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!!!

Thank you stargirl40 I will try them now and let u all know how I get on!

Anismum- even if its not check and send? I have proof of postage?

Is there an 0845 number for Peterborough ? Like BeckenhamAndie I called the Peterborough number someone here kindly messaged me but they weren't happy and was also told to call the 0300 number next week. They have had my passport since 23rd July and I travel 21st Aug so not panicking just yet. I don't have my barcode but would just like to know where in the process it is. If it takes a week for a call back I may have to start now ! She said I had got through to the examiners office and should not call them again. Felt like a naughty 8 year old !

If you gave lost your bar code the 0300 number will refuse point blank to help you due to data protection , go on home office web site and fill in passport enquiry form , someone will ring you back and they access it via postcode

we were told on fri by 0300 number we would get a call back within 48 hours as we sent ours by po check and send on 9th july. I gave up with waiting anxious that some people get told this and never get a callback and rang the durham 0845 number just now. They said it has been 'awaiting examination' for some time but was last looked at 12:03 today, told the lady we needed it to travel 13th aug she said we will get a callback within 2 hours advising if they are going to process it today and if they are we will have it by friday, but if they aren't processing it today we will be able to upgrade it which I am presuming costs? anyone know of how much this would be? x

I got through to the actual Passport office many thanks to stargirl40. I spoke to a lovely lady called Julie, but all she could do was to send a message to the person dealing with my daughter's application to see what the hold up is and hopefully they will be phoning me (I dont hold out much hope of them phoning back!). The passports are apparently not even printed at Durham! Probably shipped to China to be printed cheaper or something! Nothing would suprise me!!! Once they have phoned me I have the option to pay £64.00 to get it quicker. But we'll see if anyone phones first! Arghhhhh! I feel sick. :(

I just called the 0300 number. The chap was very nice in spite of the fact that I didn't have the barcode ref. He wasn't able to check as their system will only allow them to do this using the ref number. He took my contact numbers and said that he would try and get someone from the passport office to call me back either today or tomorrow.

I don't feel any better but at least I've done something.

is there anything else I should try?

they are printed as durham as I did mine there last year by the premium one day service and had to go in the morning to an appointment then pick it up 4 hours later. so at least that is maybe one small thing! :s

Is there an 0845 number for Peterborough as I tried the local number I was kindly PMed but a really horrible woman answered and refused to help as she said I shouldn't be calling that number! Please help someone!!

sarazack - I find it more reassuring that you think they are printed at Durham. I guess I have learnt my lesson with all of this. Whether we get to Turkey or not is another matter though! Fingers crossed for everyone. x

Well today both myself and husband were working so were unable to phone the number so gave all necessary details to my parents to do the phoning, they got through and got told someone would phone back for extra payment and postal details.
I just checked my phone and had a missed call and message to phone Durham office, got straight through and took payment for extra £60 odd to get it printed at Durham tomorrow and posted special delivery by 1pm Wednesday.
This could have been the result of me phoning the 0300 and giving them my mobile to callback me on or it could have been as a result of my dad phoning this morning but surely they would have contacted him again and not me.
So smiley face here will be even bigger smile when we get it.
Thanks to all the people who ive pmd and they got back to me and best of luck to everyone else.
There must be a way we can complain collectively about the 0300 call centre, judging by how big this thread has got there are lots of people in same position.

hey guys, ive been following this and called Durham today and the man said he would put me through for an upgrade, but someone would have to phone me back, will they phone back?!?! I fly on the 13th I am desperate as my travel agents need my passport number for my boarding passes and need them ASAP

candxx I too am waiting for the callback to hopefully upgrade. was told within 2 hours. now sat by the phone and won't move! hopefully they do phone back with speaking direct to durham. we need to update the passport details for boarding passes to to fly on 13th x

Managed to get through to Durham who said passport was done on Fri and will be with me by Wed, although will not rest easy till I see it! Why the 0300 number couldn't tell me this I don't know! Thanks for all your help.

I also travel 13 aug my request was put to the priority team on thur last week and in still waiting for my call back

jul3kids was the request put through by speaking to the passport office direct or by calling the helpline (0300 number)? I was told by helpline on fri my request had been put through and would get a callback within 48 hours but just called the durham office direct today that who can tell usually tell you more and said they will call me back within 2 hours. If you know what passport office it is at I would call them direct rather than the 0300 number as seem to get further that way and more info

I have just had a call back from Durham even though I spoke to them Saturday so it looks like they do call back they are waiting for my second countersignature as first one they contacted is on holiday if they don't receive it by tomorrow they will call me back again. They do seem to be helpful when you speak to them direct :) Won't relax though until i have my sons passport here

Another mum in desperate situation - Durham received passport application for my 9month old 3 weeks ago but have sent letter to countersignatory by 2nd class post and he hasn't received it yet.
We're supposed to travel next Monday and that's looking so unlikely. Any suggestions for how to get through to Durham?
I keep phoning the 0300 number but no good yet.
Am so upset - I was told that 3 weeks would be plenty of time for check & send and we allowed 4 and this is our only holiday this year. Argh.

It was the Durham office direct that put tha request forward for me, have just spoke to them again and they say it's taken 72hr for call backs do if I include thurs the day of request I should hear something today but could be tomorrow

ijolt That's what happened to me with counter signatory except the letter took so long to get to her she is now on holiday so I have had to send a whole new form and name of second counter signatory which i'm sure they are going to check again (more time) I will inbox you the number direct although they may just tell you to wait a bit longer for the letter to arrive, once it has it should be pretty quick to get the passport sent out x

ijolt i have messaged you the durham number call that num x

sarazack- the guy told me within a couple of days, but my phone won't leave my side until I hear from then, I'm freaking out just hope I get it in time!

Woo hoo my passports have arrived, the courier has just delivered them and I did nearly kiss him, he was saying they are taking on average 3-4 weeks and the most anyone has waited that he has delivered to was 4 weeks. I sent mine away 3 weeks today (16th july) exactly using check and send they received it a day later on the 17th July in Durham.

Thank you so much to all who helped me last week I got straight through on Friday morning to the Durham number a lovely lady called me back 2 hours later and said she was processing them there and then (ds first passpory and dd renewal) I didn't need to pay the upgrade as they would be here by the middle of this week, it has just arrived

Good luck everyone don't give up, we all deserve our holidays

Yey thank you again izzy77 and jul3kids x

Help ..... another mum in distress!!

Can someone please message me the direct number for the Durham office.

I sent my dd's application at the beginning of July for renewal, the cheque was cashed 2 weeks ago, still no passport and we travel on Friday!!

The 0300 number is useless, we've spoken to them 3 times today already and we're just told we'll get a call back within 48 hours

If someone wouldn't mind messaging me the direct number I'd be really grateful

I would appreciate the Durham number if possible.