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Original poster

Passport Processing Time

999 replies

bex12345 · 02/04/2014 13:04

Anyone have any idea on processing time of First Passports at the moment? We sent our daughters application via check and send almost 2 weeks ago and no idea on when to expect it back. Hopefully someone can shed some light?!

OP posts:
dogrilla · 04/04/2014 07:06

Same happened here. Waited for callbacks and nothing happened, and each person told us something different but that it was in the hands of the Durham office. Turns out the secret nuclear number is 0845 601 5175 - though you still have to phone a few times to speak to someone who actually gives a shit. My DD's passport finally arrived yesterday morning via express courier so we don't have to cancel our holiday after all - woohoo! It was a first passport sent via check and send, but took four weeks and cost us £75 more than it should have. We still haven't recieved the application rejection letter and docs, so bloody lucky we phoned. Passport office is an absolute shambles.

chan20 · 05/04/2014 04:35

Do any one haveing problem getting passport from duram need help how to it back try 0300 number no reply after 48 hr made a complaint no reply need it bk lby monday can't believe how selfish duram customer services is not a care in they body they know ive been trying all week .
I can't sleep or eat sick with worrie all I want to do is upgrade it or drive dowm and pick it up they not given me a choice pls any help be greatfull

ilovepowerhoop · 05/04/2014 08:51

try the numbers given on this thread for Durham e.g. 0191 3707141, 0845 601 5175

Italy123 · 09/04/2014 19:43

I would recommend anybody waiting for their or child's passport to contact MP straightaway. After waiting 10weeks for my daughter's 1st passport & getting stonewalled by the Durham passport office who said it was still in the queue to be processed I emailed the Home Secretary & my MP & miraculously the passport was being printed the next day. Now just have to wait for delivery which is yet another ongoing saga!! Definitely don't bother with the call centre just ring durham direct on 0191 3707289 or 0191 3707141

carysjones · 10/04/2014 00:19

I DESPERATELY need the Belfast Passport Office direct line. All I can see on these threads are for Durham.

It has been with them a month via the post office check and send. Nobody has called me back after 48 hours. Nobody in the office is replying to my e-mails. I do not have a way of contacting them directly, which is what I desperately need. I have e-mailed the MP today, home office, etc - everyone I can think of to speed up the process, my passport is 'currently being sent to print'.

Please help?? I need it returned by this Saturday!

Italy123 · 10/04/2014 14:31

Hi this website has direct nos for all passport offices www.anglia4u.pl/informacje/porady-uk/porady-uk/18-oszczednosci/73-alternatywne-numery-telefonow belfast is 0870 125 1256 or 028 9041 2660. Hth

Dylan26910 · 28/04/2014 14:55

We are also struggling with a passport application- have contacted our local MP but they are awaiting a reply - we have been placed on 48 hr call back 3 times but no call has been received. We fly out on 8th May and are starting to think we may not be going. Such a stressful situation . So far we have spoken over 30 times tithe call centre who simply say it's in Peterborough awaiting examination - they started processing on 11th April :-/

Davidog4 · 04/05/2014 10:05

Thanks for the link to office no. Italy 123. I am waiting for a passport renewal from an overseas application ( I'm in NZ) the Liverpool office received it recorded delivery 21st of March. It's been 6 weeks now and has been in examination for 5 of those weeks ( it took them a week to open it). I haven't booked flights home yet ( was hoping to fly end of May but that's not going to happen). So frustrated by call centre, they have been putting me off. Goodness knows what my telephone bill is going to be!!! Will phone Liverpool office direct Tuesday, maybe they can help.

hedgehogy · 04/05/2014 10:14

My DD's first passport has just taken around 4 weeks. We were going to call them as they'd taken the money almost straight away but then it unexpectedly turned up on a Sunday (by courier)!

emilyk1208 · 13/05/2014 18:21

Please help! I know this thread is a little old but im having a nightmare with my 15 month old son s 1st passport.we are due to travel on tuesday to a wedding in Cyprus and 0300 number keep saying call back but nothing. Apparently application is currently in glasgow! Don't suppose anyone has number for Glasgow? I tried the 0845 number in above post but they are closed so will have to wait for 9 am tomorrow!
Thanks in advance. I really don't think im gona be able to sort this by Tuesday next week!!

emilyk1208 · 13/05/2014 19:10

Please help! I know this thread is a little old but im having a nightmare with my 15 month old son s 1st passport.we are due to travel on tuesday to a wedding in Cyprus and 0300 number keep saying call back but nothing. Apparently application is currently in glasgow! Don't suppose anyone has number for Glasgow? I tried the 0845 number in above post but they are closed so will have to wait for 9 am tomorrow!
Thanks in advance. I really don't think im gona be able to sort this by Tuesday next week!!

northernpapa · 13/05/2014 21:23

How long have you been waiting Emily?

nicnaccydo · 14/05/2014 20:32

I'm in the same situation as you.. but I fly to New York on Wednesday..

Whats happened?? I hope you have some good news

nicnaccydo · 14/05/2014 20:49

Hi,

Help please??

Is this actually the direct Number to Bloody unhelpful Durham Passport Office - 0845 601 5175 ?
Hope so..( I will call first thing tomoz at 9am)
One week to go and I've had no help.. I've been ringing these f*@!s (mind my Language) for one week.. FINALLY Got a 48 hr Call back and they were useless.. said they would call back within 24 hrs, which was toady! and nothing..

