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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To Praise the Passport Office

15 replies

RamblinRosie · 14/02/2018 23:51

They have a published turnaround of 3 weeks.

Sent my online application in on Thursday (late pm) they rejected the photo on Friday, I sent the new one on Tuesday(again late pm) they accepted it today (Wednesday), 4 hours later they sent me an email to say it has been dispatched, expect within 2 days!

Effectively that's a 1/2 working day turnaround.

I'm really impressed.

So anyone who needs a passport in a hurry, that's the way to go.

OP posts:

MinnieMousse · 14/02/2018 23:55

I did a child renewal recently and it was pretty straightforward and a quick turnaround. I think it's excessively expensive though. I happened to see one of my Dad's old passports from the 1970s recently. The renewal fee for an adult passport was £2, which would be £13 in today's money. The renewal fee for an adult passport today is about to rise to £75!

PsychoSyd · 15/02/2018 05:35

You get a lot for your money though. The British passport is one of the most secure documents in the world. The picture page has about thirty different security features which sadly don't come cheap.

ForalltheSaints · 15/02/2018 06:58

Wait until after March 2019 or try in July for those who leave things to the last minute and see if it is still as good.

BeesAndChiscuits · 15/02/2018 07:07

I found them very efficient too, when I last had to renew my passport. There are some unsung heroes in the public sector, including the folk who put road tax renewal online. It wasn’t that long ago we all had to queue up at the post office for it.

UrsulaPandress · 15/02/2018 07:10

And they are hand delivered as well.

Nickypollard · 15/02/2018 07:11

I’ve been happy with their service too.

What I’m not happy with is the attitude of Post Office staff when I ask for proof of posting (which is free) for my passport renewal application. There’s always a sales ploy for “signed for” delivery. The job of Royal Mail is to deliver the post, so why would I volunteer to pay them more to do just that - it comes over as a subtle threat.

And that nonsense of P.O. counter staff “checking” my application for another £9 or whatever. This doesn’t guarantee acceptance by the passport office (as the last P.O. person had to begrudgingly squirmingly admit when trying to push this on me).

agedknees · 15/02/2018 07:34

You think human passports are expensive, I have just paid £135 for a pet passport.

Have to say, I was very impressed with passport office when I renewed my passport.

Gizlotsmum · 15/02/2018 07:37

They are fast at the moment. Used check and send and got 1 Adult renewal, 1 adult replacement, and 2 child first passports back in just over a week. I liked the check and send as it saved it all being on me to get it right!

thatwhichwecallarose · 15/02/2018 07:37

This is good news!! I did my online application Tuesday and will send them my old one today. So fingers crossed will have it next week! Then to sort out ESTAs!

Muddlingalongalone · 15/02/2018 07:39

Yes they do a great job. I went over the line when signing a baby passport application for a friend a couple of years ago and it was hugely urgent because they had a holiday booked and they turned version 1 & 2 round super quick.
Also the DVLA crossover works really well.

throwcushions · 15/02/2018 07:39

Yes they have always been very efficient when I have used them too.

billybagpuss · 15/02/2018 07:40

Very impressed with the service from them. Had to take DD BF down to Newport for an interview for the passport, Interview at 2pm on the Monday passport arrived 9am Wednesday morning.

ChippyMinton · 15/02/2018 07:41

I did an online child renewal a couple of weeks ago. Completed the form online, printed off the declaration, DS and I signed it and posted it off with photos (no endorsement required). It was back within a week :)

bigbluebus · 15/02/2018 08:10

Interested to hear how quickly they rejected your photo OP. I did my renewal on line on Sunday and it rejected my photo. I didn't agree with the reason so i submitted it anyway. So far i haven't had a request for a new photo. They have acknowledged my application and confirmed receipt of my old passport - posted Mon. I'm just hoping I'll get confirmation of despatch soon.

UrsulaPandress · 15/02/2018 08:40

You really should send special delivery (or whichever means it's signed for and doesn't go in the normal mailbag) as my old passport was stolen in transit and I had to start the whole process again including getting my application and photo signed by another. I was fuming as I took the advice of the man in the Post Office.

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