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Original poster

Cannot get through to DVLA - they have my daughter's passport!

180 replies

Ceci03 · 01/12/2021 10:18

So I helped dd apply for a provisional licence back in June, but they asked me to send in her passport - the original. We couldn't then, as she was going away and needed it. So we sent it in October, with the original application number etc, as I did manage to speak to them in about August about it.
So now DD is booked to go away after xmas, but they still have her passport. I've emailed, and phoned, and tried to do webchat, but cannot get through to anyone. I don't even care about the licence at this stage, we just need the passport back :( Does anyone have any tips as to how you can speak to someone.

I paid for flights (different ones in August), and we couldnt go due to testing positive for covid. If I lose these flights at xmas as well because of that I'm going to lose my S.

Anyone know anyone who works there, or anyone managed to get through?
I looked up applying for a new passport, but the wait times are 8 weeks, so that's too late now as well.

OP posts:
StopSayingNaice · 01/12/2021 15:17

Complain complain complain

Complain to the chief executive of DVLA (you can do it online)

Complain to your MP

The state of the DVLA is a fucking disgrace

We waited 14 weeks for ds's provisional licence and it only arrived after I complained to the CE. Some of his friends who applied in September are still waiting

Fingers crossed it comes back in time

AliceMck · 01/12/2021 15:17

Keep phoning and demanding to speak to a manager. Tell them your going to hold them responsible for loosing the passport and the extra costs involved to complete the trip. You know they have the passport they need to return it to you. I had problems when converting my international licence, they told me they couldn’t find it, I’d have to reapply which meant getting a new license from New Zealand which wasn’t that easy as my nz license was due to expire, I was under really tight time restraints. I ended up paying for documents to be certified going through a load of stress then 2 days after they supposedly had never received my application my uk license arrived.

There are also ferries to Belfast from Liverpool.

You really need to speak to the airline before stressing.

GetTheFlockOutOfHere · 01/12/2021 15:17

@ElftonWednesday

Hahaha @ 2 working days.

Like the DVLA saying the provisional licence would be returned in 3 weeks.

DD1 got hers in two months and that was extremely lucky- practically warp speed for the DVLA at the moment.

@ElftonWednesday

Hahaha @ 2working days!

Must be coming from their office on the planet Mercury! Grin

Fupoffyagrasshole · 01/12/2021 15:18

On the Irish ferries website

Cannot get through to DVLA - they have my daughter's passport!
gordongrumpy · 01/12/2021 15:20

The 2 working days is for the PASS card. Not the DVLA. Even if it's a week, that's still time.

ElftonWednesday · 01/12/2021 15:22

Yes I know - I wouldn't trust any agency to meet their service targets at the moment. It might be a week but it could be a lot longer.

Original poster
Ceci03 · 01/12/2021 15:31

@Fupoffyagrasshole

You don’t need a passport to go from uk to Ireland I just went with my baby and husband and we had no passports (we were applying for babies passport at the time and both our passports were stuck with hers in passport office

I used my license and husband used an ID card - we took babies birth certificate - they didn’t actually ask to see any

It’s still the common travel area.

You do on Ryanair. I just checked their website. It said passports are compulsory - driving licences are not acceptable and there are no exceptions. I could see if I can get her an aer lingus flight.

I'm just angry about the whole feckin thing to be honest. I mean how dare they keep her passport for that long. It must be affecting so many people.

OP posts:
Tara336 · 01/12/2021 15:31

DVLA is a shambles right now. They “lost” my first application to change my name sent in July. After many phone calls and web chats during which i one they told me they were too busy to look to see where my application was they finally after I made a complaint (or 3 before I got a response) admittedly they had lost my paperwork or the post office had. I had to apply again, send off for more copies of my marriage certificate at £13.00 a copy and send another application off to them to finally get my updated licence.

To add insult to injury last week I received my original documents back from my “lost” application telling me that my new licence will be with me in about 2 weeks! So now I have a second licence on its way, this one will have taken 5 months for them to process!

Original poster
Ceci03 · 01/12/2021 15:32

And a 3 day trip with 2 full travelling days - is it worth it :(

OP posts:
KrisAkabusi · 01/12/2021 15:35

@Ceci03

And a 3 day trip with 2 full travelling days - is it worth it :(
Put her on a bus to Holyhead the day before. She'll arrive in Dublin before you.
ChrissyPlummer · 01/12/2021 15:38

I was also going to suggest a young persons railcard. Although, I have seen that programme ‘Stop, Search Seize’ about Irish Border Control and someone used their railcard as ID. They accepted it eventually but he was warned that he should have something that stated his nationality/address on it.

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 01/12/2021 15:43

I'm just angry about the whole feckin thing to be honest. I mean how dare they keep her passport for that long. It must be affecting so many people.

