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!!!

sorry me again being a nause.

Just checked my online banking and can see that the cheque has been cashed- does this mean the passports are being processed or do they just cash cheques straight away anyway??

@ Samdx - I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound negative, but it's highly unlikely you will get the passport by 7th May because if it hasn't even been examined as that itself can take a good few days. Also after examination, there is a good chance that they may write to the counter-signature person to confirm details etc.

Out of interest, how are you contacting peterborough? Do you have a direct number? If so, could you please post it on here for others?

Hi, could anyone tell me the number for the passport office? The 'advice line' is less than useful! Thanks x

which one as there are several offices?

Does anybody have the direct line for Glasgow please?
The number showing online (01413421000) saying it is an incorrect number.

I applied for my children's passport renewals online and the Glasgow office received the forms, pictures etc on the 30th of April. The system is still showing as awaiting information from the applicant, despite royal mail logging them as receiving the forms etc on the 30th of April.

I was offered a 48 hour callback, which never materialised and was told by the 0300 number that the turnaround time for Glasgow for renewals at the min is 3 weeks. I travel in 28 days and my forms have already been at the passport office for 5 days.

All I want to do is get through to somebody to find out if all is ok with the forms and if I can fast track my application if there is going to be a delay. If I had of known there was going to be problem with getting renewals in three weeks I would've applied earlier. Seems like such an easy thing, but I've got a funny feeling it's going to prove difficult :-(

Hello everyone I really need assistance urgently I submitted my application and all necessary documents required by HMPO since feb 15th and evrytime I call it's always under investigation but it's over 2 months now, they have all my other international passports. I don't have anything to travel wit and my annual leave is next month. I don't knw who to call I talk to. And it's an overseas application. Y it is taken so long. Its frustrating. Am really unhappy. Someone pls help

I forgot to mention it's A first Adult passport

Its stuck at Durham Passport office

Hi Samdx we are in the same boat - so frustrating! Ours was sent on Monday 14th April, upon advice from the Post Office that it would take no longer than 2-3 weeks. Like you we fly on Wednesday (7th May), which will be bang on 3 weeks from 16th when they received it.

After lots of frantic phone calls over the last few days we have been told that the info from the Post Office was wrong and it is in fact 3-4 weeks from arrival to print.

Haven't yet had a phone back from Durham (where the passport is) even though the main phoneline have sent numerous emails promising a call back within 48 hours.

We have been told that it is waiting to be printed, and we are debating whether to drive over there tomorrow or Tuesday, to prevent it getting stuck in Bank Holiday postal delays!

Feeling gutted as have already had to cancel first part of holiday to go visit family down south as flying from Gatwick , and pretty angry as was given wrong info by post office. If they had said that it would take 4 weeks I would have had no problem in paying for the one week fasttrack service there and then!

Has anyone had success with simply driving to the passport office and waiting in line?

Any advice much appreciated.

Dylan26910, did you mean 9:15pm or am?? Does this mean they have staff that work in the evenings? I hope you get yours before Thursday.

After reading all these posts, it seems like Durham passport office have huge delays and are not able to explain why. We need to complain because it's ridiculous. It has been a constant battle for me with the passport office. I sent my sons passport application end of February and I still haven't received it. We are due to fly on the 9th of may. I have called every 48 hours as I never receive a call back. On Friday 2nd in the morning, someone called me to say my sons passport pictures are too light. I was fuming as everyone I spoke to reassured me that if there was a problem, someone would have contacted me already. I have spoken to mangers and they have all said all I can do is send new photos and then wait. So I sent his new photos on that same day. So I have been calling them to see if they have received them and to find out if I can upgrade to speed up the application. I am so desperate and worried as we are flying out Friday 9th may in the morning and monday 5th is a bank holiday, so it only leaves a few days for them to sort out anything. I am willing to pay extra to speed up the process or even drive up to the Durham office to collect his passport. I can only hope and pray. I have read about people contacting their local MP, so I am sending an email to mine tonight. Anyone have any other suggestions?? I will update you all

Dylan26910- did you mean 9:15pm or am? Does this mean they have staff working in the evening?? I hope you receive yours before Thursday.

