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

At least the other kiddies will get to see their grandad it's just a shame as he has never met baby..i'm praying for the phone call.o

At last its finally my turn to say THEY'RE HERE! I can't believe it after such a long wait. They came about an hour ago. I was chatting to the courier and said "I bet you meet a lot of happy people. And some disappointed ones too". He told me that he's only had one person who missed their holiday and they admitted they only sent the application off with 3 weeks to go. I have to agree with everyone else who has recommended involving your MP.

aoibheanny, firstly if your passport was being examined yesterday it could well be posted out today or tomorrow. It seems like it only takes a day to finish examining it. I got my document to them on Wednesday morning about 9am, got my call from the examiner at 1pm and they were sent to print that afternoon. I assume because it was so late in the day that they weren't dispatched until yesterday but then arrived with me this lunchtime. I think that if I were you I would contact my MP again and remind them of your travel date. Explain how desperate you are, thats it causing you serious distress. You can also try to keep calling the direct number for whichever office yours is at and reminding them of how soon you travel. Or you can call the 0300 number and ask to be put through to the progress department. Some of the operators seem not to want to do that and will try to take your details and call through themselves while you wait on hold. I would keep trying until you get someone who will just put you straight through. You can explain to them (the progress department) when you're travelling etc. Their system is much more up to date - when I called 0300 yesterday (asking to be put through to progress to get a tracking number for the courier) I was told they hadn't even finished examining them - which was clearly rubbish because they were already dispatched by then.

Just don't give up. Its not over until Monday evening as it could still turn up so keep calling. If you're able to go to the office to collect it yourself that would be worth offering to them - I know that other people have been able to do that.

Hope you get some good news soon and good luck to everyone still waiting. I hope you're all in my position soon.

Or as wasuup has suggested try emailing Paul Pugh directly. It didn't work for me but I didn't have a travel date so maybe that was why. His email is [email protected] I have heard people saying that they emailed this address explaining how soon they were traveling etc and passports magically arrived the next day. Make sure you put on passport reference number, applicant name and DOB, parent's full name (parent who signed application), address and phone number if you want a callback from them.

Still no phone call.Emailed mp im apparently on the list..Im house bound..I am so stressed I feel Ill.When do u travel suddenly six?

Does anybody know what is the latest they may phone as my son has football training at 6:15.

I still haven't booked anything! I've spent another 4 hours looking this afternoon - on top of the weeks and weeks of searching. I feel so much pressure to book something now I've finally got the passports here! I don't want to book somewhere rubbish after all this stress to get them.

What do they mean you're on the list though? On their list of people to help or have they spoken to Peterborough for you? I know I can't guarantee anything obviously but if you've told everyone your travel date I'd be surprised if they don't rush it through for you. You could phone the helpline in the morning and ask for to be put through to the progress team to see where it is? Could well get it finished and out to a courier.

My Mp said i am on the call back lst which i never got today.Rang the 033 number and asked to be transfered to progress team but they were busy.I have even emailed paul pugh dont know what good that will do im just desperat.

One of our passports sat in Durham for weeks, Dh had to pay extra for it to be rushed through in Peterborough then drive and get it hours before our flight.

We were making plans to leave a child with relatives so Dh and a dc could get back to work and school next week!

It's all absolutely unbelievable.

Up date-Had a call last night at 9pm from a lady at hmpo to confirm my flight details and i picked babys passport up today.so happy.a message to anyone else who i struggling to get passport is to get their mpr involved mine was fantastic.If it wasnt for her i would never of got mine in time.Thank u to everyone on here for the amazing support. Xx

Wow so pleased for you. Been hoping to see you post a message saying you'd got sorted. Now you can start get excited for your trip. You'll need it to get over all this stress!

Just wanted to reiterate what lots of people have said, if you're having problems get your MP involved. After passport office lost my declaration and supporting documentation and being pushed from pillar to post for 3 weeks I contacted my MP on Friday 1st Aug. got a phone call that afternoon from a lady who said she had my declaration and documents and my passport was being processed. Saturday 9th my passport arrived. Contact your MP if you can it certainly worked for me.

Hi everyone! I sent my passport renewal form off to Durham on 28th July which they received on the 29th July. It was logged on the 30th July. My application has still not been looked at, I was wondering how long it will take? Is there still a backlog? & has anyone else sent an application in July and received their new passport? Thanks in advance.