This is soooooo stressful.. As you all know :-/

Thanks x

northernpapa · 14/05/2014 20:57

Get your MP involved. Seems to be the only way of getting anything actually done...

nicnaccydo · 14/05/2014 22:14

I've Emailed my Local MP.. Hope this works..
Going to my local Passport office on Friday....
AND I'm gonna try that 0845 No tomorrow morning 9am on the dot..

Wish me luck..

sapperjig · 15/05/2014 06:42

Nicnaccydo - start calling at 0855. Good luck.

I am still waiting. Managed to get upgrade to premium but they never took the security code for the debit card. They range back yesterday evening but the delivery scheduled for before 0900 today has now shifted to 0900 Friday so I am still in panic mode

magentastardust · 15/05/2014 09:48

Emily hope you get sorted. We have just received my DS renewal back (Glasgow) took about 3 weeks.

We don't ever use check and send as they missed an error on one of our passports before so for us it was an extra spend for no reason. They are definitely taking longer though we are normally around 10 days this is the first time we have ever been just over 3 weeks.

Have you had texts from them and have they taken your payment? Ours arrived about 2-3 days after payment taken.

Kitkat1912 · 15/05/2014 21:21

I'm getting nervous reading this. Family have sprung a surprise holiday on us for 17th June, as I've been very poorly the last few yrs with Crohn's disease. However they didn't know my OH needs his first adult passport. We have had a nightmare trying to get it even sent off. First we got told wrong birth certificate so had to travel to his hometown to buy a duplicate. Then we were told the photos were unsuitable due to the background colour looking more bluish than light grey. Two more passport approved booths later and they were all printing blue aswel. So getting more tomorrow and finally getting it sent off... But I'm aware it's at least a six week wait for first adult as you can't fast track it and we are now just under 5 weeks til we fly! Is there anything we can do to speed it up and has anyone else experienced receiving their first adult passport within four weeks with interview? He was on his parents passports if that's any help?

ejhugs · 15/05/2014 22:12

anyone got the 0845 number for liverpool office pretty please? getting really worried now we wont be able to fly as dd2s first passport stuck there. stuuupid 0300 says liverpool have no direct lines... clearly rubbish! help!!

Dannid25 · 15/05/2014 23:22

Please give any thoughts... Due to fly on 20th May.

Sent child's 1st passport off via check and send on 16th April 14. Monday 12th May, rang 0300 muppets who said it was sent to Durham for printing on 26th April so should be back soon but put us on 48hr callback. Rang 2 days later but couldn't help as it was 15 minutes earlier than the 48hr timescale! Seriously?
Rang back later and they escalated it for a callback again. Received the call back today who advised that it was sent to Durham on 26th but hasn't been looked at yet! Expecting a call tomorrow to see if it can be upgraded. Done the contacting MP advice who are also on the case and we have kept up with phone calls direct to Durham and emails to insist its urgency.

What do you think our chances are?

sapperjig · 16/05/2014 06:23

@ejhugs - I will pm you and post up liverpool
Numbers when I get to work so you can get onto them

@dannid25 get onto Durham asap and be polite but make sure your tell them you are travelling very soon (i.e if its 30 May tell them its the 28th). Tell them the 0300 team told you you would get callbacks but its not happened so they gave you the 0845 number (ignore the bit on the 0845 lime when it says only call it if you have been sent a letter). Ask if you can upgrade to premium as you are really panicking.

Some issues that have faced us since we did that are

  1. The case was being dealt with by the evening team so we had to wait for 1830 for a further call back
  2. Despite using Royal Mail check and send the PO said there was an issue with the photo. With some pleading luckily they let this go
  3. Despite giving the PO numbers we could be contacted on they rang the mobile which cant be taken into my workplace
  4. They took payment details for premium upgrade but wrote the security no wrong so this has added another 24 hrs on
  5. Since this has been done i have had an email telling me its in Liverpool and did not arrive until 23rd April - a week after we had paid RM for check and send with special delivery 6)Somebody from the 0300 team rang asking what they could do to help. Explained all of above and they replied ok it will be delivered sometime between 0600-1800. We have paid for before 0900 premium :(
  6. The tracking code we were given is not showing on the RM website yet :(
  7. I am nervously waiting for it to turn up in next 2.5 hrs!!!

Good luck folks. If your reading this and about to start out go premium. If you have one in process call and go premium. I know some have success stories without the extra cost but I would have done that from the out to save the extra cost

sapperjig · 16/05/2014 06:44

Liverpool number

0845 6012058

Good luck !

Lynslola · 16/05/2014 10:16

Some one just rang me from Liverpool office to see if I still wanted it fast tracked. (Erm yes or I wouldn't be asking)
I have now got to wait for a examiner to ring back, asked how long,
said are dealing in date of travel so prob mon or tues. I travel early23rd so need it for 22nd.
Feel like a prisoner in the house waiting for a phone call that I don't dare miss.
Have emailed mp but haven't heard anything back from them.
This is def a lesson learnt.

Nicolaplustwo · 16/05/2014 14:20

There is another thread about this issue also with the number for Durham on there. The one above isn't the current number. If you turn up unannounced they don't let you in the building. I've got my MP involved in my application and it did lead to a call back. They do upgrade your application if you pay but work to your travel date so it could literally be that you don't receive it until the date you travel. I know because I'm in the same nightmare!