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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

That the passport office service has been unacceptable

55 replies

cathythegreat · 01/06/2023 21:40

Has anyone had an issue with the passport service where it hasn't arrived in ten weeks?
I sent my sons passport off in March tracked by Royal Mail - it was signed for by the passport office the next day.
Since then I've had numerous conversations/emails but still no passport- it hasn't even been scanned into their system yet.
I can't get past the customer agent who gives conflicting advice. They've lost it, they never received it, you'll get a call from the management team- this never happens.
I contact them again- the process starts from scratch.
I've been doing this for weeks.

I've logged a formal complaint which you are supposed to get a response to in 15 days but still nothing.

Our travel date is in the next 10 days - This feels so shit and frustrating, I'm a single parent, I've scrimped and saved for a year for a break abroad with my ds.

Has anyone got any further advice?

OP posts:
34and3 · 02/06/2023 06:45

I had this last year with my sons first passport. Countless calls and eventually they agreed to have it expedited. Got it two days later. Took 13 weeks.

By contrast, even during the strikes now, my daughter's only took 2 weeks. I really think it's just luck of the draw each time.

VDisappointing · 02/06/2023 06:51

vincettenoir · 01/06/2023 21:55

Call again and say you have been in contact with the Parliamentary Ombudsman and they are very concerned about the delay. That may or may not speed things along but worth a try.

This sounds very stressful. I hope you get it v soon.

I don’t recommend lying to the passport office.

VDisappointing · 02/06/2023 06:53

cathythegreat · 02/06/2023 03:23

I don't believe it was because of the strikes it was sent before and should have been scanned on in 7 days (so I've been told)

They are saying I can't have an appointment in person as my application is in progress.

I can't say I've lost the passport as they have his birth certificate so I wouldn't be able to complete the process.

But I can't get to speak to a manager either or someone who knows what they are doing to get any clarity

You can get another birth certificate posted to you for a fee

KatieB55 · 02/06/2023 07:34

Applied for baby passport in March and it arrived in two weeks. Once they scanned it a link was sent for ID to be verified. I was surprised by how efficient the service was. Do call your MPs office for help.

AgnesNaismith · 02/06/2023 07:42

This advice helped me last year

That the passport office service has been unacceptable
That the passport office service has been unacceptable
Thechameleonsshadow · 02/06/2023 09:42

VDisappointing · 02/06/2023 06:53

You can get another birth certificate posted to you for a fee

Show quote history

You can but it takes a while to come through unless you pay extra (can't remember what it was but it's quite a lot more).

OP - I remember the stress so clearly but do remember that for the vast majority it does sort itself out - honestly, get in touch with your MP today because for me once what happened it happened really quickly (and nothing had worked before that).

Original poster
cathythegreat · 02/06/2023 15:27

For those saying I knew of the strikes, I applied 12 weeks ahead of time.
It's not been delayed- they are saying they can't find it

OP posts:
ZeroFuchsGiven · 02/06/2023 15:34

I started a thread last week about how quick my passport application went through, I applied online last monday and sent off my old passport monday afternoon. My new passport was posted through the letterbox 6am thursday morning.

Im so sorry you are dealing with this, honestly I would just go to Peterborough and insist on some help!

MrsBennetsPoorNerves · 02/06/2023 15:47

Try contacting your local MP if they're any good. We had loads of problems with dd's previous passport, it took months and we couldn't get a consistent explanation of what the problem was. One phone call to our MP and the passport arrived 48 hours later!!

queenatom · 02/06/2023 17:12

We were also caught up in last year's chaos - as others have said, the phonelines are worse than useless and just made me incredibly angry. Worth contacting your MP (mine was very helpful), or showing up at one of the offices face to face. Showing up may work even if they won't give you an appointment - this approach is most effective if you're travelling in the next few days, rock up bright and early for doors open and refuse to leave until they speak with you. I'd order a replacement birth certificate in advance and if you have photocopies of your son's old passport take those too (and take your passport and his father's if possible as well).

Hope you manage to get this sorted.

REP22 · 02/06/2023 17:20

I had an utter nightmare with the DVLA last year. In the end I wrote to my MP. He took it up with them on my behalf and things "mysteriously" got going very quickly from thereon-in.

Good luck, hope you get it sorted soon.

Nsws2015 · 02/06/2023 17:32

Another one saying contact your MP, we had an issue last year with my sons passport, the other 3 out of 4 came back within a few weeks max, my sons just sat on waiting to be verified or checked or something for almost 3 months. I called and emailed repeatedly, only to be told by numerous different people that they would expedite it to the managers etc and nothing ever happened.
In the end I contacted my MP, her assistant was brilliant and within 5 days of contacting them the passport moved to printing and then arrived. Absolute bloody nightmare up to that point though

Original poster
cathythegreat · 02/06/2023 17:35

Update: spoke to someone this morning who said my application was in the final stages and was with the passport officer- I queried this as the online tracker hadn't updated.
They assured me I would get a management call today (I've been promised this everyday since Tuesday)

Spoke to someone else this afternoon who was very rude. Said they hadn't ever received my passport, and I was to await the management call and didn't know when this would be.

I'm going round in circles.
Thankyou for the poster who provided all of the email addresses, I have emailed them all this afternoon.
Have also emailed my MP.

Just wish I could actually speak to someone who would just admit they have lost it and provide solutions.
I'm reluctant to turn up at an office without an appointment
1- I'd lose a days wages and
2- there's no guarantee it would be effective
3- I've looked into getting a birth certificate ordered but can't get one faster than 10 days.

OP posts:
Original poster
cathythegreat · 02/06/2023 17:36

Oh I've also tweeted them on all their pages suggested above. No response

OP posts:
Yellowrosesmakemehappy · 02/06/2023 17:36

This is the point where you need to call up and be a bit of an arse hole. Be nice to the person on the phone, but be demanding and take no bullshit. Let them know this completely unacceptable and tell them you want this fast tracked. Tell them you want to speak to a manager. Do not put the phone down until this is resolved. Tell them you want someone to handle this.

I am so patient but when the piss gets taken customer service wise you can only be patient for so long.

raabbgghhrbb123 · 02/06/2023 17:46

I'm sure they have been on strike for weeks. Over pay I think it is.

Original poster
cathythegreat · 02/06/2023 18:11

@yellowrosesmakemehappy believe me I have. I manage a children's mental health service.
I'm no snowflake.
They just end the call

OP posts:
LondonJax · 02/06/2023 18:24

raabbgghhrbb123 · 02/06/2023 17:46

I'm sure they have been on strike for weeks. Over pay I think it is.

Well they managed to turn my passport around in twelve days so I doubt they've been on strike at the moment. Mine was received on 12th May and I got it back on 24th May. It was a renewal though which may have something to do with it.

LadyGaGasPokerFace · 02/06/2023 18:25

My dds passport was dropped off to the wrong address. It’s like the delivery driver randomly popped it through someone’s door. It was in another area of the town about over a mile away.

Anyway, I digress. It took about a week and that was back in February. It took just over a week (even though it was the wrong address).

ChimChimeny · 02/06/2023 18:31

I really hope you get it sorted, I could feel my blood pressure rising just reading it, you must be so stressed living it!!!

PinkPlantCase · 02/06/2023 22:06

Seriously OP they outsource their customer services to a call centre that can’t actually do anything or let you speak to anyone actually in the passport office. Hence the conflicting advice you’ve received. It’s very unlikely that you’ll get anywhere by calling them.

I really hope your MP steps in and sorts it all out.

Giselletheunicorn · 03/06/2023 15:23

Honestly, when we were stuck in this situation last year, I contacted my MP, I contacted the Ombudsman, I phoned every PO number available and emailed every address available for weeks. I didn't get a single response from anyone. I was told (inside the PO) that the email inboxes were deluged and they simply didn't have enough staff to respond to them.

If you are a matter of days from your flight go to the passport office in person (with or without and appointment) and wait it out. They will prioritise by how long your application has been in the system and by departure date. Have your application and travel paperwork with you. Have spare passport photos just in case. Take water and snacks. Everyone I queued with inside the PO at Peterborough last year came out with a passport in the end....

miaowmixer · 03/06/2023 18:14

Spoke to a manager in the customer service department this morning-

Utterly useless- just repeated what the customer service advisors had said. That he couldn't do anything other than pass on my concerns, wouldn't like to make comment on my individual case (what is the actual point then) and I should....(not holding my breath) get a response from someone senior enough on Tuesday to give me an answer.

He also made a veiled comment of 'there are so many notes as you've called and emailed so much that it's hard to see what's going on here.'
What a Twat- I did put it back on him and asked what he would do in this situation but of course he couldn't comment.

I have the day off work on Wednesday, if I've not got a response on Tuesday I'm heading to the Liverpool office

Goingsomewhere · 03/06/2023 18:16

We had the same last year. Had to postpone our holiday in the end.

Newusernamee · 03/06/2023 18:23

We had same last year - we applied 2nd jan for 8 passports, they ranged from 2 weeks to 4 months to return 7 of them. The 8th passport for my 21 year old step son we just got no where with to the point where he couldn’t come on our May holiday. Recommend the upgrade emails as mentioned previously, but honestly, there seemed to be nothing we could do to get through to them. It was an utter disgrace and the response varied so much across all the passports we applied for at the same time!

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