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Original poster

Help - Does anyone work at the Passport Office at Durham

896 replies

janeb204 · 23/07/2012 22:30

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

OP posts:
livi2014 · 23/05/2014 11:53

Thank you I will give them a try. Emma when do you travel ?

ineedaholidaymummy · 23/05/2014 11:54

I'm not sure I can take yet another sleepless night. I just need that phone call to take payment of £181. Has anyone else heard anything today? On the upside, all this stress is great for the pre holiday diet!

Tiredemma · 23/05/2014 12:08

we travel on may 31st but early in the morning. Need teh passports for Friday really.

I dont think its going to happen to be honest now Sad- it doesnt sound like the birth Certificate is there and that is my own fault for not putting it in the application envelope.

idiot. I only have myself to blame.

cbrunton · 23/05/2014 12:15

I hadn't snacked since Wednesday due to the stress and worry. Got a feeling with the bank holiday weekend that may end :-)

tiredemma - have faith and keep calling/speak to mp. On Tuesday I had no hope.

Tiredemma · 23/05/2014 12:21

I am really reluctant to involve the MP. A ridiculous part of me thinks that if I do then ill just piss the passport office off and they wont approve the application- I should have put in birth certificate but didnt.

Tiredemma · 23/05/2014 12:27

cbrunton- you say earlier up the thread that yours was 'lacking information'- what else did they need?

ineedaholidaymummy · 23/05/2014 13:24

I just missed a call from the examiner, I was blooming driving! She is on her lunch break then will call me back.... talk about an anxious wait!

ineedaholidaymummy · 23/05/2014 13:31

Get your MP involved tiredemma, they have a direct line through to the passport office and apparently it happens all the time so it won't p*as them off. Good luck!

livi2014 · 23/05/2014 13:33

It's not looking good for us, got through to the Duram office after 40 mins hold to be told that are application is no where near close to being examined. Asked for fast track so need to wait until next Tuesday to hear about that :( lost all hope now. Good luck to the rest of u x

cbrunton · 23/05/2014 13:50

They didn't say but when my MP's office manager found out that it was missing information she contacted the MP and he called the Passport office direct asking for it to be processed ASAP. So it's anything but going to annoy them. I kept pestering and pestering, and my MP's office did also.

ineedaholidaymummy · 23/05/2014 14:16

Our passports are off to be printed this afternoon and will be ready for collection tomorrow. The charge for guaranteed delivery is an extra £13 each which makes it expensive for me needing three so we chose to pick up. I have to say that once I spoke to Durham, particularly the examiner, they have bent over backwards to help us out and I couldn't praise them any more. Just a shame about the unhelpful helpline!

Please don't give up hope yet I'd you're still waiting, they do seem to be doing all they can to get people off on their holidays on time.

Tiredemma · 23/05/2014 14:27

Thats great news ineedaholiday- you are going on wednesday? We need ours for friday so I could get a call sunday or monday then???FINGERS CROSSED.

Still worried about the birth certificate though

ineedaholidaymummy · 23/05/2014 14:41

We travel Wednesday morning so I needed them for Tuesday, but hopefully it won't be long. I have fingers, toes, arms and legs crossed for everyone. Its a horrible situation to be in, but it will be resolved soon xx

cbrunton · 23/05/2014 14:45

Fingers crossed tiredemma. We are going to Thailand and just found out that there is a curfew from 10pm-5am Angry

Tchavda · 23/05/2014 15:42

Ineedaholidaymummy how did you get through to an examiner?? We travel on Wednesday morning too the upgrade team still haven't called me back!!

dazcheff · 23/05/2014 17:20

I also travel on Wednesday and not had a call yet really worried now especially with the bank holiday

Catman123 · 23/05/2014 19:44

Same here really worrying now we travel next Monday and ain't had how baby 1st passport they had it 3 weeks now going to phone how mp if we can't get any were by next Tuesday

dazcheff · 23/05/2014 19:48

Passportwomen
Works for the passport office take a look at what she has written

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_advice_tips/2043055-Passport-Processing-Time?pg=5

Dryer42 · 23/05/2014 20:53

I fly on Sunday and got my call today! Picking up in morning. If you are on the upgrade list I'm sure you will get the call but not more than 48hrs before travel! It's getting on the list that seems to be the problem! My Mp's influence over a week ago is the only thing that got me there I am sure! After that it's just hold, hold, hold and beg, beg, beg!! I really feel for everybody here and have my fingers xd for you all. It's been the longest 2 weeks of my life and I really do need this holiday for certain now! Something needs to be done about why soo many people get stuck in the system?

ineedaholidaymummy · 23/05/2014 21:37

I rang 0845 on Wednesday and arranged the upgrade, and to be honest I wasn't expecting the call back so soon and missed it. The examiner Rebecca left her direct number on my voicemail. My MP was involved though, he arranged the upgrade late on Tuesday and I rang to confirm on Wednesday morning.

Might see you at Durham PO tomorrow Dryer42 ??

Tiredemma · 24/05/2014 07:02

I didnt sleep again last night (or I did, until about 2.30am when I woke up thirsty)- then I couldnt get back to sleep as I just lay there thinking about these bloody passports.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 24/05/2014 08:34

Don't normally follow Daily Mail links but what a load of spin from the passport office!

Part of the volume increase will be people reading that there is an issue and so submitting their passports for renewed ever earlier. It becomes quite self perpetuating.

kerry0 · 24/05/2014 09:16

Hi everyone I am honestly so happy I have came across this thread I too have had so many issues with the 0300 number so glad its not just me! Well I sent my 4 year olds application away 7 weeks ago! Phoned constantly was just told in examination then they hit me witb a bombshell on thurs tht they are still waiting on more information from countersignature, couldnt believe I wasnt told before then, I have phoned durham passport office but says closed does this mean I cant speak to them until tue? I go on holiday 2 weeks today and thought I had sent away in plenty of time but obviously not :(

livi2014 · 24/05/2014 09:40

I go away 2 weeks today too Kerry. The lady i spoke to at Durham yesterday said she will take my form out and put me in the que of fast track applications an there is still no guarantee that I will get it. Iv contacted the local MP and he seems willing to help. Try that x