then cut me off! they took the payment straight out of my bank- i paid for premium one day service after waiting for 2.5 week,s and now stil not got passport to ten days before im due to fly!!
I know i stil lhave a bit time left, but whats the point of upgrading & paying for peice of mins - im still panicking!!!
Its their fault I renewed at this time as they told me I NEDED 6 MONTHS VALIDILITY AND I DONT!

I needed to get a visa for my non-EEA passport and they took ages. As my partner is european, it's all done under european law and it is clearly stated all over the UKBA website that all documents must be returned withing 10 days of being requested. it took about a month to get to me. my partner had to travel too and thankfully she's a dual national and used her other passport (not ideal as she had to enter the country on her non-EEA passport).

the worst part is that you can't call them. They shield themselves from being pestered even if the pestering is legit. To add to that, when they finally got around to returning my docs, they sent me everything (useless old bills as proof of address etc) EXCEPT for my actual passport, which they sent to my old address in another city. Yes, the only thing I actually cared about didn't come! It was of course a big hassle to track down my old landlord and get her to check if it was sent there, and finally got my friend to track it down (it was still at the postoffice).

Bloody nuisance and hugely stressful as I had to travel shortly afterwards.

I've just had a hellish time with the passport advice line - it really was like a Kafka novel.

I had lost my reference number and given the wrong information 3 times. My passport turned up finally yesterday 5 days before we were due to travel.

They may well need more staff but they need to train the ones they have properly first.

Update- PASSPORT HAS ARRIVED- came by courier at 19.30 last night!! expensive mistake listening to the helpline-!

Contact your MPs anyone having problems.

I used to work in a related Home Office department and an MPs letter arrives and everyone jumps around and it is dealt with as a priority case.

I used this insider info when my own renewal was languishing in Paris (I am in Italy) for nigh on 6 weeks for some never fathomed reason. My MP was also horrified to hear that (at the time) UK citizens abroad had to double-pay for any phone calls to the ppt office because you had to pay £££s on your credit card for some premium call centre set up on top of how much the call cost you to your call provider. Don't know if that has been changed.

I may be at the forefront of criticising Italian bureaucracy but last Christmas when dd (dual UK/Italy) ppt had run out, I nipped down to the local town hall with a photo, they measured her, stuck the photo in an identity card, and charged me 4 euro.

We have registered our 4 passport applications(went off 3 weeks ago)but not even had an e-mail of acknowledgement(dp thinks we were supposed to).

No idea even which office they've gone to.Going end of July.Not sure what to do or who/where to contact.

I got a text to say our application had been received. You can track your application once 3 weeks have passed (as long as you took a note of the application reference numbers)

www.gov.uk/track-passport-application

I didn't get text to say they got application so I called them a week later and they confirmed they got it 4 days after I sent it. You can call the 0300 advice line to check progress and to ask what office it's at... mine was sent exact 3 weeks ago today and yesterday I was told the application is at Durham awaiting examination (was sent to examination 5th May btw) and that current waiting times are around 4-5 weeks

Just got a callback from the Passport Office call centre in London - 020 7570 8703. Maybe worth trying this number if anyone is stuck and desperate?

That isn't London passport office number.. its a number used by different companies to callback customers. The same number is also used by banks such as barclays and natwest and companies such as t mobile and admiral. I Google'd the number earlier after getting a missed call

Oh darn - I thought I had the holy grail number there

of passport office numbers I mean