Help - Does anyone work at the Passport Office at Durham

[janeb204]

Im at my wits end...I need to speak to Durham Passport office, I am going on holiday Saturday and my daughters passport renewal is stuck in a backlog at Durham. I will pay for accelerated service but can't get through to ask for it. The general phone number takes hours to be answered, the call back service doesn't work, the 48hr email reply service doesn't reply. Can I drive to Durham and sit and wait. I'm frantic to resolve this...but what can I do? Has anyone got any suggestions of what I can do....apart from cry? Does anyone work there and can tell me something I can DO

We also fly on the 10th of June and have been told to expect a call next Friday to upgrade it's ridiculous! X

Daughter's first adult passport applied for online exactly three weeks ago, just got the text to say it is being printed. No idea which office it is in. The online system is very easy to use, I would really recommend it.

If Durham is snowed under but other offices are getting passports out within the specified time, why are the applications not spread out more evenly?

Yesterday I was told that it is unlikely that I will be receiving mine before I travel next Friday. I cried as they've had it 3 weeks today, I've messaged & called non stop for 2 weeks to only be fobbed off by the 0300 number & still waiting for that 48 hour call back that never happens. I got my mp involved yet no luck. How do you tell 3 children they won't be going to Disneyland.

Any happy endings as need a spark of hope

Owlcapone I was thinking the exact same thing. That is what would happen where I work as delays of this type would just not be accepted. I could also do with some happy ending stories as I'm really despairing.

I think we all need to remember that, as important as our holidays are, it is also important for the passport office to complete their security checks. After all, we would not want anyone stealing your identity, or procuring a passport to exploit the benefits system/NHS, commit criminal activity or worse, assist in terrorism.
Clearly, the advice given by the passport office, and the post office is misleading, and really needs to be changed. But, if we were applying for a US passport, we would wait in the region of 6 months.

salpip.... try telling them " mummy was a silly billy and ignored the passport offices' advice and booked a holiday without a passport"

Yawn.

Iv been watching this thread all day today, after sending off my little boys first passport application on the 5th of May, I herd nothing back no text message so I chased it up all this week once it hit the 3week mark, was trying the 0300 number and they wasn't telling me anything because I didn't have the reference number and I done special delivery, so Iv been worried sick all week as I'm flying on the 19th June for my sons 3rd birthday with family, so I called the 0845 number was on hold for about 30mins and finally I got some answers my sons passport hasn't even been processed it's still in holding so I told a little white lie and said I was travelling on the 14th of June, to hurry things on! So Iv been told to call the 0845 number back on Wednesday to pay a extra £60.50 to get the week service! So fingers crossed it arrives! The sickness feeling is starting to fade finally!!

Straightforward, a US passport takes four to six weeks, not six months applied for my son's from the UK and had it in two weeks. His UK passport actually took longer to process at just over three weeks. I applied for both in April. Both were his first.

"I think we all need to remember that, as important as our holidays are, it is also important for the passport office to complete their security checks."

No straight, that kind of excuse just won't do at all. Of course security is paramount, nobody would ever question that, but it's unacceptable to try to claim delays are in the name of 'security' when actually they are caused by clear incompetence at a management level and a lack of investment in a very expensive service.

UK passports are much more expensive than many other countries, and yet such countries manage to offer an efficient and well-ordered passport service. And please don't try to diminish people's reasons for needing a passport solely as 'holidays' - many passports are necessary for work travel or important family events such as funerals. I live abroad and need my passport as a form of ID, living in a country where most people carry round a simple ID card (and it's an ID card which allows people to travel around Europe, which means fewer people actually apply for a full passport in the first place). My DC are dual nationality and we stopped renewing their UK passports some years back precisely because it was such a royal pain in the arse.

The UK passport system is a hit-and-miss screw-up right now, particularly Durham it seems. I've no idea why people are not making more fuss about something they've paid so much money for. Has anyone ever tried suing them for the costs of missing travel deadlines? (NB, I'm totally against a culture of suing generally when there are better ways of sorting grievances, but in this case a bit of negative publicity from legal action might actually motivate the government to get Durham sorted out).

well done Sophe... your "white lie" has bumped you along the queue, in front of others, making their wait longer. Still, at least you get your holiday eh!

Aphra ... I am possibly better placed than you to know about passport office processes.

Someone who has ignored official advice and booked travel wouldnt have a leg to stand on legally

Hi all I no how you fell we was the same just tel a little white lie say u are going on holiday sooner trust me the Durham office we'll do it we go tom we phone up Tuesday got passport Wednesday they are working by leaving date and if your passport as been there more then 3weeks then u should not have to pay the upgrade

Straightforward, do you work for the passport office?

Straightforward... I couldn't think of anything worse telling my 3year old he can't go on holiday with all his friends and family because the passport office couldn't keep to there word and keep a deadline. Clearly your a awful person seeing there little faces when you break the horrible news! .. Nasty ness is so ugly.

No I don't work for office but last Friday I got the number for Durham office the 0845 it was to late to phone and all tho there work all over weekend and Monday the phone line said close so I did not sleep for 4 days worry as we got wedding to go to so phone them up 1st thing Tuesday it took about 20min to get someone we told the man we go on holiday today so needed pp bk by yes day here say some one will phone u bk with in 24 hours but 3 hours later got the call it going in for prints be with u by Friday we say yes yes yes got it next day ps did not have to pay upgrade as been with them for 3weeks but I do think that down to the person u speak to if they charge u but pay it if there do

sophie .... you need to accept responsibility for the predicament you have put yourself in. You decided that booking a holiday without a passport would be fine. You were wrong. Its a horrible situation which I would certainly not wish on any little person .... but it was your choice.

Straightforwarda your a nob love caatman

Straightforward, why do you see it as your mission to make the live of oeople who are already feeling miserable even worse?

Salpipjack...... have you tried the direct number for Durham
0845 601 5175? Ignore the loop telling you that you should only call the number if you have a letter from them. Someone will answer but it could take 20 to 30 minutes depending how busy it is. Stick with it I found them very helpful. Don't bother with the 0300 number it's a waste of time I don't think they are up to date. I have been in contact with them since Monday 27th and I got our passports today. Good Luck.

Salpipjack. I was told that I had to wait for a call back to upgrade but it wouldn't be until the middle of next week. Our travel date being the 9th of June. I didn't expect to get a text this morning saying that they had been printed and were on their way. They were here late afternoon! I hope this gives you your spark of hope.