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!

Ha, lies! That's a joke. How about telling someone their passport is about to be printed when it's sitting on someone's desk - having not been even looked at for 5 weeks - and you have nothing to back that statement up with? That's the kind of lie that is going to potentially ruin someone's summer. That's going to prevent 6 children going on holiday because by the time they come back there is nothing left to book! What do you think it says about how badly organised the whole thing is if you've got forums full of people pulling their hair out about losing their holidays after having waited weeks and weeks. There are plenty of people who couldn't apply months in advance for lots of reasons. Waiting for a baby to be born, child going on school trip before family holiday, waiting for a court order to give PR for example. I don't think anyone on this thread really wants to hear your opinion and I personally have found Sharon's comments to be helpful and supportive.

Hi everyone, our daughter's passport arrived this morning, 6 weeks after applying...
In case this is useful to anyone: after talking to 0300 line last Wed and being adviced to ring again for an upgrade 7 days before we travel - that would be to tomo, I rang the Peterborough office directly on Fri (the number is somewhere above in this discussion, if not, I'll post it in a bit... )
I told them I was concerned that if they are still due to send a letter to our countersignatory, there might not be enough time to get the passport on time, before we travel on 12th, because our countersignatory's office is shut this week...

They said they will put a note on the system for the examiner. I didn't think this would mean anything, so I rang Peterborough again this morning and was told that the passport was printed late on Friday and out with couriers today!
On both occassions, I was waiting for the call to be picked up for over an hour, but I did it via Skype, so I was able to do my email etc whilsts waiting so not too bad!
Wish you all the luck and hope everyone will get theirs on time too!

Feeling a little frustrated like the rest of you today, posted my daughters application for a first passport through check and send on 27th June, recieved text saying they had recieved it on the 1st July. 5 weeks after they said they received the application I e-mailed them for an update only to recieve this:

Thank you for your enquiry.

I can confirm that we received your application at our Peterborough office on 30/07/2014

Your passport application is currently going through the examination process.

Going to call them to check that this is a mistake, although this would explain how Theresa May is saying that most passports are still delt within the time limits (they would be if they just keep moving the goal posts) I still have 7 weeks till we travel, but I really don't want the stress of it all after I sent our application off in good time. Not really sure what to do until closer to the travel date except hope that it goes through smoothly.

Hi sianandella,

This is exactly what I got told via email and also I the 0300 number. After 5 weeks I got a letter saying they needed another document. Please don't believe what you get told by the 0300 people. If I were you I would request a callback or try to call the 0845 number yourself (although I never managed to get through even after an hour on hold so be prepared to wait or don't even try). You need to speak to an examiner because they are the only people who actually know what is going on. So keep requesting callbacks (never got mine) perhaps email your MP and ask them to find out what's going on but just don't give up. My friends daughters first passport took 14 weeks earlier this year but she didn't chase it as she had a long time til she travelled. I know how frustrating this all is, even if you've got time to play with as it just leaves you in limbo and with a nagging worry in the back of your mind that it won't get sorted. I like to have everything organised before it's needed usually so I have hated this! Good luck.

Hi all, my son's first passport has been stuck at Peterborough for over 5 weeks. Does anyone have the direct contact number please? Am getting nowhere with the 0300 number and have asked to pay for an upgrade but still awaiting contact!

Spacebabe, the number for Peterborough is 0845 501 5549.
I had to call it twice, each time it took over an hour but they were very helpful, and it seemed to have pushed the application through...

I have just tried that and it says 'there are no services currently running under this number' and then cuts off? Do I just keep ringing? Does it mean it's engaged?

I think the number is actually 08456015549. Think its a typo above.

Anyone using Liverpool passport offices? I must have had my head in the sand this is the first I've heard about delays. Literally sent passports off today using check and send. Fly in 5 weeks :(

Mine are at Liverpool. 3 renewals. They went to the examiner yesterday & we fly on Friday first thing. Supposedly they'll ring tomorrow to upgrade. Not holding out much hope!!!

Well -I'll eat my words- just got a phonecall from Liverpool & they'll upgrade the applications because they've had them for 5 weeks. We can go and get them tomorrow!!! Hurray. We can fly on Friday -as long as tomorrow goes smoothly!!!

Good luck tomorrow Lifeinmybubble1, hope it goes smoothly. Mine are first passports for children. I might phone and pay for fast tracking tomorrow.

I'm joining the nervous wait. I put the application for my newborn's first passport in the post at the end of last week. It's an overseas application so takes even longer. It said that it takes 8 weeks and we (hopefully) fly in around 11 weeks.

Sent 3 renewals on 25th June. Got message to say they had been received on 7th July.

Still waiting , tried to email but dp has lost the ref numbers so they keep replying asking for them

Still not booked anything but do finishes work next Friday for 1 week so that's the only time we can go.

Fed up , it's a joke we are paying for this service !!

Just to let you know, after calling the advice line and being told the passport was just sitting in a queue yesterday, my daughters passport arrived today!

Timeline for anyone stuck at Peterborough:
27th June Application send through C&S
1st July text confirming receipt of application received
2nd August e-mail sent requesting update
5th August e-mail received stating that application received 30/7/2014
6th August passport arrived.
Took just over 5 weeks. Hope everyones passports arrives in time, don't even bother with the advice line, there information is not accurate and they will say anything to make you go away. Good luck to everyone waiting still

Completely agree with how useless the helpline is. Really pleased you've got your passport back now sianandella. I've just had a call from the examiner who received the birth certificate for my step childrens mother this morning after me sending it Special Delivery yesterday (£6.40!). Wasn't too impressed to be addressed by her name though! Had to explain that it's not their mother applying for them, but my husband. He just checked a few details then said it was all fine. I even queried about how their mother has put the wrong place of birth for herself on one of the childrens birth certificates and he said not to worry, he'll just enter it in the system how it's written on each form. Please let this be it now. I'm hoping that they'll be here by the weekend so I can finally book something!

Hi everyone. I posted a while back, I got ds2's first child passport after 4 weeks.

We're on week 4 or dh's first adult passport. They sent requests for more info, so he sent that. On Friday he got a letter saying he had a passport in 1996, so this isn't his first. He had to sign a form saying it's been lost, and he wont need an interview. He sent the form back yesterday. Any ideas how long it will take?

We fly on Sunday. We've not bought his tickets, but it would be nice to know it's not impossible for him to at least meet us out there.

Dh just called Liverpool and got straight onto them, they answered straight away. Told him to call back on thursday

He got a txt this morning saying the passport is being printed, fingers crossed

can some body give me a direct number for peterborough office plz

i just rang 0300 number lady was not even going to cheack for update did't even ask for my app number till i asked her usless

I have been waiting 14 weeks for my son’s passport I have been told numerous things from the passport such as it’s been expedited twice and I have also put in for an upgrade I have had no correspondence from anyone at the passport office and when I call them I just get fobbed off my application I’d in Durham and apparently there is no direct number to Durham passport office nor can I go and collect it I am supposed to fly on Sunday 26/7/2022 but that does not seem likely now I am absolutely devastated.