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!

Can anyone tell me if you can track application status online and see the status. I have filled in a form on weds but still waiting for a reply. Thanks

This morning I got a call from the Peterborough passport office. My daughter's passport is in the queue for printing, should be with us by the end of the week. I almost cried when she told me.

holeysocksbatman that's great news! Hopefully your passports will be with you soon.

blondebird69 I think you can you only track application status online if you applied online. If you applied by post or by Check and Send then you can only fill in the form and wait. It seems to take them about 4 working days to respond.

What a relief HoleySocksBatman, that's quite a wait 2nd May until today for a renewal. I've yet to hear anything but glad to know that things are happening at Liverpool office. Getting very nervous here

Anyone else waiting for passports from Liverpool?

Taela so pleased yours has arrived! But equally I'm infuriated (not at you obviously!) mine arrived in Peterborough the day after yours but yet they're not looking at it for 3 weeks?!

Had you requested a call? I've had nothing from them, always me chasing!

lookingforadvice123 I don't think that can be right that it's going to take them 3 weeks to look at your application. The man I spoke to on Friday said that they are getting through a lot of work doing overtime and working weekends. Fingers crossed you get a call soon.

I hadn't requested anything from them. When I called on Friday, he told me to wait until 11 July and if I hadn't heard anything by then to call back and they would upgrade the application for me.

Until the phone call today, I hadn't heard anything from them either.

just wanted to share as ours came today exactly 3 weeks after they said they had received them.

2 renewals, one child one adult.

sent on 2nd June signed for next day delivery.
contacted them via email to ask when received-Monday 9th June

came this morning. Durham.

Liverpool.

Partners adult renewal- got text to say it was being printed today, been 3 weeks exactly.

First child's- been on the phone chasing that this morning, still waiting to be examined been 4 weeks since sent it off check and send. Awaiting for a call to upgrade.

We fly the 12th July but I NEED to go to Spain ASAP, my nans not very well and grandad needs a hand to bring back to the UK or find her some care out in Spain. Fingers crossed they will do a 1 day emergency as this happened a few days ago. Got to take son with me as no child care at home.

0300 number useless this morning
0845 Liverpool- answered in 20 mins, not too helpful but contacted the emergency team for me.

just spoken to Peterborough, not made me feel any better. Sent off child's renewal online 9th July to Newport - not received in Peterborough until 17th
The lady I spoke to said it was scanned on the system and waiting examination, but she wouldn't give me any more info. She just told me to call back on 18th July if I hadn't heard anything and they would look at an upgrade. We fly on 26th July, I don't feel very hopeful. (sad)

sorry meant 9th June - all this passport business isn't good!!!

jillyjilly41 this time last week people with received dates of 4/5 June (at Peterborough) were receiving messages to say that their passports were being printed and this week it's someone with a received date of 11 June.

It is pretty clear that they are trying to keep to the 3/4 week turnaround times (probably because that's what the politicians are measuring them on). I realise that it's easy to panic (and people have been told some pretty scary things when they phone up) but the actual evidence seems to be that passports are being processed and people are receiving them within 4 weeks if not 3 (assuming no issues with countersignatories etc.).

Ours was received at Peterborough on the 16th and we fly 18 July. From the current timelines (based on people posting about receiving their passports/text messages that their passports have been printed not on what people have been told which varies wildly!) it looks like they are working through at least 1 days worth of received applications each day so I'm hoping to have ours back by early next week - which would be the 3 week mark.

Thanks to everyone who has received their passports and have posted their timelines on here - it's definitely not the scary story it could have been. I don't think the passport offices can tell us when we'll receive our passports as they just don't know! If nothing else comes out of this debacle it would be great if they could sort out a monitoring system that lets them (and the applicant) know exactly where their passport is in the queue and give a decent guide as to when it might be received back. All this finger in the air stuff is rubbish!

If nothing else comes out of this debacle it would be great if they could sort out a monitoring system that lets them (and the applicant) know exactly where their passport is in the queue and give a decent guide as to when it might be received back.

Yes, that is really what is needed! I've left plenty of time for mine, I just want it to come back when they say it will. I'm happy to allow whatever amount of time they say it will take, but they need to publicise that so you know before you apply and can plan. It's the uncertainty that is so stressful. I wish they could text/email/show on an online tracker something like "Your passport application was received on X date. You should normally receive it between x and y dates. If you have not received your passport by z date, please contact us."

I am overseas, and have been waiting 6 weeks now.

