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

Lottie - here are relevant dates

(1) Sent app via Check and Send 13/5
(2) Received by Passport Office 17/5
(3) We phoned 0300 number 31/5 and told we had to wait for them to have had it 3 weeks before they can even do anything re upgrade
(4) Phoned 0300 number 4/6 to be told to wait until Fri 6/6 to phone. They confirmed at this stage it was at Durham. We thought it would have gone to Glasgow give we're in Edinburgh
(5) Phoned the Durham 0845 no 4/6 and spoke to helpful guy who said he would request upgrade and to await a call back today 06/06
(6) Waited until lunch time today and then phoned again (despite being told to wait for them to phone!). DH spoke to a fantastic and friendly woman called Sandra who said it was being printed today and that it could be sent today by special delivery, or we could pick it up tomorrow. We opted to collect, I don't trust the mail service. She said the office opened at0845 but it's a case of sitting it out and waiting to get it. No appt or anything. She also said it would be mental!!
(7) we fly this Tues 10/6

I still won't fully relax till we have it mind.

Good luck everyone!

Thank you soon much to all the people who posted the direct number for Durham. 0845 6015175 if anyone needs it, it was an absolute life saver. After calling the 0300 number constantly for over a week & not receiving any useful info or any callbacks as promised(DO NOT USE THE 0300 NUMBER IT IS A WASTE OF TIME & ENERGY). call the Durham number but be prepared to wait on hold for up to an hour but well worth it as they can actually help you.

SENT CHECK & SEND 29th APRIL
RECEIVED BY THEM 2nd MAY
CALLED DURHAM 4th JUNE LATE AFTERNOON
DURHAM CALLED BACK MORNING OF 5th JUNE
PASSPORT COLLECTED LUNCHTIME 6th JUNE ( & no charge as they had had it over 3 weeks).
OUR FLIGHT IS EARLY ON 7th JUNE SO THEY DID CUT IT FINE.

Good luck to everyone still waiting, am hoping everyone's arrives or can be collected in time :-)))

It does state on the form that part of the process mayinvolve contacting the countersignatory
Please - I would urge peopple NOT to post their estimates at timescales becuase they may be misleading and give people false hope. Each application is very different

I know 0300 number are useless but will they at least be able to tell me whether or not passport has been issued and sent to print? I'm starting to panic a bit now. I had 3 travel dates in mind...24th, 26th or 29th June. 26th is now fully booked! The price of the other 2 dates have slightly increased aswell. I also have to come back on 27th July as I'm travelling with family members and it will make all our lives easier if we come back together so don't want that date to sell out either. Countersig letter should reach durham tomorrow. I'm then planning on calling 0300 number Monday evening and also tuesday evening. If they can't give me any info then ive got to call durham direct again. I keep thinking I should book to secure travel dates and then hope for the best with passport but I can't bear the thought of losing all that money I think I'd cry for months!

Hi can any one help sent of for two child's 1st passports on 07th may been phoning non stop for last week on the useless 0300 num been told a thousand different things phoned the 0845 num thanks to this post today and they were much more polite anyway , I requested an upgrade as we are supposed to be flying next fri they said someone should be in touch on Monday and that my children's apps still as of yet haven't been looked at am I likely to get the call back and am I likely to get my passports sick with worry very stressed out and 6 1/2 months pregnant stress is all I need but can't help but worry and I will be devastated to have to tell my 3 kids we won't now be going after a hard year saving

Monday sounds about right for a callback as they're currently working on upgrades with dates of travel 10th and 11th. Make sure you have your phone on you all the time. It will show as a private number. If it's over three weeks from date of receipt by HMPO then your upgrade will be free. You have options for delivery. You can travel to Durham and collect in person, or send someone else (if you do this then they will need a signed letter from whoever signed section 9 giving authority for a third party to collect) or standard delivery via DX (HMPO secure delivery partners) who will attempt delivery within 24 hours as it is an upgrade, or opt for royal mail special delivery.

I should have said that's presuming everything is in order. E.g. you''ve sent full birth certs for both kids (not the short ones), filled in parents details at section 4, and provided a suitable countersig. Depending on some factors they may need to get in touch with the countersig so I'd make sure they're available too .

Romyp1 your very similar to us we sent two first child passports 8th may n we fly next sat we have been told we will get a call Tuesday/Wednesday but I'm not hopeful and are now talking in terms of IF we go on holiday, applications were sent through check and send all correct documents were sent and the counter signer we have known for donkey's years but I can't help thinking something will go wrong £1700 down the toilet n three devastated children I just hope sum1s looking down on us n turns out okay I just need to know one way or another it's all I think about blooming passports I'm not sleeping thinking about it daren't even pack yet :(

Hi Lottie sounds same as us ours will be 1600 down drain I can't sleep either sick with worry and doesn't help being pregnant , we also need clothes but daren't buy anything else yet and we need our evisas but can't do them without passports we sent ours with full birth Certs and all correct details counter sig is a company director we've knew years I'm just praying we will be aloud a upgrade and some one will call us

It's a awful situation to make it worse my partner said we should fast track but I said we had plenty of time I couldn't of been more wrong they should have a upto date website with the waiting time for passports, iv told the children they may not be a holiday to my surprise they weren't so bad it's a shame tho as getting them the day before gives u no time for error fingers crossed we will be lucky xx

Don't know what else to do we are due to fly Monday on a Family Reunion and one of the passports that was sent for renewal hasn't returned.After 40 something phone calls agents sending emails and lots of abusive people at call centres I am no further afield.Finally I was told the number for Durham 08456015175 after repeatedly ringing and no answer I rang agent call centre again to be told that Saturdays Durham is open 9-8.30.so again tried number as still no call back I rang and automatise service says office is closed weekends.Doesnt anyone reply .HELP Please.

