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

I fly on Saturday.

Suzy is there no way you can fly out later? If it hasn't been looked at there is still the 1 week fast track option! Would that help! I was going to fly out even for two days if it got to it!! Xx

I've not read the whole 2 year thread, but thought I'd add my current experience to help/commiserate with others.

My DHs renewal application is currently at Durham. We sent it via PO Check and Send on 13th May, and they acknowledge it being 'received' on 17th May with them. As advised, they will not even consider discussing it until they have it for 3 weeks which takes us to Fri 5th June. We fly to France on Tues 10th June.

We phoned the 0300 number who were pretty useless. So today DH called the 0845 number. They said they will escalate to the upgrade team, but it will not be Friday until it is even looked at for consideration, and if it does, it will go to the back of the queue behind urgent applications for upgrade based on compassionate reasons (illness, funerals, etc). They will phone us on Friday to let us know what the situation is. So the earliest we might be able to get it is Sat or Monday....and that is by courier or if we collect in person. We're in Edinburgh so Durham not a million miles away, it's doable.

Guy at Durham was nice, although I think they are a bit cheesed off at folks using the 0845 number! He did say there was a big backlog at Durham. Essentially DHs renewal hasn't even been looked at, so the 3 weeks standard trunaround is nowhere achievable at the moment.

Its not the end of the world, worse case scenario is that I fly out with kids on Tues and DH joins us later that week. It will cost us extra though, extra for the upgrade, extra for the flights etc etc, but not a lot of choice.

This is completely our error. We should have checked the passports before, and I'm kicking myself for not doing it earlier. One thing I have sworn is that I will always ensure we all have passports that are valid, regardless if we never use them. It just removes all this flapping and panicking. The ironic thing is, we thought that we would be ok using check and send and get a renewal back in 3 or so weeks. We actually would have been quicker and calmer (although pricier) to try and get an appt at Glasgow Passport Office and get a premium service, same day passport.

I should add the reason we thought using check and send woudl be better is that 3 years ago I applied for DD1s first passport in March (ok - not a busy time) and it was back within a week. I was speechless!

Not so this time!!

Just to update got a call from Durham today and was told we are being upgraded and no xtra cost as theyv had it so long!!! Wont rest till it's with me but hopefully shud get it Friday or Saturday! Mp has been so much help so my advice is to let them help u!! Suzy that is so sad ur poor little man, don't give up!! My partner had gave up and I got on that phone and got somewhere, I really believe it's who u get on the phone at Durham as some r helpful and some rnt!! Keep trying and good luck. Really hope u get ur holiday xxx

I called 0300 this morning as I have some questions. They put me on 48 hour from progress team as they have more insight into waiting times etc. Not even 3 hours later I got a call back! Call then disconnected at 18 seconds and they haven't called back. Isn't that just great!

Ok so they called back. An email has been sent to durham requesting an upgrade. So hopefully if I can get that sorted when they get letter back from countersigner hopefully everything will move quickly from there. I was actually talking to a guy on the 0300 number to request another callback when they called me back. The 0300 guy told me that on the system he could see nothing wrong with application...clearly that's incorrect. I then spoke to the call back lady and when I told her about what durham said she was like did you call them? You actually have a number for them? Wow...ok. I think she was a little surprised lol. Calling Durham on Friday morning. I keep trying to avoid calling them as it's 10p a min and they take years to pick up!!!

Iv just had a surprisingly quick call back from Durham to say my youngest renewal has been pulled and is awaiting to be looked at and to ring back first thing Friday morning (0845) and speak to them and they will tell me if an upgrade is needed, and that my oldest daughter's renewal is at Liverpool and the 3 week mark isn't until Monday for hers so if anyone has the direct Liverpool number id be grateful for it cos I will be on the phone to them first thing Monday morning. 14 days till we fly and counting :-(

Blondi

I now know 3 people who have had renewals back from liverpool - all have taken approx 17-18 days in total from dropping at post office to front door so I wouldn't worry as there doesn't seem to be a delay there at all.

