Passport nonsense?!!

[TheDetective]

ARGHHHHHHHH!!!!! Can anyone shed any light on passports for me...?

I am renewing 3 passports. Two are child passports both needing first adult passports (me and DF), and the other is a child passport needing renewing (DS).

I think I know what I am doing for my and DF's passports, both will need countersigning and new pictures.

DS on the other hand... I filled in the online application form, and it asked for so much information it left me baffled. He already has a child passport, and I gave those details. So why the hell was it asking for my parents details, details of marriages (no one was ever married) my ex's (son's father) parents details - his dad is dead and he has NO further information on him. Doesn't know any name etc.

I don't understand why the website is telling me my sons right to a UK passport depends on all this other information. He has a UK passport!! Was born in UK, parents born in UK etc etc.

Flying in 8 weeks, and now worrying this is going to be a nightmare! Anyone shed some light here?!

Go to the post office and get a hard copy of the form, then pay extra for the check and send service. It is much simpler. Ours came through in less than 2 weeks even though I had to get mine counterdisgned due to my photo changing.

I'm being a bit of a stingy git tbh. I don't want to pay extra for a service that the IPS should be able to provide - ie. give me the correct information to enable me to fill the form in without anyone 'checking' it. I'll be ringing them tomorrow, but hoping someone might have the answers tonight!

Sounds odd? I just filled in the renewal form online for DD's child passport and all it asks for is date and place of birth of both parents (ie me and DH) and date of our marriage. It doesn't mention grandparents at all?!

I suspect it might be because I wasn't married to his father... thats what it seemed to be getting at when it started asking all these extra questions.

My parents weren't married... so it started asking questions about ex DP's parents who also weren't married (sense a theme?)...

Bonkers! Seems the IPS don't like unmarried people! ;)

Never had all this when we got his first passport - which was fast tracked.

When my husband applied for his first passport he needed his parents and grandparent's details as he wasn't born in the UK. He didn't have all the details so he filled in all he could and then we sent a separate sheet explaining that he didn't know his grandparent's details.

If you are confused phone the passport office, they were very helpful when we had to d DH's passport and we didn't need to use check and send that way.

I think you need to allow 6 weeks for a first adult passport so you need to get it done quick.

I've just renewed DD's passsport and didnt have to give any of those details. Me and XP weren't married either, and I didnt even give any of his details!

I would ring them and check, it doesn't sound right what they're asking online.

It really is worth paying the extra at the post office because if your application is incorrect the passport office won't refund your fee and you have to pay again.

Are you born after 1981? I had to do this on the forms for my ds as I am born after then. Got to do it all again for dd now.

I've just applied for my child's first passport, yet the countersigned has today received a letter asking to verify and a pic of my daughter??? This was all done in check and send service at post office so why are they doing this and delaying things thankfully I'm organised and we don't fly till late April but whose to say it will be sorted by then?? Couldn't they of just rung my friend and checked that way or even wrote to his workplace??? I'm worried wont get it in time for holiday now :-(