I know had to say same to my kids after the hell we've had for the last 5 years this hol is really needed we was going to do fast track but they advised us to do check and send as we had enough time it's a joke even when on hold it still says use check and send if you have 3 weeks or more it's disgusting hope we will be lucky

Hi guys, I have just sent my passport to be renewed by check and send, so I have been looking at this thread to try to find out the turnaround time other people have experienced. I spoke to someone at the local office on 3rd June, and he was really helpful, and told me that it is extremely busy there, but my passport should be back within 4 weeks if straightforward. I just wanted to say if you go to the "say no to 0870" website, there are some landline numbers listed if your mobile (the only phone I have), like mine, will not allow "08" numbers.

Frdann - you should be ashamed of yourself, admitting to abusing HMPO staff! They are not paid to take abuse from anyone. At tthe end of the day, YOU chose to book a holiday without a passport.... YOU chose to ignore the official advice in the notes for guidance ... YOU have brought this situation on yourself.

Actually, she said she had to deal with "lots of abusive people at call centres" meaning they were abusing her.

If that is the case, she seriously needs to make a complaint to Newport Customer Services. That cannot be tolerated

Straightforwards you seem to know an awful lot about the service and have alot of answers for everyone, do you work at one of the offices?........I am feeling very lucky, since my partners conversation with the most kindest lady that was a manager from Durham on Tuesday, all of a sudden out of the blue my OH has had his interview , and my two renewals arrived yesterday, so looks like we will all be going away together. My advice to anyone would be dont leave it keep ringing and ringing get MP involved email a complaint, dont let them forget you . I believe the workers at Durham are doing all they can to get things done but the 0300 advisors are the worst , they provide the worst misleading service iv ever encountered. A very frustrating experience that I do not wish to repeat again. Good luck everyone x

Oh fingers crossed Blondi!

I do believe they are trying where possible to get passports out. DH went to pick his up yesterday, said it was a bit chaotic to start with but he was done and dusted in about 1/2 hour.

The 0300 is useless all they do is talk off the top of their heads! Only information they seem to know is what office your application is at and the date is was received. Other than that they know nothing!! Last time I spoke to them I spoke to girl who sounded quite young and just ummed and ahhed and didn't seem to know what to tell me. Not their fault though I guess..they only have limited info. I think it's bad that it's an advice line and they don't really know what's going on themselves

On a call to the 0300 number the operator told me their system was not 'real time' and could be a day or two behind so she's saying it's awaiting examination but they could be looking at it!

I thought she was lying to get me off the phone. If she wasn't then what's the point of a system that's always days behind???

My mind is blown by the whole passport experience

I've not posted for a while, but thought I'd update anyone who remembers my earlier posts.
We were supposed to be flying last night on our (much needed) holiday. .but unfortunately we have lost all our money and instead of a week in the sun and having fun at the beach we are now taking ds to Blackpool. We are utterly devastated but have to keep positive for the sake of our son. Right up to Saturday morning we were still clinging on to some kind of hope..but after numerous phone calls in complete desperation we were told there was no way we would receive it for our holiday.
We offered to go to Belfast ourselves and pick it up but it hadn't gone to print yet by sat. Waited all day Friday for phone call from upgrade team, which we never got, by Friday night I had been sick with nerves and feeling like shit. (Never want to go thro that again). I was getting angry at this point as we had previously been told there was no hope, then Friday morning call from Belfast to say wait by the phone! We have been up and down like a roller coaster and its been nothing short of hell.
Anyway we have to take a bit of responsibility as we were cutting it fine with ds' s first pp application. However the whole system is a joke, the 0300 number is a waste of time. .on Thursday someone I spoke to couldn't even find me on the system! This thread has been invaluable to me..im just sad I don't have a happy ending to give hope to someone else!
We're off to Blackpool tomorrow! My ds has got all his fav toys in his little pull along case and is so excited about the prospect of a donkey ride! Can anyone tell meif they are on the beach just now? Thanks and good luck everyone!

Susyb30 :( really sorry to hear you missed holiday. I can't even imagine how that must feel. The whole passport process is a nightmare at the moment. I myself need to book holiday by thursday the latest as my aunty needs to make preparations for us and she needs me to confirm whats going on asap. If we have no luck by then were not going anywhere either and id be gutted. Wanted to go 29th the latest but all dates have sold out and now the best date i can get is 19th (11 days away!). I think we have all learned a valuable lesson here with regards to dealing with passport office. I really hope you guys have fun at Blackpool xx

So sorry to hear you've missed your holiday su.

I know about the guidance etc but it's still sickening that you are prepared to upgrade to a one week fast track they can't sort you out.

I bet the bloody thing drops through your letterbox on Monday.

So sorry susyb that is really sad, I had convinced myself that we would be going without my other half as his application was a first one and with still the interview process to arrange I held little hope, but things moved really fast for us and we now have 9 posting days to receive his passport so fingers crossed. This thread has been a god send to me just wish id found it earlier , but to all yous still waiting dont give up hope , and dont let them forget u keep ringing ringing make yourself heard. I did go to quite extreme lengths by emailing the chief executive Paul pugh with a complaint , went to my mp and also put in a request for a call back from a manager at Durham as we could not believe the different lies we were being told every day. The first time we contacted them we were told my OHs was ready for print which was total lies , then that it would be complete by 2nd June and not to panic another lie, that was 2 of many. So if you have a week or twos time on your side get emailing ringing etc ask to speak to a manager they are the best people to be able to action your requests. Good luck everyone x

So sorry Susyb, I hope you all have a great time in Blackpool regardless.