Passport Processing Time

[bex12345]

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?!

Jhutchings have you been ringing the 0300 number or direct number to passport office?

Jhutchings, phone your MP and tell them or tweet them. My MP didn't reply to my email at first but when I tweeted her - she immediately replied and replied to me on the email. If you're phoning the 0300 number, try the Liverpool direct passport office number. People who answer your call on the 0300 number can only give you very vague infomation which may not be consistent/accurate.

Try these numbers if you haven't already:
0872 437 6305
0871 703 7253

I am not sure if they work but do give them a try! Be prepared to wait but they do help much more than 0300!

Jhutchings, best wishes to you for sorting the nightmare out.
I emailed the Passport office yesterday and have (very surprisingly) received an email back saying my passport application has been received. The email also says: Correctly completed applications are generally being processed within the timescales of the service you have applied for:

If you posted your application the current processing time is approximately 4 weeks, allowing for postage. Please note this is not a guaranteed service time. Please note that if you are aged 16 or over and are applying for your first passport you will be required to attend an interview as part of the application process. We recommend that you allow 6 weeks for your application to be processed.

Hairbrush

I got text tuesday midday to say passport was printed. To my surprise it then showed up a couple hours later

Finally had the phone-call!!

Got to pick mine up from Liverpool tomorrow... So a nice 4 hour drive from South Wales!!
Gladly do that to get it in time though!!

£60 to upgrade too!!

Jhutchings18, great news! When did your application get passed onto the priority team? Mine did this morning, but I haven't received a call back from them yet.

Jhutching and stefsof when do u travel? I have been told mine has still not been examined and I am awaiting call from the upgrade team but I have been promised that for the last 2 weeks :( don't travel til 27th tho

Becksmay, I travel on Tuesday 17th. I think jhutchings travels on Sunday 15th. This morning they were processing passports of people due to fly on Sunday (or so I was told on the phone).

The Sunday is what worries me - nothing I can do on a Sunday! Might have to get a 5.5/6 hour train up to Liverpool with the little one (2 yrs) on Saturday (her birthday weekend!)

I took my daughter's passport renewal in today to the PO and used the check and send service. We go away in about 9 weeks and she and a colleague thought that it should be fine, maybe slightly longer than 3 weeks but they didn't think our holiday would be in danger.

I travel on Sunday... IN THREE DAYS TIME!!

This has genuinely been one of the most stressful weeks of my life!
Spent hours per day on hold and waiting in the house in case they call!

We asked for it to be upgraded last week, possibly around the 5th or 6th!we were told we would have a callback within 24 hours, but today(7 to 9 days later) is the first call I've received from them!

They're working on a date by date basis, so if you're travelling on 27th, they may not print yours until 23rd/24th... That's how close they seem to leave some!!

Jhutching stefsof well glad u r both getting them and no doubt my stress levels will get as high as yours within the next 10 days or so then!! Yes for me it will be a 4 hour car journey with my 11 month old to collect it too!! What a nightmare. I think the majority of people get them in time so hanging on to that thought really!!

Jhutchings, at least you can sort of relax knowing that your passport is waiting for you! Not the other way around!

Yeah... Huge relief!

Won't celebrate yet until I have it in my hands though!

Just got home and my passport still hasn't arrived! Sigh! And good jhutchings. I'm not going to either until it's here!

Jhutchings18 & stefsof - where are your applications being processed? Sounds like durham as when I speak to them, they said they are working on the basis of people travelling within 72 hours. Was hoping with all the extra resources, they would be clearing the backlog!!!

Hairbrush123 - hang in there. Sure the passports are coming soon! At least you have a few days to travel.

How do you know which passport office is dealing with you?

Beaverbill - I managed to get that info from the 0300 number. Other than that, that number wasn't much help.

Hecticmummy the staff on the 0300 are a complete waste of time take everything they say with a pinch of salt. They should be be able to tell you what office is dealing with your application.

Thanks Hectic and Irish, I'll psyche myself up to ring them. Do you know anything about changing to fast track for a child's first passport? Do you need to get burth certificates returned before you can apply to fast track or can the office just deal with it? This is such a stressful minefield!

*birth!

Thanks hecticmummy. Need them to be here a week tomorrow at the latest. I hope yours will be here soon! Good luck to anyone else who's waiting!

Not sure about fast track mine are 3 adult renewals someone on here must know the answer for you.

Reporting back.

Mine came today, can't tell you how relieved I am. I've dreamt about typing that for the last 10 days or so.

Took 4 weeks, they were very straight forward renewals.

Good luck to everyone!!!

Irishtown - yup, I know that number is useless. Just needed it first to found out where my application was and now I am calling the Durham office directly.