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

And the frustrating part it's an overseas application. Don't knw who to call and talk to

Straightforwarda - clearly you work for or are very closely affiliated in some way to HMPO, so I understand your frustrations in reading this thread, but surely you must understand the frustrations encountered by folks trying to make sense of the passport system.

Regardless if applications were made in good time, or late, it is very difficult to get consistent and reliable info from staff at the HMPO. Hence why people phone the offices direct, resort to threads such as this and as a last resort, rope in their MPs.

What I'd like to know is why does the system seemingly not work in 'real time'? The application has a bar code and I would have imagined that the HMPO system would be high tech enough so that any relevant employee could give an accurate and exact status of an application at any time. We were lucky that my DHs passport was completed quickly (after phoning Durham direct) and we picked it up on Sat. Yet my DH got a text today to say it "was being printed and should arrive in the next few working days'". How can that be? Surely the system should recognise that the passport has already been printed and already issued? Between our experience and reading of others on various threads, it smacks of a system that seriously can't cope as soon as it gets remotely busy.

I know there have been cutbacks and under funding but it's really quite worrying.

get real Owl .... you SERIOUSLY dont think MPs would be better investing their time if more important issues?! Really??

Do you really think their only job is to do Big Stuff?
Do you really think, as a local MP, they should have nothing to do with the problems local people are having with a poorly run, badly staffed government office?
Do you really think they don't have staff to deal with the "every day" easy parts of their jobs?
Do you really get a kick out of making unhelpful, spiteful comments?
Really??

There is something very badly wrong with the system. Some applications arching back within the specified three week timeframe with absolutely no hassle or intervention but some are taking months. The passport office needs a huge shake up.

Thanks for advice. It's 3 weeks today since they received it but 4 weeks since I sent it. I entirely accept my own role in this. I will start calling Durham today.
Whilst I accept your points straightforwarda, my hol is no more important than anyone else's, it is currently very important to me and the only one I have the power to do anything about. Believe you me if I could sit in hmpo and help a few others get theirs, I would.
I don't believe it's an mp's job to get my passport but at the same time, by contacting mp's, the weight of the problem is understood and the collective voice may be heard?
I feel for anyone working in HMPO, it must be frustrating but we live in a world where worst case scenarios are generally given to avoid litigation, most of us assume the guideline is the real picture. If we continually reacted to worst case scenario terms and conditions, nobody would ever do anything.
The fault here lies with the system primarily and us stupidly over optimistic people! I do hope it improves for he sake of the holiday makers and for those who are having to work under such pressure.

Well said owl.....and straight what amazing knowledge you seem to have about the whole system, what I wanna know is why the Fek have they not got You running the show huh. You seem to know all the answers on why we are getting such a poor service....and if u do work at one of the offices then maybe you should concentrate on providing a good service instead of debating on here.:-)

straightforward must be one the annoying unhelpful people from the helpline!

Furthermore if I believed every worst case scenario, I would never again take a pill for the fear of one of the side effects getting me..like death!
We all make risk assessments daily based on all sorts of factors including previous experience and under normal circumstances,allowing 5 weeks would have been ok. I admit it, I was wrong. My fault.My assessment was flawed largely because the system appears to have collapsed under pressure and that bit isn't my fault.

Just an update to give others some hope:

Child renewal sent 17 May to Durham
Received per HMPO 20 May
Progress checked 6 June - not even looked at
Progress checked 10 June - been printed 9 June and ready for delivery
Expect to receive tomorrow.
I did get my MP on board after seeing the bad press lately and had started to panic. But looks like things move quickly once started.

I'm going to try and chill out now it's on it's way. Good luck to those still waiting.

can someone please send a pm with the Durham passport office number please please

Durham direct number is 0845 6015175 make sure you ring at 8am sharp - never waited longer than 20 minutes to get through and ignore message about needing barcode number or having a letter. Good luck

I posted on here a while back - just returned from hols we got our 2 days before!!!
I got different advice every single time we called. I was very shocked when I called 2 days before the holiday to be told - yes madam its out for delivery today (having been told the day before it was still processing).
It was 5 1/2 weeks from application to reciept for a childs renewal.

Just to be clear on the timelines for passports:

A renewal will take a minimum of 3 weeks but can be more.
An adult passport renewal can be renewed via an emergency 2 week or same day appointment
A child passport CANNOT be renewed via a same day appointment. You can apply for a 2 week but it may be rejected due to child protection purposes.
A new adult or child passport will take a minimum of 8 weeks but can be more.
If you are travelling sooner than this do not risk it - pay for whichever emergency appointment you can get. It simply isnt worth the stress and worry before your hols.

Also the 0845 is an advice line only - they can only tell you the following status - received, processing or printed. They can request an update but they do not have direct access to further information. (we never received any response to the upgrade request or any further information requests that they asked Peterborough for).

Straight I appreciate you work your ass off as does the rest of us....and wow knob!!! Just a typical example of the people that HMPO employs, keep up the good work your doing her majesty proud.Lmao

Just a reminder that these wonderful MPs who are bullying HMPO are the fantasic people YOU voted into power promising the spending cuts YOU wanted.... the people responsible for office closures and redundancies resulting in the poor service you are receiving

Not necessarily. Not all MPs belong to the parties in charge of the budget.

And it's hardly bullying is it? Perhaps if HMPO were more helpful and upfront people would be happier.

I work my ass off for ungrateful arseholes

And that is the attitude that makes people have to contact their MP in order to get a half decent service. I'm not surprised.

Straightforwarda

Yes, your comments are spiteful. Would you post what amounts to "serves you right" on any other thread where people are asking for help and support?

Update!
My MP left a voice message saying that my passport went into examination today and should be printed by tomorrow or Friday and get here before Monday! Really hope he's right!

HAPPY got a call this morning my passports were printed today and will be with me by 9am thank you

Owl.... if people were blaming others for their own stupidly, I absolutely would, yes!

blondi love ... get your grammar sorted. Makes you look really... erm, blonde lMao!

was told yesterday that passport had been issued
got a text today around midday saying it was being printed
came home from work and it was here! they told me it would come on Wednesday so really shocked its here already. finally I can breathe!

Sherbet where are you getting those time scales from as they are totally different to the passport website? A child's first passport is 3 weeks according to their site? Adults is 6 weeks? Plus emergency appointments (fast track) for child new, adult and child renewal are one week not two?!

Also my friend rang five weeks prior to our holiday to book fast track appointments for her 2 kids first passports to be told she wasn't allowed as they are strictly for emergencies only not for people we five weeks to go!

Ah sorry just re read your post - i figure you've given timescales based on peoples actual experiences on here

I'm happy to hear that Lottie! Hopefully my passport will be here shortly!

i about cried when they rang me this morning I spoke to a lovely man early this morning who said he would get my applications and see what he could do he then rang me just after 9am saying they were printed and be with me in 24 hours im so grateful to those who helped me and cat wait until 15th so we can get on that plane