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

Keep trying, mine arrived when i rang every hour, sent forms via the direct gov site and pester, pester pestered, I got my daughters passport thursday, we flew out here Early saturday morning and this morning i got an email from IPS saying they were really very sorry but passport wouldnt be printed until tuesday next week and I must allow 4-5 working days to have it delivered and there was nothing they could do.
i couldnt beleive it!!!

I too am at my wits end with two passports stuck in Durham. They were sent through check and send on the 4th July and we are supposed to be travelling on the 3rd August ( this Friday). It's not looking very hopeful for us, I have sat on the phone since 8 this morning, just hitting redial.
How can I take two of my children and leave two behind? It's just not an option!

Still not got through to Durham either, the only thing i will say is that not only states on their website but i have experienced today when calling is that they are having system problems, somethimes when i call they cannot find my application at all other times they have, based on what Janeb204 has just said it seems to me the status of applications available to the IPS is not a true reflection of where it really is in the process, whether you look at that as a good thing or not I dont know...xx

well i have done as much as i can today and feel totally drained. I got through to Durham finally, the lady was as all have said very helpful, my sons passport renewal hasnt been checked yet, she has pulled it out and sent it through for checking but i cant pay for the upgrade until the checks are done. She said hopefully that will happen tomorrow or wednesday and i will get a call back when done so i can then pay for the upgrade service, we are meant to be travelling Sunday, all I can do now is keep everything crossed.
Ruthie - did you get your call back following checks?
x

Glad to hear people are getting call backs. In my case Tundiehegg they were true to their word. I was advised no need to upgrade and passport arrived two days later. Keep positive I'm rooting for you all.

Anyonne who hasn't sent theirs off yet may want to look at this thread

I didn't go to Durham! They rang a few hours later and told me it had been printed. Phoned the courier this morning and it'll be delivered tomorrow. phew!!!! Perhaps things are sorting themselves out.

I had a call back from Durham today, they advised that they are currently working on passport applications received on 13th July that are in the waiting to be examined queue(so that should include mine as mine was received on 13th July). I wanted to upgrade but apparently they cannot do that until the application has been examined. Mine is a renewal by the way so if they are true to their word it should be examined today but not convinced!!!

To give you hope, after I spoke to Durham yesterday she pulled my application out for approval but said I might not hear back till wednesday, they call me this mornign to say the check had been done and for a fee of £66 they have gaurenteed with royal mail service that it will be with me before 1pm Thursday.
As previously said the people at Durahm are fab once you can get through to them and pester pester is definately the way to go, have my fingers corssed for the rest of you. xxx

To give you more hope, just had confirmation that application has now been examined and is being passed for printing phew!!! Don't give up people with perseverance Durham will call you back albeit not within the 48 hour window and are very helpfull when they do if you explain situation. These poor guys are under immence pressure due to the cuts this government have made i.e. too many applications and not enough people!!!

Email your local MP! Somehow mine is now miraculously sorted!!

PLEAS PLEASE PLEASE does anyone out there have the tele number for Durham office, I know this may be a silly question but Im at my wits end !!! We travel next week and my daughters passport, that has been there since 04.07 is STILL not here. I have rang and rang and rang. My daughter is Autistic and really doesn't know whats going on and distraught. My husband has just gone to see the local MP now as I type !! after a phone call and them offering to help. I really am in a state of panic.

There is one mentioned in a blog, linked to the other passport thread. I don't think it would make sense - we'd get the thread pulled.
Let me have a look.....

I meant, wouldn't make sense to post it here. Sorry.

PM sent!

Thursday evening - like KazyLou mine turned up later this afternoon as promised. Took 3 weeks and 1 day (somebody else mentioned that stime scale) - so see a couple of others have come through as promised , to all of you who are distraught just keep trying until you do get a call back - get them to send yet another email request to Durham Passport Office for an "upgrade".

Poor them and poor us,

I can't make any sense of their ridiculous call centre. Staffed by idiots (either that, or totally untrained staff)- different message every time. You have to call back repeatedly.
We were convinced we would lose our holiday!
Willing to help anyone in the position we were in.

Thank you Bexkamaw for your help so far.. Its 48 hours this morning since we sent the first call back request.. and another sleepless night..hence my early message. We are also convinced we are going to lose our holiday! We all feel sick to the stomach, and it doesn't help that its friday and the weekend is ahead... praying we get a call this morning.

Rang Durham 9am sharp. Spoke to a wonderful woman who has agreed to pull the application at a fee. She did say that someone will ring me on monday or tusday (praying that happens)..so a shakey weekend of worry ahead !!. fingers crossed. Its thanks to great advise on here that Ive got this far!!

Giggsygail - if it reassures you, we had our callback within 24 hours and passport was sent same day - arriving less than 24 hrs later.
We are on holiday in UK at the moment with 5 kids (my 2, DH 2 and our 1) and MIL popped round to check it arrived. So relieved!!

Thats fantastic Beckamaw.. so glad you have yours, have a fantastic holiday and thanks for your help !

Passport hell! Discovered I had lost (goodness knows where but somewhere in house and have turned place upside down looking) passport and applied by check and send. Have rung main enquiry line numerous times but they won't do anything until day 10 which is Monday. I was suppossed to fly Monday :( anyway I can get another flight next Monday if I can get it back for then. I need to get through to the Liverpool office. Does anyone have a direct number for it? If I can get through to them I may have a chance (slim chance as its for a lost replacement) of getting it back in time. Anyone know the Liverpool office number?

Anyone?!

I have googled furiously and found 0151 471 6387.
I tried calling so I know it is an active phone number. Worth a shot?

OMG!
Just found this Polish(?) website. Lists direct phone numbers for all passport offices - I kid you not!!
www.anglia4u.pl/informacje/porady-uk/porady-uk/18-oszczednosci/73-alternatywne-numery-telefonow

Maybe this helps everyone without us getting in trouble!