I think my dark cloud has a silver lining after all! Unfortunately not with pp office though. My bil is getting back to us later on..and hopefully will be buying holiday from us, we can transfer names tomorrow at travel agent. We are obviously going to lose a bit of money. .but we should hopefully be able to get away 1st week in August, we would never have been able to afford that if we had lost everything.
Fingers crossed! Surely the bloody passport will be with us by then! (All I've been thinking about the past few days is passports. .im obsessed, even dreaming about them).
Oh maybe we'll get to the seaside yet :-) (with teddy of course!) This thread has kept me sane..thanks for kind words. X

yeah thanks Jam Iv also heard Liverpool are better, if only we knew all this in the beginning would of just sent them straight to one other than Durham lol.....That's brilliant Suzyb hope it all works out for you, just don't tell the passport office u have changed travel dates lol x

That's great news Suzy! Hope all works out for you! Keep us posted xx

So glad I've found this forum! I sent my passport off at May 17th and they received at on the 21st (Royal Mail told me, not them. Haven't received a text from them...)it was sent to the Belfast passport office (has anyone used/using this office before?) and I have heard nothing from it! I've been tracking it with my bar side number found on the passport application sheet. It says "Your passport application is currently going through the examination process" and I have zero idea what that means... I'm meant to be flying on the 21st of June! It's been over 2 weeks and I'm panicking as I haven't booked yet and I need to get my passport ASAP so I can book my holiday! I've emailed my MP and waiting for her to response! I'm absolutely panicking and I deeply regret sending it off so late! Can someone please help me?

I wish I had found this thread a week ago.... having posted my application on the 4th of April, I received a text on the 11th of April. Have had no contact since then. Having been snowed under with exams etc my passport application had taken the backburner as I was under the impression it was sorting itself out (I had left plenty of time 2 months infact!) until I realised a couple of weeks ago my application had taken rather longer than it should have so started ringing the 0300 number and waiting for the 48hr call backs.... WHICH NEVER HAPPEN. Finally I found this thread today and rang the 0845 number and FINALLY I have spoken to someone in the Durham office, but yet again I am waiting for a call back and I still dont know if and when im going to be getting my passport. I am meant to be travelling tomorrow (5th June) with 18 of my friends as a last uni bash, but have had to sell my place to someone else as I obviously will not be going tomorrow. I am appalled at the disgraceful service provided by the HMPO. I struggle to understand in this modern interconnected world that we live in now why the IPS and HMPO is not more interconnect and therefore helpful; and why it takes about 40 attempts to actually get through to someone who then tells you to 'hold the line please'!! The line operators are rude, and in general their whole service is appalling. My only advice would be go straight for the 0845 number who do seem to help.

Bec - I totally agree with you. Although in my circumstance we left it quite late to apply so totally our fault. But all the forums I've read whilst 'researching' this has left me pretty appalled at the state of the passport system. It's impossible to get information, the 0300 number is useless, they usually never phone when they say they will, why are there backlogs in one office and not others....and so on. In this day and age, it shouldn't be so difficult but it seems they are a victim of cutbacks which explains the sorry state it's in

Sorry you had to miss your trip, that sucks.

Hairbrush123 I have sent you a PM.

As lots of posts on here confirm, ur best bet is the 0845 numbers for the offices. This is the number they give to ppl when they write out for more info. All 0300 calls are answered by a call centre company called teleperformance and they can only give general advice or send an email to the relevant office asking for a callback

Anyone know if durham direct 0845 number is open on Saturdays?

I've got it. It arrived at 7am. To recap, mine was a child's first passport sent by check and send on 29th April, received by the pp office on 4th may. I initially chased on the 0300 number but they were useless. Once I found this thread I started ringing the Durham office direct. I phoned them 4 times in total starting 30th may. They were helpful but firm and were always consistent with their advice, which was that our application wouldn't be looked at and I would hear nothing from them until Wednesday 4th June. We travel on Saturday 7th June.
I got my mp involved and I would urge others to do this also. Good luck everyone.x

Glad you've got yours! Waiting for mine! Anytime within the next 4 hours ....

Projuly, I had to be in to sign for mine, are you the same?

Indie,
Yes open Sat (and Sun last week anyway)

Yes currently sat waiting Haha! Until 1pm today!

Minikiki. Good thats excellent, Thanks

Hi,

Can anyone help.. PLEASE. Travelling on the 16th June. Durham have all my documents but I cannot get through on the 0845 number. And 0330, although I can get through, don't seem to be able to help. I have requested call backs, nothing. I will do anything to get the passport; travel there, etc.... Please does anyone have any advice? thanks