To think there should be some way of directly contacting DVLA at this point?

[AugustBreeze]

I really need to speak to someone there, as a passport, presumably submitted by an applicant for a driving licence, has ended up coming through my letterbox. The address on the return envelope is actually incomplete. I want to a) tell them I have it in case the owner is going bonkers, and b) find out how to send it back securely, without me paying vast amounts of money to do so! I could just seal it up and Return to Sender but wouldn't want to do that for such an important document.

But their phone lines seem completely jammed / unanswered (can't work out which), their Webchat is unavailable to all except critical workers and ditto email. The website says this:

^Due to COVID-19 we are prioritising applications relating to HGV drivers and critical workers. Unfortunately, we will not be able to respond to any other queries until further notice.
For all general enquiries go to GOV.UK, follow us on Twitter or use our online services^

Any suggestions? I don't do Twitter. I even went down the 'critical worker' route as I do work in a school, but there was still no option that allowed me to submit a non-standard enquiry.

Can't help i'm afraid but i've had the same for the last couple of months.

I emailed them initially to follow up on 13/05 and finally got an email reply 30/07. More than 2 months for an email reply and that came from a "donotreply" email address.

I'm waiting on a new driving licence. When someone finally emailed back I was told they were prioritising key workers and couldn't tell me when they'd be able to process my application nor could they even confirm my application had been received.

I would honestly just return to sender with a note explaining what's happened. It's probably the quickest way of getting it reunited at this point. Perhaps return via recorded post for your own peace of mind that it's arrived with DVLA.

Just return it to the passport office, surely ?

Has the passport holder filled in the emergency contact info in the back of the passport? If so you could contact them directly?
Or track them down via Facebook?

When you say the address on the return envelope is incomplete do you mean it just says 'DVLA, Swansea' and the postcode by any chance?

Do passports still have next of kin details in them? If so, maybe you could try going down that route.

Seems odd, you don't have to send a passport for a driving licence, just the number?

Sorry I've assumed it's a uk passport

I don't know where you are op, but my son tried several times to ring DVLA for a new log book, got halfway through conversation, and tried for 3 more days
I had kept a no which you cant seem to find online
I can let you have it if you think it will help, but it's in Beverley North Yorkshire,
I got through within 5 minutes,
Here it is anyway, 08435158104

@AriettyHomily

Sorry I've assumed it's a uk passport

Well, me too. But if it's not, just return it to the issuing countries embassy.

Maybe it's just me being old and grumpy, but why is everyone avoiding this ? Seems straightforward to me.

www.gov.uk/government/publications/found-passport

If you have found a British passport, please send it to us with this form.

No @hitchedhiker I mean the applicant's own envelope they have to send for returneing their ID.... don't ask me why they don't know their own address though!

Have tried Fb, thought had found the person but she's concluded it's not hers! This is actually weird because what are the chances of two ppl with the same first and last name (maybe different spellings), from the same area, both applying for a licence around the same time?!

No emergency contact details, no!
(She's been to some interesting countries recently though )

Thanks, it's good at least to know others are having the same problem contacting them though!

(Taps mic) Is this thing on ?

Was the address it was posted to the DVLA?

Just put it into a new envelope and send it on to the DVLA. I'd stop snooping through it or trawling Facebook. Just send it where it was meant to be going. If you can't afford recorded delivery, just pay for normal post. 🤷🏻‍♀️

Thanks @princessTiasmum , am currently on hold to that number!

It's charged at 7p a minute though so am not going to give them very long!

If this fails I'll try the passport office link thanks to the person who posted that.

How much does Recorded (think it's Signed For these days) cost?

(She's been to some interesting countries recently though grin)

We've travelled extensively and only two countries we have been to have recently stamped our passports. I'd love to know where she's been that still stamps the passport - unless it's the visas, that's what my passport i mostly full of.

Thanks all, I gave up on the phone line as was going to take me at least 20 mins before I got to a human being.

Yup will just repackage and pay £2.06 at the post office, 1st class Signed For. I'd initially thought this was something I could avoid, but no!

(According to the compliments slip inside it was definitely submitted with a driving licence application, to the PP who queried that.

And yes it's visas, person who asked.)

Thanks Mumsnet mind!

You can only send recorded delivery from Post Offices. Go there and they'll weigh it and can give you a quote. It won't be much. You can get second class "signed for" post, which is even cheaper.

@AugustBreeze

Thanks all, I gave up on the phone line as was going to take me at least 20 mins before I got to a human being.

Yup will just repackage and pay £2.06 at the post office, 1st class Signed For. I'd initially thought this was something I could avoid, but no!

(According to the compliments slip inside it was definitely submitted with a driving licence application, to the PP who queried that.

And yes it's visas, person who asked.)

Thanks Mumsnet mind!

You're welcome

@SerendipityJane apologies, I meant to say, didn't want to send it directly to the Passport Office as then you have to cut off the corner of the passport, presumably invalidating it and meaning the person has to reapply for one?

Correct me if I'm wrong?

DVLA do have an online chat - they were helpful to me.

There is something about sending supporting documents including passports. Maybe they mean if your passport isn't British and they can't link to it?

You're a good person OP. Not everyone would go to so much trouble.

Online chat not working during pandemic apparently...

I used it a few weeks ago.

I was renewing passport recently and I had to send passport, I used sign for and I paid at the Post Office £2.45.

You don't cut a passport that you have found. You just send it on to the passport office.

@blacktop that was the instruction on the passport office website when I looked yesterday 🤷🏻‍♀️

Ok, my mistake, why did you not simply follow said instruction?