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Original poster

Help - Does anyone work at the Passport Office at Durham

896 replies

janeb204 · 23/07/2012 22:30

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

OP posts:
Mandymoo87 · 01/06/2014 09:30

Simon when do u fly?

SimonBalaam · 01/06/2014 10:07

Early hours next Saturday.

Minikiki · 01/06/2014 11:56

To give fellow Durham applicants some hope..
Our baby's application has been stuck there since Apr 27. We have followed all the advice given on this forum - ie. ignore 0300 number, get MP involved (very helpful), call 0845 Durham number given at exactly 8am to request Fasttrack Upgrade (you will get through eventually, they do answer). They repeatedly asked for date of travel (this Wed in our case) and true to their word rang us 8am today ( I guess there is some serious overtime going on) to tell us it will be posted Mon to be received by us Tue - ie. 1 day prior departure as they did promise when originally answering on 0845 number and agreeing to Upgrade.
Also of note is they don't actually charge you the upgrade fee if your application has been there over the allotted timeframe.
The advice on this site is, in our experience, spot on in this case so thank you to whoever guided us to the 0845 number.

brook001 · 01/06/2014 12:29

I got an email friday morning to say my passport application has now been processed and sent for issue. I called the 0300 line and thry tell me it still hasnt been printed yet. Any idea how long it takes for it to be printed once the examiner has sent it for issue?

BeauticianNotMagician81 · 01/06/2014 13:18

I had a call at 10am this morning also informing us that our sons passport will be sent out for delivery tomorrow received on Tuesday and no need to pay for upgrade. When they called they asked to speak to my partner. He called the 0300 number yesterday and I've called the 0845 all week. So maybe a male calling makes a difference as he gets a call back the next day and I've not had any ???

Mandymoo87 · 01/06/2014 15:20

We fly on the 10 th and have told we can't up grade til next friday? Is that normal??My worry is what if application has any mistakes on it itl be to late ! Any advice would be appreciated as just can't see us going on our holiday and even people on the 0845 number havnt been that helpful! Are they still working on flight dates, as people who go near to me seem to have there's already x

maggiethemagpie · 01/06/2014 15:42

brook - I got the text on Friday to say it was going for printing and then delivered Saturday. I sent mine, a first child's passport, for check and send on 2nd May and it got back to me just over four weeks later so it was pretty much within the timescale I'd anticipated but I think I was lucky because I have heard of others taking much longer. Think it depends if it goes to Durham where the backlog is, mine may have gone to Liverpool as I live in Manchester.

brook001 · 02/06/2014 01:01

I got an email from the examiner as im in australia and she just said the application has now been processed and to expect to recieve it within 7 days.

I called dhl this morning to see if there is anything in their system yet as they deliver them to australia and theres nothing so im assuming it hasnt been printed or dispatched yet. :-(

hboo2003 · 02/06/2014 03:41

im going to start ringing the 0845 number in the morning well it is morning I cant sleep with worry as going Saturday. can someone please pm me the 0845 number just to make sure it is correct. im scared to tell my son we cant go as he has anxiety. god I feel so sick to the stomach. this is awful. I did ring mp friday so finger S's crossed it might help.

hancon958 · 02/06/2014 08:41

Hi hboo I have PM you. Good luck.

SimonBalaam · 02/06/2014 09:18

I have spoken to Durham this morning and got our delivery reference number and it is apparently being delivered by DX today!!

I cannot wait for the relief of stress once it has been delivered!!!

Aidycake34 · 02/06/2014 09:28

Simon, when was your original application submitted and do you know when it was received by the passport office? Thanks.

SimonBalaam · 02/06/2014 09:33

They received it on the 9th May but it looked like it was going nowhere until I started annoying them over the last couple of weeks!

Aidycake34 · 02/06/2014 09:36

Thanks, they received mine on the 4th and I've still not heard anything. I also fly on the 7th. They actually told me on Friday to stop phoning so I'm getting my husband to phone instead.

ProJuly08Mother · 02/06/2014 09:36

Hello

We submitted our applications (child renewal and child's first passport) on 1st may. They were received 7th may. We got the renewal back last Wednesday but nothing regarding the first passport! We travel on Saturday! Have been in touch with MP and have range the 0845 number this morning and all they can tell me is it has been submitted to upgrade team! They should ring me back by Wednesday to take payment and it will then be processed! They have said they can't guarantee anything!! So what do I do? Is this correct? Should I be more insistent on wanting to speak to someone else? I've asked about other options to get it sooner and they've said there's nothing else! Just won't settle until it's in my hand!!! I can't holiday without my baby!!! Xx

SimonBalaam · 02/06/2014 09:40

Was yours a renewal or 1st passport? Did you contact your MP?

ProJuly08Mother · 02/06/2014 09:47

If you're asking me - we sent a child's renewal (we have got back) and are still waiting for the child's first! And yes contacted MP

Aidycake34 · 02/06/2014 09:48

Mine is a child's first passport, perhaps that's what the delay is. I sent my MPs office an email on Friday afternoon but with it being the weekend I've heard nothing back. The stress and anxiety I'm experiencing over this is unreal, I've recently had a baby and as silly as this sounds I can actually feel myself slipping into a depression over this.

SimonBalaam · 02/06/2014 09:56

Well I guess both can answer.

I would chase up your MP with a phone call. You will probably only get the MPs PA but they will hopefully fish out your email from the hundreds they receive everyday and that might speed things up.

The MPs office and staff we dealt with were a bit hesitant to begin with but were fantastic in the end and I'm truly grateful to them for their help.

Good luck

BeauticianNotMagician81 · 02/06/2014 10:00

I have received the text this morning saying that ds passport is in print. I should hopefully get it tomorrow. I won't be able to get excited for our wedding/ holiday until that passport is in my hand

BeauticianNotMagician81 · 02/06/2014 10:01

I would just say to call everyday until you get that call back for upgrade as I've a feeling that callback all depends on which advisor you happen to speak to on the phone x

Mandymoo87 · 02/06/2014 11:06

Simon ur very lucky!!! X

JammyGeorge · 02/06/2014 11:11

They've had ds2s for over a month. I've rang 0300 and 0845 over and over, written to mp, agreed to pay for an upgrade yet still no one will even look at the application.

Spoke to durham direct today and I am in the upgrade queue, it's not been looked at won't be for another week (they told me that last week) and basically if there's any mistake or issue with the form, countersignature or photo we are screwed.

It's a fucking joke.

SimonBalaam · 02/06/2014 11:16

Mandymoo, I know we are, you have a few extra days then us. Have you chased?
Its very odd as my wife called friday morning to be told there is no change and then an hour later we got a call saying it would be printed that day or saturday!

Just keep chasing your MP and Durham.

indie123 · 02/06/2014 11:43

I sent my daughters renewal on 1st May. ..its was received and sent for examination on 5th may. I've called 0300 numerous times to be told different things regarding waiting times. I called last Wednesday and the guy put me on 48 hour callback and said I should call today if I don't hear anything. Called today and it's STILL awaiting examination. I mean come on they've had it 4 weeks now! And to make matters worse on another site people who sent theirs upto a week after me have already had theirs back in the past week! I've been put on another 48 hour call back and I've also filled in a form online to track progress. I plan to travel 26th or 29th June but I'm not booking until I get passport back and as the price is going up I need it back ASAP. I would call durham direct but I've heard waiting times are between 45 min and 80 min and then who knows how long I'll be speaking to them..as it's a 0845 number no way I'm spending that long on the phone..if it's still waiting examination by the end of the week or I don't get the callback i guess I'll have to ring them