Help - Passports renewal application stuck at Durham Passport Office and we are traveling this Friday

[wujo]

hi all,

I am desperate!!!

Passports sent via PO Check and Send on the 2nd July.
Called the IPS 0300 number over 60 times today - got through a dozen times.
Cant escalate - can't get transferred to Durham.
Cant talk to anyone.

I am crying and feeling sick as it will ruined the holidays for my twin girls, my son, my husband and my mum.

Can someone help or know someone from the Durham office help us!? We prepare to drive up from Bristol tomorrow to pick them up if need be :(

Help!!!

do they count sat and sun within the 48/72 hours callback?. My worry is that if they decide to send a letter out to my countersignatory will take a few more days for that to go out and get returned. Just hope they can upgrade it. Tempted to call the durham number even though helpline said they have emailed durham but part of me thinks it will help and part of me thinks will it mess up what the helpline have said! arrgghhh. babushka1 so anxious also :(

babushka1-I have sent you a PM

Hi Sarah,
Any luck with the peterborough number?
Thanx

Thanx Izzy :-)

Sarazack helpline told me they emailed durham yesterday and that i will get a call back within 48 hrs. I couldn't wait so called direct this morning and found them very helpful (will still be panicking though until i have the passport here) x

Sat and sun are not included in 48/72 call backs I would call Durham myself because a lot of people on here were told Durham were emailed and they would get calls and they never did a least if you speak to someone yourself you know the info is correct

please can somebody send me the number for durham and I will give them a call. thank you x

inboxed you sarazack x

thanks you :) x

If anyone could please message the direct number for durham as they have had my 2 kids passports for 6 wks now nn cant get a straight answer from the helpline number n we fly out in a wk HELP!

done sarahchat26 x

Thanx stargirl40

I have posted this on all passport threads. Contains every direct office number. Is in Polish though
www.anglia4u.pl/informacje/porady-uk/porady-uk/18-oszczednosci/73-alternatywne-numery-telefonow

Thanks for that becka,
I managed to get through this morning although because it hadn't been two weeks he said it hadn't been processed and to call back Wednesday,
Does anyone know if I call back on Wednesday wether I can switch to fast track? He said all applications are taking 3 to 4 weeks and we fly on the 19th,
They are child first passports,
Also how do you know which office to call?

Call the crappy helpline again and ask them. They should be able to advise which office it is held at.
You could wait until Wednesday and pay for an upgrade.
First child passports do not take as long as adult passports.

i also sent of my passport on the 10th July via the post office service, I am still waiting have phoned countless times and told it is in Durham, but can't get through. my husband got his back on Thursday can't understand this as sent together. Has anyone tried to ring Luke as suggested? Is it open on sundays need to travel on the 10th first holiday for 10 years I am so agitated and would do anything to speed up the process.

i did check and send-never again, and phoned the 0300 number dozens of times over last four days-waste of time, i did email requests aswell but it is a shambles.... i phoned durham direct today (thanks for that tel no. it was a big help) they told me i will get a call back Tues or Weds then a courier will deliver my passport. Holiday booked for thurs 9th so its unlikely to get to me in time. What can i do....any suggestions. i'm so stressed and the thought of my daughter not having a holiday is dreadful,not even ben on hol in years. Help....and good luck to others in same boat.

Passports arrived this morning!! So relieved I can't tell you. Durham were true to their word and were able to process them quickly once I had spoken to them (didn't need the upgrade in the end).

Sent DD's and my Renewals Check and Send - 17th July
Arrived in Durham - 19th July
Spoke to Durham on Day 10 (2nd August), had call back within 3 hours and advised upgrade was not needed and they were being processed, would be here by Friday 10th Aug latest
Friday 3rd August - Old passports and documents arrived
Saturday 4th August - Passports delivered by courier.

Durham were very helpful and reassuring, I think it's probably a case of getting to speak to the right person.

I wish you all the best of luck in getting your passports sorted, I know how it has felt over the last few weeks; keep trying.

Oh wow Huggers i am so pleased for you and its given me hope. I will phone Durham on Monday, my holiday is next Thurs so i'm full of stress. Anyone got any other tips about what i could do to get my passport...please???

WE booked the day service at Newport.
Drove up, first appointment took 20 mins
then went to Caerleon for lunch and the afternoon
drove back to Newport and waited in the car park while second appointment was done
WELL worth the extra how much for the NIL stress of driving home with the passport

needu could you collect passports in person might save you a day ,get back on phone Monday morning asking if its with the priority team just do you know it's moving in right direction , in reality if you can collect you have until wed so there is still time I'm in same boat I'm just trying to think positively other wise would drive you mad ,

Hi. After posting my message yesterday morning I went out to the shops, came back three hours later and there they were-both hubbies and ds's passports waiting on the doormat.

Phew!

Our timings were:
13 july sent by check and send
17 July received by passport office (but I don't know which one)
4 august received

So just over three weeks-they can do it.

Goodluck to you all. Just keep phoning them!

Hi - desperate to contact Peterborough PP office. Has anyone been able to contact them directly? The numbers on Beckamaw weblink are dead unfortunately! my eldest's renewal is stuck there. It doesn't even appear that our cheque has been cashed.

We go away on 14th and I'm panicking .

The advice line is so unhelpful and they promised to call back in 48 hours when I spoke to them on Thursday and I've heard nothing. Just keep calling but they don't put me through.

BeckenhamAndie-I have sent you a PM

Jul3kids i will go up to Durham if i have too. I'm doing my best to stay positive to, its not easy though, to be honest i have felt insane with worry/anger/helplessness/frustration the list goes on, but hope and positivity keep me from cracking. Hearing some people get their passports just in time helps as my holiday is next Thursday eek!!! We can but try our best but you should get yours before the 13th. Anyone elso got any tips on getting passports that are stuck in Durham please ???