Passport processing time 2

[sunshinehopeful]

Since the last thread (www.mumsnet.com/Talk/general_advice_tips/a2043055-Passport-Processing-Time) is now full I though we could continue our discussions here!

Belle - Liverpool numbers 0845 601 2058, 0845 128 9988, 0845 601 5107. Hope it helps.

Lookingforadvice123 We are travelling the second week of August so like you, I don't want to chance it. I am happy to pay for an upgrade, frankly any money I have to pay now will be worth it because it will be less than the cost of losing our holiday. I just have to wait until the application has been there three weeks which will be next Wednesday and then I will be asking for an upgrade. I only wish I'd done Fast Track from the beginning... The frustrating thing is that my daughter's passport is actually still valid. I thought we needed 6 months validity on the passport which is why I tried to renew it. Silly me, if I hadn't bothered, we'd be going on holiday instead of now not knowing if we are going to be able to go or not.

I sent my DS and DD renewals off via check and send on 5th June. Got text on 10th to say they had been received not heard anything since so called the 0300 number. Spoke to a man who said they had been received and were waiting to be looked at which wont be until 10th July!! Got in touch with MP who says he cannot do anything until 2 weeks before travel. We travel on 30th July. Emailed Paul Pugh and his office asked for details and would check. That was 3 days ago and not heard anything since. I am getting concerned now. We had not planned to go away but my mother passed suddenly in March and left us some money and her wish was for us to go away so this holiday means so much to us. The stress of dealing with her death ontop of the passport stress is too much.
I have tried calling the Durham number 0845 but the recorded message says only for people who have had letters.
Question is Will I get passports in Time.
Will they write to countersignature? If they do and do not look at them until the 10th then that will cut it fine. So worried all I can think about is passports.

Also in addition to my previous message what I dont understand is some people whose passports have gone to other places have got them back in 3-4 weeks so why is Durham so much worse. There is no way I can drive to Durham from Southampton. Dont know what else to do .

Try having your passport in Belfast and being in the sw of England :(. Less than 48 hrs till we travel.

Oh no chocchoc30, fingers crossed for you. What's your MP doing about it?

No idea I guess because we have ungraded now it should be here tomorrow.

Update from me, I just spoke to a very helpful man in Peterborough who told me that they are currently working on passports which were received on 9th June. My was received on 11th June so he said that I should have my passport in another two weeks. He said if I hadn't heard anything from them by 11 July to call back and they would discuss doing an upgrade. He said that they are working overtime and over weekends and are getting through a lot of work on the weekends. I feel a little bit better now.

holeysocksbatman all the information I've had has been because I have called the advice line, emailed and phoned the passport office direct. I've not had any contact from them at all that wasn't initiated by me. What I am saying is that if I hadn't contacted them, I would also have heard nothing, not one thing.

We'll I've emailed Paul Pugh twice now with no reply or any kind of contact! I really don't think by emailing your mp or Paul Pugh is making the process any quicker I just think it's pot luck if u get it or not within days of complaining to them! :-(

holeysocksbatman I've had the same experience as Talea no contact from them except when I email or phone them. They are supposed to send out texts when they receive the application, but I haven't got one. I suspect sending out texts is fairly low on their priority list when they are so far behind. I would ring Liverpool to find out what is going on if I were you.

Blondebird69 ignore the message about having to have a letter. I did and when I got through it wasn't a problem. Speaking to the Passport Office direct is the only way to get any information.

Wohoooo finally had a call back,have been given a free upgrade and a guaranteed RM delivery before 1pm tomorrow. The lady also gave me a tracking number.

Holeysocksbatman I never heard any thing on mine until they were being printed.

Caz306 I suspect that Paul Pugh and the MPs now have so many emails from people waiting for passports that it's less effective to do it now.

I really think that they need to do the following:

• allow embassies to deal with overseas applications

• change the advice they are giving people sending applications off now to reflect the actual turnaround time, and publicise it widely.

• compensate those who put properly completed applications in in good time and have had to cancel holidays as a result.

• ensure that calls to the helpline and passport offices are free.

• give free upgrades to those who have been waiting for longer than the stated service time.

I have found an angel at the Belfast office. I called again this morning and spoke to the same lady who remembered my desperation! She said mine and DS' were being put forward today. I may have to pay to fast track but she'll call if I do. Please let this be the end of the saga!

Lurkingmurking that was the same lady I spoke to she was very nice.

funambulist I completely agree with you. Perhaps we should all email Theresa May with those suggestions?

Finally just had a call off a lovely lady from Paul pughs office. She went over a few details and I explained I needed ours back or at least our supporting documents so we could get our childrens sent in and she said she will get on to Durham for me and either get them to sort my documents out or at least get the barcode ref number so I can add it on to my childrens forms so I can get them sent. Feeling alittle hopeful but not a lot haha. I also told her we was flying on the 4th September Afew days before we actually do so I can hopefully get them all bk with still alittle time to spare. X

Dad finally got through to Belfast on direct number this morning. There been a computer error which has now been rectified (hopefully!) and they will have their passports early next week. Fingers crossed

blondebird69 if they look at them on the 10th July you should have them in a few days after. It doesn't take long to get from examiners desk to your letterbox. If their dates are accurate you'll get it no problem. I'm my experience, they do not contact the majority of counter-signatories.

I would call them back on the 10th July and see how things are sitting. Still gives u plenty of time to get upgraded if necessary.

The majority of folk seem to get sorted before their holiday.

Good luck!

Thanks Sunshine just really need this holiday after such a rubbish few months. Would be devastated if it did not happen especially as it was my late mums last wish for us. Fingers crossed . x

I have been anxiously following this and the previous thread for the last few weeks and thought I would share my experience to give others some hope.

I sent DD's child renewal via check and send on June 4th
Received text saying it had been received June 10th
Called 0300 on June 25th as it had been 3 weeks since I had sent it and we travel July 15th. Was told that it was at Durham awaiting examination and that I should not contact them until it had been 3 weeks since they received it not from me sending and that they would do nothing until 7 days before I travel.
Received text this morning June 27th to say passport is being printed and should arrive within next few days.

So it has been 17 days between them receiving it and it being printed and hopefully it should arrive next week, within 4 weeks of me sending it.

Fingers crossed that everyone gets theirs back on time. Just wanted to share a more positive story to try and allay some fears. The feeling of not knowing what is happening is awful, I have been feeling so anxious this week, I nearly cried when i got the text!

I too have been anxiously following this thread.

For people with passports at the Liverpool office this may help
Child renewal received 31 may
Child renewal received 6 June with countersignatory filled out
Examiner Called me yesterday to be told that first passport was ready to go to print.
I told examiner I had second passport 6 days behind first and could I upgrade to get it done quicker. He said he would find it and process them together and call me back the next day which he did. Both passports have been done and he offered me to receive them tommorow and be there to sign for them or have them come in mail by middle of next week.

So first passport took 4 weeks
Second passport received 6 June was still waiting to be examined

After missing call backs not getting anywhere with the 0300 number I did contact my mp's office who sent an e mail,the day before the examiner called,on my behalf. I do not know if that made any difference or it was a coincidence of timing but it made me feel that someone was going to help me and I was not on stuck with waiting for call backs which took 3 days. I did also call the Liverpool office direct at the beginning of the week and was told they were working on peoples passports for travel in the next 2-3 days. This was probably true but not totally as my passports have been done with time to spare.