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Original poster

Can anyone help re. potential passport nightmare (Liverpool office)

33 replies

MN216 · 03/03/2015 17:47

Posting here for traffic....

Online application for renewal of DD's passport submitted and photos sent to Liverpool Passport Office c. 19th Feb. We not travelling until 7 April so no problem there. However, she is on a really major deal of a school trip in May and the school are saying they need passport number for booking purposes by next Tuesday or she can't go. I am seeking clarification from the school on this - and have no recollection of being told this deadline before today - but if there is no way round it, I don't know what to do. have rung PO and I may be offered fast track upgrade but may not. If anyone has connections at Liverpool PO and thinks they may be able to help I would be really really grateful if you could PM me - I will drive up there for the day if that's what it takes.

OP posts:
TheFecklessFairy · 03/03/2015 17:56

No good to you now - but in future photocopy all passports and put in a safe place.

Original poster
MN216 · 03/03/2015 17:58

Thanks for replying but I can't see that would make any difference - the school want her new passport number, not the old one (which I could provide as I have it written down). It's getting the new passport in time which is the problem (or the school's unreasonable request is the problem!!)

OP posts:
Andrewofgg · 03/03/2015 18:04

The school is the problem. This cannot be the first time it has happened and they must go back to whoever they are booking with that this is the old number, and the new one will follow when the passport is issued. Take no shit from the school and tell them to take no shit from the travel agents. This can be sorted.

Andrewofgg · 03/03/2015 18:04

*booking with and say

MrsDiesel · 03/03/2015 18:05

Did you have the barcode if the application? I sent my renewal off to Liverpool on 12th Feb and had it back in the week. Have they confirmed your application is being processed?

Original poster
MN216 · 03/03/2015 18:08

Thanks Andrewofgg I agree and am arguing with them but am also trying to find other solutions! Mrs Diesel they do have it but the helpline could only tell me it had not been sent for examination yet so could still be some time.....

OP posts:
kilmuir · 03/03/2015 18:11

we had this last year, school had to wait.

tasteslikechicken · 03/03/2015 18:12

How old is your DC, is this their first passport, do you need partners signature on application?

tasteslikechicken · 03/03/2015 18:15

Sorry, just noticed you said it was a renewal. I think under those circus you are able to use the fast track service which guarantees a completed application within a week. HTH

Original poster
MN216 · 03/03/2015 18:15

Is a renewal, she's 14, so should be very quick and simple (the online form didn't even ask for countersignature on the photos).

OP posts:
tasteslikechicken · 03/03/2015 18:16

Im not sure it is within the gift of the PO service to have discretion on fast track service. Your circumstances qualify or they don't.

exWifebeginsat40 · 03/03/2015 18:17

give them the old passport number - they won't know the difference. worst case is you then pay an admin fee to update. it really is just for booking purposes and the school will find this out when they do the right thing and check with their agent...

Original poster
MN216 · 03/03/2015 18:19

I am not clear on fast-track - it was the helpline person who said it may or may be offered, presumably as she could not say whether I met the requirements.

OP posts:
Original poster
MN216 · 03/03/2015 18:23

My thoughts entirely exWifebeginsat40 - I have emailed the teacher in charge of this and suggested I give her the old number and then we just update before departure. I pointed out that if a passport was lost or destroyed between booking and departure, then the number would have to be updated so i can't see what the problem is. That said, I do accept that parents who don't provide the necessary info to school are not making life easier for the teachers who are giving up their time and energy to organise and accompany trips so I am feeling rather embarrassed about causing a problem (and I can't rule out forgetting we were told about this deadline!!) If it were only me that would be affected I would try to suck it up, but my DD will be utterly devastated if her place is taken away from her.

OP posts:
angelohsodelight · 03/03/2015 18:30

Give the old one. It's not needed now for any purpose other than internal for school.

headlesslambrini · 03/03/2015 18:39

I've just done 2 passports with Liverpool, both returned really quick, they text to confirm they had it on 19th Feb and another text on 23rd Feb to saying that they were printing it. Another couple of days in the post. Unfortunately they have issued a child's passport instead of an adults one, so I'm just waiting to get his birth certificate and original passport back before heading down there, hopefully on Saturday to sort it out.

Optimist1 · 03/03/2015 18:59

Sorry to contradict you, angelohsodelight but if the school trip involves a journey by air, it's quite likely that the airline requires passport information before departure. Quite understandable that the school should be making a notional deadline for this information, OP, but as you've already pointed out to them, there are several reasons why a new passport number might need to be applied between their deadline and the departure.

Mistigri · 03/03/2015 19:49

If it's required for the airline, then the deadline is ridiculous as usually you can provide this information to the airline as little as a few hours before your flight departs.

Original poster
MN216 · 03/03/2015 20:19

Right - have now seen the form we need to fill in by Tuesday - it's from the tour company which is organising a chartered flight for the trip (don't want to out myself by saying too much, but it's not a "normal" school trip hence the charter flight). The form says passport details should be accurate because if they have to be amended there could be a charge - which I am taking to mean they can be amended as long as I am willing to pay the charge. Phew, think I can stop worrying thank you everyone for your replies.

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mrspuddleduckie · 03/03/2015 20:22

We ended up receiving a new passports WEEKS before it was due back/only days after application went in. that was last week - this is a v quiet time for the passport office. Hope that reassures you somewhat...

gaahhnonicknamesleft · 03/03/2015 20:27

It might come in before the anyway, I did mine via the post office on the 21st Feb and got passport back yesterday. However if just a charge then that takes the pressure off.

keepitsimple0 · 03/03/2015 20:31

I hate silly bureaucracies for this reason. so some child can't go on a school trip because somebody has made up some arbitrary deadline? ridiculous.

give the old passport number. if it can't be updated, send your child on the trip with both passports.

helen8235 · 03/03/2015 20:35

hey not sure on school side. But got caught up with passport issues last summer and we turned up at Liverpool office go chase ours up, they said they could turn it round quickly if it had been there (they had backlog and it had been sent to Belfast). But you can just turn up if you are prepared to wait.

IAmAPaleontologist · 03/03/2015 20:38

There has to be some flexibility surely? It is not possible that some children might not even have a passport and are applying for their first before the trip? Hope school is reasonable, they can hardly complain that you are ensuring she has valid travel documents for the trip can they?

Original poster
MN216 · 03/03/2015 21:59

Thanks everyone - am sure it will be fine, have emailed teacher again to refer her to what the form says about amendments and asking if she wants the old details knowing they will need to be amended (and I will pay any charge) or if she wants to wait for the new one! Will update.....

OP posts: