Passports - is there anything I can do?

[Whatamuckup]

Not sure what I’m asking really but DT’s passports haven’t been dispatched and our flight is 6.45am Wednesday.

It’s not looking good is it? Is there anything I can do?

Would be grateful for any constructive advice.

@Whatamuckup When you call the passport office, don't select any of the options through the automated service and you will or should get through to someone, that's what I did and managed to speak to someone who wasn't automated 😆

@Mademetoxic my point is the poster is saying a passport won't come back in 7 days, it absolutely can.
And the has found herself in this situation due to a change of dates

@Mademetoxic that's a question for the op but my point, yet again, is the poster trying to make the op feel bad when the information she was using was not correct. Just because she doesn't know anyone who got a passport in 7 days does not mean it doesn't happen.
She was berating the op but by using incorrect info she actually made herself look foolish

@Mademetoxic - what was it that made you toxic? Was it your personality? Or lack of imagination .. or lack of vocabulary?

If it was lack of imagination I wouldn't be at all surprised. You cannot imagine anyone with a life different to your own - someone who might travel many times a year, say, and maybe even doesn't have 3 weeks to wait between trips, so uses the fast track service? Someone who certainly doesn't have a period of 3 months when there is no travel?

But yes I'm sure you are somehow a better person, whatever the definition of that maybe.

Anyway I'd just like to say another big thank you to the people who've given me hope and encouragement and you'll forgive me but I'm hiding the thread now. Don't have the energy to waste on those who just enjoy giving people a kick when they're having difficulty.

It is unfortunate but it's one of those things. There are people today who've had bad news about health, people who are living in desperate parts of the world.
I'm grateful that this is just a practical problem I'll have forgotten all about in a few weeks time.

Thank you again.

Well said OP. I hope you get sorted out one way or another and have a lovely holiday.

Hope they arrive tomorrow and you can breathe easily!

I guess this was before you sent the old passports off with the renewal application?

I agree that if I did still have valid, unclipped passports valid to 24/7, I'd be tempted to try flying on 17/7 and not mention that return flights weren't a week later and hope didn't get caught.

I hope they come, if not by some miracle tomorrow, then on Weds or Thurs and you can rearrange flights.

@Ineffable23 @Whatamuckup

entry reqs for most of
EU (appreciate you may be going elsewhere - the FCO site gives entry reqs for all countries)

• The passport issue date is less than 10 years before day of arrival in the EU
• The passport expiry date is at least three months after intended day of departure from EU

Also - I thought for one week fast track they deliver by courier? This from the passport site @Whatamuckup

1 week fast track
The earliest you can get an appointment is the next day after you apply.
Your new passport will be delivered to you by courier 1 week after your appointment.

Best of luck, may arrive tomorrow!

If you can find out where they are being printed it is sometimes possible to go there and collect (I know this from bitter but ultimately sweet experience).

You have to try and get through to a real person though and I can't remember how I got the number. We had this about 3 or 4 yrs ago (I think during Covid).

Don't diminish your stress over this OP, it's obviously not the most awful thing in the world but it's your life and plenty of us can empathise with your stress and possible disappointment. Please let us know what happens if you can, wishing you best of luck, I think from what others have said you are in with a chance. I was shocked that mine was delivered through the door without any notification it was coming!!! It felt quite insecure, I thought I'd have to sign!!!

@Whatamuckup hopefuly it has printed overnight and will be with you today.

Just to give you hope, I just checked my updates from when I ordered my twins passports a few months ago

Thursday: text from passport office to say printed and will let me know when dispatched
Friday 7am: text from Royal Mail telling me out for delivery that day
Friday 9:45am: delivered

OP please just ignore the miserable MN haters. Also please let I’d know if the passports do arrive in time.

Not quite the same but I applied for DDs 4 weeks before travel using the normal service and have discovered there are Facebook groups full of people who have applied last minute - so you wouldn’t be the only one!

The passive aggressive tone in which it was asked. They could have just said, " have you contacted the passport office yet?"

Really hope they come today.

I don’t understand the people who come on here to say mean and unhelpful things.

Actually they may have been.
I had the exact same situation recently.(child passport on week fast track, it was the day before the flight and i rang the office and was told they had been approved. Thats all. Not even printed).
That afternoon, 15 hours before travel I had a message saying they had been dispatched, and would arrive the following morning before 1pm. They arrived at 11am and we left at 2pm.
Tracking isnt updated as much as you would think and the people at the office are not v clued up.
Your passports should get there on time.

Yes it is. I always think it’s such a lovely mental image.

Best of luck with the passport arrival.

I did fast track last Monday, I filled it in online and had a one minute appointment in Durham. It arrived on Wednesday. I did it as early as I could, as I flew today - for work.

She said it would arrive by last Friday. It was printed on Monday and dispatched on Tuesday. I wonder if it's relevant which office does it?

Sorry, OP, not much help for you.

What office did you use out of curiosity?

Durham, it's just down the road from me.

Did you receive them?

Just for the future I got a passport back in less than 7 days earlier in the year so please although you don't actually know me please feel free to say you do know of someone next time the subject comes up