Totally agree about this. I have had previous bad dealings with DVLA (pre-covid too).

rifling · 01/12/2021 16:02

That's appalling that they think it is acceptable to keep a passport for so long. I would complain again and again. Get your MP onto it too!

TractorAndHeadphones · 01/12/2021 16:15

contact.dvla.gov.uk/complaints
Complaints

TractorAndHeadphones · 01/12/2021 16:20

Also OP don't know why people are being harsh as the OP is about how shit the DVLA is

Passports, licences etc are not optional documents that government bodies can take their own sweet time to return. I know quite a few people with delayed trips - first time they're seeing their families in years and they can't go because the DVLA has had their passport for months!
People who have missed driving tests because the provisional for change of address hasn't been sent out.
It's a national disgrace and the DVLA did not refund anybody whose thoery test expired during lockdown. What the hell were they doing with people's money?

DobbleDobble · 01/12/2021 16:22

Absolutely right @TractorAndHeadphones.appalling.

ColinTheKoala · 01/12/2021 16:41

It's a national disgrace and the DVLA did not refund anybody whose thoery test expired during lockdown

I think the theory test thing was down to the government's cronies again. It's Pearson who does them isn't it - I wonder who owns them and if they donate to the Tory party.

Teawaster · 01/12/2021 16:53

I had something similar happen to me with DS , only it was the Irish passport office holding on to a Uk passport and DS needed to fly from NI to Scotland so needed photo ID . At the time Easy jet accepted expired passports of up to 5 years as photo ID. Would that be an option? Didn't matter that DS was quite a lot younger when his expired passport photo was taken

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 01/12/2021 17:01

@TractorAndHeadphones

Also OP don't know why people are being harsh as the OP is about how shit the DVLA is

Passports, licences etc are not optional documents that government bodies can take their own sweet time to return. I know quite a few people with delayed trips - first time they're seeing their families in years and they can't go because the DVLA has had their passport for months!
People who have missed driving tests because the provisional for change of address hasn't been sent out.
It's a national disgrace and the DVLA did not refund anybody whose thoery test expired during lockdown. What the hell were they doing with people's money?

Off topic but this is one of many reasons I was opposed to the idea of ID cards - just one more thing for private companies to get rich on and the government mess up for us.
Rosesandblossoms · 01/12/2021 22:08

@daimbarsatemydogsbone

The issue her I think is that the OP’s DD, is that she doesn’t have her drivers license OR a passport and therefore doesn’t have a valid form of ID for travel, which you do need in the CTA.

On a point of order - I don't think you need it for the CTA - but the modes of transport across the sea ask for it. CTA doesn't demand it and the one time out of my 60+ weekly trips I was asked for ID on arrival back in the UK at the airport I refused to present ID and was waved through anyway.

I do accept though that what the rules actually say and what the person at the desk may want are not always the same :)

@daimbarsatemydogsbone, point of order noted, and you’re right. I phrased that badly.

Far more importantly, did you do Model United Nations?!

sashh · 02/12/2021 05:28

OP

Check with the airline if they will accept a proof of age card. You can get one from the post office for £15. If you want it in 2 days it is £30 but still a cheaper option and most 18 year olds need to prove their age at some point.

www.postoffice.co.uk/identity/pass-card

Circlesandtriangles · 02/12/2021 05:44

We haven't needed passports going by ferry. Went a few weeks ago.

Circlesandtriangles · 02/12/2021 05:50

Btw - it's beyond frustrating how long DVLA has your daughters passport, my husband is in same situation - it's such a long back log!

gofg · 02/12/2021 06:12

Why did they need her passport? I would have thought the passport number would have been enough? I live in another part of the world, but I've never heard of anyone having to send in their actual passport for anything Confused

MrsToothyBitch · 02/12/2021 06:46

Oh god I feel for you. Conplain, complain, complain using every avenue available- social media is your very public friend here- swap her to an Aer Lingus flight and get a rail card and/or the post office pass card. Railcard is useful anyway and her PO pass card could pay for itself as valid ID for out and about. Good luck. You sound so frustrated but Pp are right to say you may need to work around on this one.

I had a fairly recent row with my very slow, very useless, now former pension provider because I refused to send them more or less ALL of my ID at the same time, as demanded (including my original birth cert) on grounds of that being extreme and risky for me, especially given their already demonstrated extreme slowness and obvious incompetence. Provider grudgingly said they accept verified copies "in special circumstances". I always have VCs anyway so I just stuck to my guns, said my circumstance was outright refusal and sent those. They were accepted- probably to be rid of me, lol. As it happens, I do now need to turn up, with my passport and preferably any expired ones too, for an interview. I do not trust that the pension slow-pokes would've returned it by now.