Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

See all MNHQ comments on this thread

Original poster

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

999 replies

wujo · 18/07/2012 22:22

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!!!

OP posts:
Katy9718 · 01/05/2014 11:32

On a positive passport arrived today (they only printed it yesterday) by courier so so so relieved.. My advise is keep telephoning them don't waste time on 0300 get an 0845 for the office and keep ringing up whilst there's time there's hope!!!

Jennywrenman · 01/05/2014 12:14

Katy9178 going to call them numbers.i need to know whats happening who's is being done.great I've had 2text messages saying same old"your pps being printed off,be with u soon" but only 2text messages when there's 4pps to be done.my 16yr old daughter not got text tho as yet.funny feeling she be called for interview as is first adult passport although she's had her own as a child..no like u said katy9178 complaint was put in for u and u never heard nothing! Not relying on the complaint helping me.
However...good news about some pps but not sure who's??? Going to ring and see who's has progressed to print :)
Cheeseandgherkins try looking on here for a valid direct number.0300 can't do a lot for us x thanks for advice all

CheeseandGherkins · 01/05/2014 12:27

I've tried lots of numbers and nothing. Was on hold to one for 2 hours when I was suddenly cut off. Sent an email and tried to do the track passport online but I have a 9 digit barcode and they ask for 10 so the form won't go through!

I have no idea what to do now. The 0300 number were fairly useless. I'm now waiting for a callback within 48 hours with no idea if they even will.

chocomadab1 · 01/05/2014 13:58

@cheeseandgherkins - if you put a number 0 before your application and in the comments put your address dob contact number full name etc they should get back to you .

i have problems with my passport havent recieved it yet but i called the 0845 number and they got it printed that day (yesterday) after i complained about the poor service , it is out with the courier as we speak and fingers crossed it comes i am flying on tuesday .

Just keep trying the 0845 number they will pick up in the end and you will get through to someone who is very helpful much better than the 0300 number .

CheeseandGherkins · 01/05/2014 14:05

Can't actually believe this but had a letter today from them saying it wasn't filled in correctly! I used check and send as well. I've called and complained and the manager dealing with her application will call between 5 and 9 tonight apparently.

She didn't sign it :( I thought it was all correct but used the check and send to be sure. I'm going to try and get them to do it same day, they do under exceptional circumstances but it depends whether they will agree that this is. I think due to the error made and the fact she travels on a school, educational trip on Wednesday, that it is. Plus the post office told me you can't fast track at all but it seems you can, another reason why she should be allowed it in a day as I would have gone for the fast track if I was given the correct information.

Have to just wait and see now :(

Dylan26910 · 01/05/2014 14:14

It's not looking good for us - we fly a week today and so far we have been unable to get a straight answer off anyone even though we got the local MP involved who was told they weren't able to do anything until Friday - we were told originally that 4 weeks was plenty for the passport to be returned and not to worry about fast track (which would have been back 2 weeks ago) - now it looks as though we won't get it in time and are running out of ideas. Our holiday has been booked for over a year and now it's ruined at the last minute.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 01/05/2014 14:20

Jennywrenman - yes, your 16 year old will definitely be called for an interview as it's her first adult passport. There are no exceptions apparently.

PestoSunnyissimos · 01/05/2014 14:31

Not so SantasLittleMonkeyButler. My DD is 16 and applied for her first adult passport earlier this year as a renewal of her previous 5 year children's one, and it came 3 weeks later. No call to interview or countersignature required.

alicewilliams · 01/05/2014 16:50

@ katy - Brilliant news! :) Lets hope the rest of us can get sorted too :(

@ Cheeseandgerkins - so sorry to hear that. I would make a serious complaint and sue the post office as the mistake is on their side.

@ Dylan -which office has your passport gone to?

JessicaMary · 01/05/2014 18:36

I have two turning 16 next year. I hope Pesto is right and we don't need to bother with an interview.

SantasLittleMonkeyButler · 01/05/2014 19:07

Really Pesto? When DS1 received the letter telling him to ring for an interview appointment, I rang and explained that he was autistic & going to an appointment would be really difficult for him (our nearest offices are in the centre of a big city & busy city centres are an issue) - I was told that if he did not find a way of coming in for the interview he would not get a passport as they are compulsory for everyone applying for their first adult passport (so anyone over 16), and that there were no exceptions at all.

I am rather Angry to hear that is obviously not the case TBH! Angry at the person who gave me the info, not Pesto obviously Smile.

Katy9718 · 01/05/2014 19:52

Thanks Alicewilliams feeling a little guilty that I got mine sorted when u guys still struggling... Keeping everything crossed for u to get it sorted.. I cannot believe how we have to fight for everything in this world it's so tiring and ridiculous!! I'm not letting it rest here tho will be following the complaints procedure.....