Got a text today to say my DCs passports are being printed and should be with us soon. Horrayyyyyy. I did email Paul Pugh and got a nice email back from his assistant to say they would look into our applications. Here is my timeline if this helps:

Sent check and send with PO 5th June
Had text to say received 11th June
Called last week to check and was told wont be looked at til 11th July as travel date is 30th July.
Got text to say being printed today 30th June.

Hopefully get them in next few days and hopefully text means both of them. So it is 3 weeks since they received them so that is within the timelines.
Does anyone know how long they take once going to print?

Anyone who has been waiting email Paul Pugh his assistant was really helpful.

Good luck all and I wont breathe a sigh of relief till passports drop onto my doormat.

Still waiting on call from Liverpool office, let me know if you get one ThePrisonerOfAzkaban.

It's the uncertainty that is so stressful. I wish they could text/email/show on an online tracker something like "Your passport application was received on X date. You should normally receive it between x and y dates. If you have not received your passport by z date, please contact us.

I couldn't agree with you more! Not knowing where your passport is in the queue and not knowing whether you will get it back in time for your travel is causing all of us sleepless nights. I felt so much calmer when I spoke to the man in Peterborough who told me that they were processing 9th June on Friday so would probably get to mine sometime this week. If there was just a system in place that could send out notifications like the one kikaninchen mentioned, it would cut down on the calls to the passport offices and to the advice lines. Only the people who haven't received their passport by the specified date would call.

We been told not to get in touch until six weeks has passed from sending off. We got two adult renewals and two first adult passports. Not booking anything until arrive back.

Be11 will let you know

Partners passport has now been delivered, only got text to say it was being printed this morning.

Still awaiting call back for a child's first.

No another note, the new passports are very nice.

My parents passports have finally arrived today - woohoo! They go on holiday a fortnight today, taking DD with them. Now, all ready up go :)

Their timings and dates:

Abt 14th May (not sure of exact day) - passports sent; 2 adult renewals

9th June - dad phones; told passports were in Belfast (sent from Doncaster) and ready/waiting to be checked.

13/14th June - both old passports returned

21st June - told passports were in Durham (?!) and had been checked and waiting to print

26th June - told passports were in Belfast (again?!) but had been logged as new applicants and they needed interviews. Local MP Caroline Flint contacted and involved. I sent my dad the direct numbers for Belfast and Durham, but they weren't answering.

27th June(am) - dad finally got through to direct Belfast number, There has been a system error (their fault) which thy corrected whilst on phone. Told passports will be with them following week.

27th June (pm) Phone call from Belfast to say passports were in to print and they would have them within 4-5 days

30th June (today) - both new passports arrived.

Total time: just under 7 weeks; 6 weeks from them receiving them.

Only reason they have them now though is due to having the direct numbers; otherwise the system error would have had them trying to attend an interview for brand new applicants - which they weren't.

Good luck to those still waiting. Fingers crossed.

Things seem to be moving for my son's passport after I cracked on Friday and emailed various people asking for help. I don't have the passport yet but it's looking good. This is my timeline so far.

2 June - sent off standard child renewal via Post Office check and send.

5 June - received by Belfast Passport Office.

15 June - I hadn't received a text confirming receipt so emailed to enquire.

16 June - I didn't get a response to my email so called the helpline and was given the date of receipt and Passport Office information. I was told that on 6 June the passport was undergoing examination.

19 June - Received a response to my email with the same information. The email also said that the application should have a three week turnaround.

23 June - Called Belfast Passport Office. They were very surprised that I had called saying "we've only had it since 5th June!" (Three weeks since the date that I sent it.) The application hadn't been looked at. They told me to call again towards the end of the week.

26 June - Called Belfast Passport Office again. (Three weeks since my application had been received by them.) My application hadn't been looked at. They were dealing with those received on 2 June. They told me to call back on 2 or 3 July to see if it had been put before an examiner by then.

27 June - I cracked and emailed a number of people asking for their help in getting things moving. My local MP's office replied within a few hours saying that they would investigate.

30 June - 10.10am My local MPs office emailed me this morning just after 10am attaching an email from the Passport Office dated 29 June saying that the passport had been issued on 28 June and should be received within 24 hours.

30 June - 11.38 Text from Passport Office saying that the passport is being printed and should be with me in the next few working days.

UPDATE!

30 June - 5pm The passport arrived whilst I was typing!

28 days after sending, 23 days after Belfast Passport Office received it.

I think that it would have taken a week or so longer if I hadn't emailed my MP as things suddenly seemed to start moving very quickly once my MP got involved.