I would say you're likely to get a renew back much quicker than a first. My daughters renewal came back in 2 weeks 1 day (from Peterborough). My step childrens firsts weren't looked at for 5 weeks and only fast tracked because of MPs involvement. Sent all mine in end of June. It's frustrating when they take so long to even look at them. Hopefully yours will be looked at soon and if it's all straightforward, no errors on form etc it can be with you within a couple days of starting examination. Sent in the additional document they required on the Tuesday, got them back on the Friday.

Hmm, I'm hoping mine comes quick. It has been 2 weeks and not been looked at, but they have taken the payment.

Yeah they took payments from all my applications within a couple of days. I was hoping that was a good sign but honestly I think they just take the money as soon as they get them. Someone opens the envelopes and puts the cheques/card details in a big pile to be processed no doubt. If you feel you're getting short on time contact your MP but I don't think they'll act on it until they've had your application at least 3 weeks. Once they do take your case on though it does seem to move very quickly.

Ah okay. I guess it's a waiting game then. Thanks for your response.

suddenlysix.... would you rather your bank details sat around in the office for weeks and weeks?! That security risk wouldnt bother you? oh... and just a thought ... but criminals and potential terrorists have MPs too .... would you be ok with their appilications being rushed through?!

Urgh you again. You've bored me with many a post on these threads. In fact I believe you've had at least two comments removed haven't you? What risk is there with my bank details being with a government agency for weeks (the weeks and weeks it takes to process these applications)? They need to take the money and destroy the details before unscrupulous members of staff use it to defraud me? But if it's done within 2 days there's no risk to my bank balance. My point (if you bothered to read my posts without looking for things to moan about - your only purpose in visiting these threads) wasn't that they take the money straight away, it was that the passports still aren't processed 7 weeks later! Any harm in leaving the letter sealed until it's ready to be looked at? And yes terrorists and criminals do indeed have MPs but I'm pretty sure my 3 pre teen step children are neither of those types of people. We're just a family wanting to go on holiday this summer and thank god for my mp because without him I'd still be sat here distressed after 9 weeks, not looking forward to 2 weeks in the sun. Take a holiday yourself - it might cheer you up.

I have had one hell of a drama, I noticed on Sunday the 7th September that my youngest sons passport ran out in July. My entire family are travelling to Malaga on Thursday 11th for my eldest sons wedding and so I have been absolutely dying the last 4 days of fear that I wouldn't be able to bring my 15 year old son along with me (yes he is unfortunately 2 months away from turning 16 or this would have been a whole lot easier). I was so scared and fearful and how disappointed my family would be that I wasn't more mindful. I have now received news that the passport has been printed and I have to go from London to Liverpool tomorrow to collect.

I have been a rare success and managed to get a new passport for my 15 year old son in just 3 days... I will tell below how I did this.

I am based in London, I called the passport advice line on Sunday evening trying to get an appointment at Victoria and unfortunately there was nothing for 2 days. I was advised the Liverpool office were a bit more lenient and less busy and I managed to get an appointment first thing on Monday morning at 9am. I went up to Liverpool and the colleagues were extremely helpful and said they would try they're hardest to help me. I did also pay extra on top of the £87 fee and ended up paying £105 to upgrade my sons application. (So even though they say they dont allow it, it seems there are some systems in place). I left the office and was promised a call.

I waited two days till I started to panick the night before we travel which is tonight! I rang and rang and every different officer on their pathetic adviceline told me something else. The system is useless and I find every 'advisor' has no idea what theyre talking about. I gave up and came onto mums net which supplied me with a rang of numbers. Unfortunately I can't remember which one but I got through to the Durham office which I then begged to give me the direct number for the Liverpool office- This number was: 03001231973, The advisor on the phone at the Liverpool office was yet again useless so I put down the phone. BUT almost 30 seconds later I got a call on my house phone saying the passport has been printed! I could have died i felt I could pass out.

I am travelling up to Liverpool at 5.30am again this morning to pick up his brand new passport and I have a flight at 20:15pm. Thank god it has been a success I am elated. My advice: Keep nagging and do ANYTHING you possibly can if you find yourself in the same predicament.

Sophia

you must phone ,,,,,and and if you get a answer try to get on fast track it my help.....good luck

We got one for DD in three days - didn't have the requisite 6 months left. Appt on Tuesday, arrived Friday. Loads of appts at the moment, we had our pick.