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!

lurking I renewed my child's passport and didn't need a counter signature for some reason!

Lookingforadvice id strongly recommend contacting your MP and asking for help - it's the only thing that worked for me

Just got text to say passport is being printed and the Royal Mail tracking says they're out for delivery - phew!

God, getting really stressed now. Passport sent 3 weeks ago via check and send.

Its at Liverpool waiting for examination and bloke who wasn't terribly helpful says they'll fast track it but won't call for 3-5 days.

We travel on the 11th - aaaggghhhh!

I wish they'd ask for proof of travel dates as I bet people are telling fibs and they're dealing with them in priority order.

He reckons even if they don't phone me till next Wedneday then I would have it by Friday - really!?

Mrscampbell have you tried your MP? Got to be worth a shot.

I spoke to the office yesterday and it was printed yesterday and out for delivery today so I think once it's been approved it's pretty quick.

Hi there

A little update on passports after speaking to Glasgow passport office yesterday. Mine was pulled out and fast-tracked as we travel tomorrow. Had a very stressful week like a lot of you phoning and begging!

Yesterday they were printing passport applications processed on the 4th June 2014!

I'm not sure what swung it, however after callbacks not being made, upgrades not being done as pleaded for a week previous. It seems that only when you're within 3 days of travel do they step it all up.

On Monday, as well as calls and emailes to HMPO, I emailed the office of Theresa May and my local MP - who was very helpful and I think her intervention helped my application get pulled out and to the attention of the team at Glasgow.

If you're travelling within the next few days - keep up the good fight.
Glasgow PO's number is 08456019031 but they can only really help you if you're travelling in the next few days as they are prioritising all the urgent travel requests.

Oh and finally yesterday after MP intervention, passport was sent out Special Delivery and arrived this morning!

Good suggestion - have just emailed mp - thanks!

Pootle - I did get the impression that they were really only prioritising people who were travelling in the next couple of days.

Lurking - I've also been in touch with my MP's PA, who was really helpful last week but not so much this week - Paul Pugh's PA was the one who checked on the status of the application for me, I guess maybe she has more access to the info than MPs. If I don't hear anything today though, I'm going to back to my MPs PA, as I told her I was supposed to get a call yesterday to fast track my application.

It's so stressful! I've sort of relaxed a bit now as at least I know my application will be looked at it the very near future, rather than 3 weeks which the lady told me last week, and I'm not travelling until 4 weeks on Friday. It will be 3 weeks this Friday since they've received it, so I really hope it arrives this weekend, it's the stress which is getting to me!

Looking I suspect they're only really helping people who are travelling imminently. It's still so stressful though no matter when you're going,

It's only now that I am actually writing our packing list/getting excited!

If that's the case why say it will be processed on the 1st! Also Talea has had hers back and she's travelling after me (sorry to bring you into it haha!) so that's what I'm finding frustrating, there's clearly no system, just the 'lucky' ones and the unlucky ones.

Saying that it will be 3 weeks on Friday since they've had itC so I won't bad mouth them too much until that day comes and I still haven't received it!

In that case I'd give them 3 weeks and call on Monday. Maybe tell a little white lie about your holiday dates?

In other news...OUR PASSPORTS HAVE ARRIVED!

I suspect that some of the examiners are just more experienced/work faster than others - so if you're lucky enough to be being processed by one of them, then you'll get your passport back quicker than if it's being looked at by someone who works a bit more slowly or is more inexperienced.

We received DC's first passport this morning. What a relief! Yesterday I couldn't take the stress any more so I contacted Paul Pugh's office again, within hours someone in the passport office was looking at the application and today I have it.

I don't follow the logic of them waiting until days before travel, what if there is an error or counter signatory is unavailable. They quote up to 6 weeks for child's first passport. It shouldn't be 5 weeks of the application collecting dust and then a couple of hours work gets you a passport.

For those of you interested in timeline:
Posted child's first passport application to Liverpool end of May
Fee taken from card 2nd June
Text confirming receipt 3rd June.
Text stating passport was being printed 2nd July at 9am
Received passport about 11ish on 2nd July

I'm certain it would have taken longer had I left things to run the normal course. My advice, email MP, Paul Pugh, don't wait for callbacks (either 0300 or upgrade team). The upgrade team never called me back. I called the 0300 number everyday for over 2 weeks. What really got it moving was emailing Paul Pugh's office.

Best of luck to everyone.

So after emailing my MPs PA again as I hadn't heard anything, within half hour I got a call saying "I understand you would like to upgrade to fast track"! I queried where my application was at, as I don't want to pay £55 needlessly, especially as it's 3 weeks since I sent it - the lovely lady said it had been processed, so upgrading would just mean that they would print it at Peterborough and send straight away, so it would arrive with me on Friday, whereas the normal procedure would mean it's sent to Manchester to be printed with the others, and should arrive in 5-6 working days.

So fingers crossed it will! It will only be about 3-4 says on top of 3 weeks since they received it so not too bad. Although I'm a bit nervous about it being posted, I'm in an apartment block and my DH's was just put through the letterbox, but she said the courier might not leave it...

Hiya guys I've been following the thread with great interest!
Today I cracked and had to ring, we fly on the 25th July and I'm really starting to worry (to be honest it doesn't take much).

Thought this may help
Posted child's first passport application and (my) adult renewal to Liverpool 5th June
Text confirming receipt 10th June.
Email to track and send to find out where both passports were 25th July
Email received saying both were currently in examination 30th July

Rang the 0300 line just and was met by a really lovely lady, she said they'd been recieved on the 9th and went for examination on the 10th, and apparently they should be sent for printing next week (around Monday or Tuesday), and should daughter's countersignature not receive a letter by next week to contact them just to double check hers is going straight to printing. Panic somewhat subdued, but I will still lie in bed tonight worrying far more than I should do ;)

oh ^^ both were sent through Post Office Check and Send, had to refill in the many errors I made three times so went a week later than I'd have liked!

Hi
I have been following this as sent my sons renewal by online application on 2nd June, then sent declaration and photos on 3rd. It has been showing as processing since then and declaration received. It's now 4 weeks since they have had the application, I phoned on Monday and they said it was waiting for inspection which could take a week!!
We fly to Spain on 17th July.
Have been told on 0300 no that they will send email through to Liverpool. But not heard anything yet and still shows as processing. Should I start to push this or wait a bit longer.
Have seen other comments on here where passports have gone through quicker than this, do you think some just slip through the net? Any advice v much appreciated.
Also have not received any text messages or emails updating me, I did enter the details on application.
Thanks

I got a text yesterday or the day before to say it was being printed, it arrived today. 3 weeks - a month. Glasgow office.

Jowall, I was fearful that my app had slipped through. I'd start pushing even if only to reduce stress levels. It's better to do something rather than nothing. Don't believe what they tell you on 0300, I've been told so many contradictory things. On the other hand all this pushing slows down the general process. In the end, I just couldn't do nothing, so I made the calls and sent the emails.

Jowall I would push it. Somewhere on this thread there is the liverpool direct number.

They're still on form!

www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/passport-strangers-photo-inside-puts-7360730

Thanks for replys, will call liverpool directly tomorrow.
If I needed to contact local MP, as other posters have done, where do I look to find out who my Mp is?
Thanks

Jowall just google find my MP and it'll ask for your postcode. I didn't know who mine was either until this whole thing! Was glad to see it's a Labour member though!

Thanks for that Lookingforadvice123, found him, he's Conservative!
Think I will wait till I have tried Liverpool office tomorrow and see what they say.