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!

vinoandbrie try to phone Liverpool direct. I'm sure someone on here has it or check out the original thread "Passport processing time" (URL at top of page in blue)

We applied towards the end of May and got a first child passport back this week. Just less that 3 weeks in total. We did check and send and didn't get any texts despite putting mobile no on application.

Yes, definitely call Liverpool direct. You can get the number from this or the previous thread. Hold for as long as you have to. Don't rely on call backs. Tell them when you are flying, if they know that the flight date is looming then I think that they try to prioritise it.

If it gets to 7 days before you fly then you can get a free upgrade but if you are willing to pay for this and your passport is at the right stage in the process then I think that you can request this now.

Calling your MP also seems to get things moving.

Vinoandbrie this is the stage we are at now, willing to pay to fast track but getting no call backs its so frustrating :(

Thanks, will try all the ideas, so appreciate the help.

Irishtown - I've checked with DHL and yes they do deliver in weekend. It takes 2 days from Liverpool L3 9BP to overseas your destination. Wish us luck!

Re liverpool

My friend applied for two first kids passports on 18 may. After four weeks he drove down there as we are travelling in early next week and no one ever answered the direct numbers. They had got his form to hand as 0300 had thankfully passed on the urgent travel details. However it clearly hadn't been looked at til then as there was a mistake on one of the signatures. It was only because both mum and dad were there on the day and signed a statement that they got the passport. The passport pffice was about to send them a letter asking to resubmit a whole new application- four weeks after check and send!

I strongly suggest anyone waiting a long time and travelling soon, goes directly down to the office if at all possible.

Question... When you call 0300 and are automatically transferred to the callback system do you leave your details each time? I've called several times today in the hope of speaking to a human but keep getting that machine, grrrr

Could cry. My baby's counter signatory has received a letter asking him to verify various things (names, true likeness etc). We went via check and send. Has anyone any experience of timescales from here, if he sends the letter back today?

Panicking now, we are due to travel in two weeks.

Glasgow are now processing the renewal application sent two weeks ago.

An attempt to calm people's nerves:
I sent 2 children's first passports on 27th May.
Received a text saying they had been received on 29th May.
I rang on 16th June to find out where they were being processed and was told they had been sent to Belfast as Durham were so busy.
Found out on 17th that they were being examined.
Both passports have just been hand delivered this morning.
I did check and send at the post office but nothing more.
So, in summary 2 first passports in under 4 weeks.

Hopefull of a good sleep tonight now!

These stories about "check and send" .... what's the point of check and send if incomplete applications are still being sent off?

Glasgow office doesn't seem to be coming up much in conversation - my child renewal was sent there (applied online) on 27th May. I haven't received any text messages and (in hindsight) I stupidly didn't make a note of the username/password to track progress.

Call centre is next to useless. Email enquiries have been rebuffed with "sorry we cannot do anything without a barcode". Telephone enquiries have resulted in a promise of a call back from Glasgow, but nothing has transpired. Same old same old.

I have now sent a plea to CEO Paul Pugh copied to my MP, who has replied and said she'll use the "MP's helpline" on Monday.

I'm not worried as such YET but I'm infuriated at the lack of basic customer service. To have a call centre that can't conduct searches on anything except a barcode is frankly ridiculous.

Does anyone know if the 23 digit reference number on my credit card statement has the barcode number contained within it? I did ask the call centre but they were clueless.

If HMPO write off to the counter signatory in our case the letter was sent on the Wednesday and not received until Monday, reply straight away and sent back special delivery received on the Tuesday. Got to examiner on Wednesday (if special or signed for it goes to a different place to be recorded before going back to the examiner.
Passports printed early next morning and received the next day at 1030 am

I believe bulk of the delay is the time spent queuing to get to the examiner, once with them it's pretty speedy, even if they do have To write off to do checks.

Ours only come on Friday , when they were received on 2nd May into Durham and we travel in 13 days. So have spent hours on the phone, this thread, engaging MP and lots of sleepless nights.

I wouldn't wish this experience on anybody.

To add, our MP wasn't much help only giving callbacks from offices and was told couldn't move us up the queue until 7 days before our date of travel

Good luck to everyone x

We have spend since Tuesday trying to get my daughters fast tracked but still waiting to hear if we can. I'm constantly stressed and each time I call they tell me it's still waiting to be examined.

Well continuing on the positive stories after contacting the call centre yesterday a very helpful bloke called me back this afternoon to say passport awaiting examination which could take 1-3 weeks! Advised leaving another week due to travel date (15 july) and contact again, informed bloke would rather pay for the upgrade which was no problem and someone would call me back within 2 days for payment.

5 minutes later called back to apologise but it was currently with h the ecaminer so would be printed amd ready within the next 2-3 days which would be quicker than starting fast track. Asked if could collect from liverpool (quick train ride) rather than courier snd that's not a problem. Fingers crossed. To be fair cant complain at response time for call and bloke very helpful.

Thanks again for the good advice.

I am off to L'pool first thing tomorrow armed with

1. the letter from the countersignatory and
2. DD2 herself, who the passport is for.

The aim is to at least give the letter in, and if possible actually speak to someone who can help / throw self and baby on them and beg.

Has anyone else actually turned up without an appointment, and was it worth doing? I will take my ownpassport, the receipt from the PO check and send, and anything else I can think of. I realise this is clutching at straws.

Just got straight through to call centre 4.20pm Sunday - now's a good time to call if you can't bear holding in queues.

Thanks for the tip roly . I went to my post office yesterday and they were kind enough to look through their records for my barcode number, which I'd stupidly mislaid. Just called the advice line and he said my payment was received on 1st June, they started processing on 4th June and DS's passport should be here by 25th. Fingers crossed!

Jan have you been given a tracking number. I've tried the unhelpful line yesterday and just got a verbal. They said oh don't worry he will find it....sat navs can't find it so I doubt the courier will. I'm only trying to give him some help. I've not jumped through a million hoops to fall at the final hurdle. Anyway maybe I will get a call tomorrow....even though I'm working in Galway 40 miles away...will they let someone else take receipt

Good news SoftKitty! Which passport office?

Does anyone know if the courier will pop thru letterbox or is signature required? Don't fancy extending the stress by trying to track down courier!

Hoping belfast with give me good news in the morning as they said on Thursday they hoped it'd be with examiner over the weekend!

Sunshine its easier to get into the bank of England than getting a tracking number out of them lot

Ours were delivered by DX and required a signature - that was Edinburgh. It May wellbe different in other parts of country

I too didn't have bar codes but this didn't matter when I rung the regional offices dealing with our applications -they are able to find them by taking normal address and date of birth details

Softkitty yours started processing the same day as mine. I pray mines back by the 25th too.

Has anybody actually managed to get through on the Liverpool direct number? I'm considering going down there this week to see if I can get anywhere further. I don't have the tracking number so call centre was useless but said if I didn't have it by 7 days before we travel to ring back. I feel like I'm being fobbed off as if they can't track my passport now how will they manage next week just because it's 7 days before travel.

I just don't know what to do next. We go in 2 weeks and all I can think about is passports!