PestoSunnyissimos · 02/05/2014 08:20

Yes Santa I just sent off her application form normally without using check & send (used that previously for DD2's passport renewal & application came back rejected as apparently some problem with DD2's photo Hmm )

We didn't even get her photos counter-signed as her appearance hadn't really changed that much in the last 5 years.

nikki1391 · 02/05/2014 10:40

how do you know what passport office your application is at? do you have to ring them to find out? can it simply be worked out depending on what area you live in?

when I done my daughters first passport I believe it was done in Peterborough

I send it off yesterday for renewal, when I got the application the post office gave it to me in an envelope addressed to durham but when I gave it to them for check and send they didn't use the envelope and put it in their own bag

im seriously hoping it doesn't go to durham...looks like durham is nothing but problems!

we live in London by the way

alicewilliams · 02/05/2014 11:36

Just to update you guys, the counter signature was sent some paperwork and still has not received it, even though it was sent a few days ago via 1st class.

I'm in bits as I don't know what else we could do...I even offered to come down with a new application and pay extra for the fast track/premium service, but I've been told that it's not possible as our application is already in progress :(

Roco123 · 02/05/2014 14:02

I have just phoned 08456015175 Durham office.
I requested an upgrade as I need my passport to travel next week and my application is stuck in the system.
Within 30 minutes I got a call back from a lovely lady called Karen who has taken my payment details and said I can collect passport on Tuesday!! Don't lose hope!! Xxx

Jennywrenman · 02/05/2014 19:15

Guys 2of my 4passports arrived today.still waiting on my sons who is 8 and my daughters first adult passport.brill,happy 2has landed up.but seems am always on the phone to them .apparently after 3weeks waiting my sons application has only just got to the examination stage 2days ago...but what the heck they been doing with it? Throwing darts in the tea room with it? So another complaints been put in by the agent on the 0300 line (don't know what the complaints will achieve)?? And these call backs we wait for aren't much help,on both occasions they've been useless.lets see what happens.am giving them till next Wednesday evening them am back on the phone.Pitty there's a bank holiday-are they open bank holiday?? Hope everyone else's situations are improving :-/ x

Jennywrenman · 02/05/2014 19:16

Are they open on weekends too?

Jennywrenman · 02/05/2014 19:17

Cheeseandgherkins you had your callback yet??

Tiredemma · 02/05/2014 20:58

I feel physically sick. cant believe I have ballsed up.

they still havent contacted me to ask for me to send in the birth certificate.

we travel may 31st.

Dylan26910 · 03/05/2014 07:39

Hi all- just a little update - after what felt like a million phone calls , emails and contact with the local MP we had a text phone call and email to confirm the passport was printed 9.15pm on Thursday and collected by courier yesterday for delivery in the next few days (yesterday was 3 weeks from the date they recieved the documents in Peterborough- the application was for a lost passport) I hope this raises a little hope for those of you who are waiting - I'm just praying it gets here by Wednesday as we need it to collect the boarding passes from the travel agent and we fly on Thursday.

alicewilliams · 03/05/2014 13:53

PO have been in touch and said that the actual paperwork for counter-signature has not gone to his home, but actually to his workplace, so hoping that he can sort it out some time next week after bank holiday.

Samdx · 03/05/2014 15:25

Help !!
My sons first passport application has been in the Peterborough passport office since the 12th April. We have rung the 0300 advice line countless times who all seem to be giving conflicting information finally we spoke to someone Tuesday who said it was all complete and just needed to be printed and we would have it by Friday which was yesterday. Managed to get through to peterborough yesterday who told us it hasn't even been looked at and there is no chance we would get it in time ( we travel on the 7th May Wednesday). We have asked if we can drive up to collect the passport (which is 4 hours away) but they have said that this is not an option.It's my little boys first holiday and we are really desperate does anyone have any advice.
Thank you

alicewilliams · 03/05/2014 17:09

Hi Samdx,

Did you not explain to them that you fly out on 7th may? What did they mean that it hadn't even been looked at and who told you that the passport had been sent for printing?

Samdx · 03/05/2014 18:01

Yes we've told them everything. We rang the advice line on the Tuesday and the lady we spoke to then said we should have it by Friday. We managed to get through to peterborough Friday to check if it had been sent but my partner spoke to a really rude lady who basically told him
Forget it there's no chance we would have it by Wednesday she confirmed that they'd received on the date the advice linehad informed us but it hadn't been examined and was no where near ready it would be weeks before we would have it. We said that it didn't matter how much we had to pay or we could drive there but she was adamant there was no option to get it by Wednesday. We've been on the phone to the advice all day and logged a formal complaint with them who have told us that it went for exination Friday 2nd May. We have to wait until Tuesday to contact peterborough again so that will be our last ditch attempt! :-(