After reading these posts, it seems like Durham passport office have major delays and they are not able to explain why. We need to complain because this is ridiculous.
It has been a constant battle for me with the passport office. I sent my sons passport application end of February and I still haven't received it. We are due to fly on the 9th of may. I have called every 48 hours as I never receive a call back. Only on Friday 2nd in the morning, someone called me to say my sons passport pictures are too light. I was fuming as everyone I spoke to reassured me that if there was a problem, someone would have contacted me already. I have spoken to mangers and they have all said all I can do is send new photos to the Durham office and then wait. So I sent his photos on the same day. I called to see if they have received the photos and to find out if I can upgrade to speed up the application. I am so desperate and worried as we are flying out 9th may in the morning and monday 5th is a bank holiday so it only leaves a few days for them to sort out anything. I am willing to pay extra to speed up the process or even drive up to the Durham office to collect the passport when it is ready. I can only hope and pray. I have read that some people have contacted their local MPs. So I have sent an email to mine this evening, hoping it will make a difference. Does anyone have any other suggestions? Will keep you all posted.

Sorry I posted twice. I didn't realise the first post went through.

My wife is in the same boat. She has duel citizenship and her application and Canadian passport stuck in Durham office for 7 weeks now with no real information regarding application on request just it's received and is being processed. I was planning on taking her to Paris for her Birthday in June, at this rate we won't even be together let alone on a romantic birthday getaway. You would think sending it away the beginning of March would be plenty of time. If the lead times were more accurate it would be fine, just don't say 6 weeks when they've had it 7 and obviously haven't even picked it up off the pile yet. The backlog in Durham is starting to sound horrendous yet it seems like they are allowed to continue running this shoddy service.

Just spoke to the 0300 number again and my original request for a callback wasn't even sent off on Friday, when I spoke to another operator. She sent an email to Glasgow for me, requesting a callback and ten minutes later (how convenient!) I received a text message to say my passports are being printed and will be with me in the next few days. How convenient that as soon as she sent an email over to Glasgow, that I got that text message. The status of my application online still says awaiting information from the applicant, how slow and unfit for purpose is that tracking system?!
Kayleigh

kam97 and anyone else - Don't believe what the operator tells you. They tend to blag that the previous operator never sent off a request. Insist on speaking to a team-leader/manager and make a formal complaint. Even when you speak to a team-leader/manager don't let them fob you off! Insist on further action and how they will resolve it. Regarding your passports...you should sue the passport office as they are giving you incorrect information as on one hand they have text you that the passports are being printed and on the other, they have now said "awaiting further information.

Do you think its worth me ringing Durham and seeing what I can do to speed up my process for DD's passport?

The 0300 number has given me very conflicting advice and reading the stuff on here it seems that they have very little knowledge of what is actually going on at the passport Offices themselves.

The stress is unbelievable.

Can you Fastrack a passport application? or is it too late once you have sent off your standard application?

Tiredemma - Your right that the staff on 0300 number don't know anymore than you. Only option is to chase up directly at the office where your passport is. You can fastrack, but ONLY once the whole application process is completed and the passport is ready to be printed.

Can you fastrack a first passport ?

Don't quote me on this, but I believe fast track is only available for first child passport, not adult passport.

Peri90 - it was definitely 9.15pm as we had a call at 2pm saying it was being released by the examiners to be sent to printing and we would receive it within 2 working days - unfortunately because of the bank holiday that meant today (I've never wanted a bank holiday to go so quick) - I am spending today on delivery watch so that I can get the passport and go collect our boarding cards.

LIZS, not a first adult passport I don't think. And definitely not a first adult passport for someone who has never had a passport as a child.

Hello everyone, just an update for you all. I have just received both of my children's passport renewals via courier-phew!!!!!!

The tracking system is still showing that the passport office haven't even received my details, which is an utter disgrace. Royal Mail says the forms were received on the 30th of April and the passports show they were printed on the 3rd of May.
All this worry that they'd lost my forms was for nothing, you would think they would just update the tracking information more often and people wouldn't have to hound them by phone 24/7.

Kayleigh

I phoned the 0300 number this morning to see if its possible to just re-apply for a FastTrack.

Blokey apparently sent email to Durham to get them to call me in 48 hours.

Hello, I've seen alot of talk about 0845 numbers but how do you know which office your application is at?

I'm meant to fly 17th so i'm very worried atm :(

I think you can ring any office and they can look on the system, the lady on the 0300 number said that all offices have access to the more detailed information on the computer to let you know at what stage your passport is at. Durham's phone number is pretty easy to fins, so I'd ring there for help if I were you x