Baby's first passport delays

[Sunshinexx95]

Hi everyone, Give me some hope please 😭🙏

I applied on the 17th of feb
Had delays in confirming identity 11th of March
Sent documents on the 15th of March
System updated received on the 29th of March
It was all sent to Peterborough

I'm booked for holiday on the 29th of April which I am pretty sure it will be cancelled now.
I'm so sad ... I just want an update on the application and have been calling them mornings afternoons and evenings but it gets cut off after 10 min.

I've read that when it's 14 days to your flight you can request an upgrade but from reading people's stories it's hit and miss as to whether they get into contact with you and arrange it.

You can withdraw your application and start fast track but that's whether you can get an appointment or not.

It should not be this stressful to get a passport, its absolutely ridiculous.

Thanks so much for the info I will defo have a read today ! I think maybe messing with the application might be a bad move now 2 weeks in! I'll maybe look into it a bit more and withdraw the application if I don't hear anything in 3 weeks!

We are both British citizens and have full UK in date passports it really shouldnt take 10 weeks to get a babies passport at all! But I will never do this again so close to a trip! So massive lesson learned 🙃

Gosh sorry! I think I missed the first page of this thread some super useful Info about the two week fast track if you have flights booked! Thanks

Good luck everyone and hope we all get our well deserved mummy cocktail by the pool this summer with all of our children! Look forward to any further updates or Info!

@Sunshinexx95 have you had any luck yet?

@Mugcupmug my application went to processing since 27th of April and I called 2 days ago they told me it is in Liverpool now ... it is just a mess .. I am so upset honestly .. :( how about you?

The Glasgow one is being delivered tomorrow (14 days after application) and the peterborough one has finally gone to "old passport received" so I'm hoping there will be some movement.
It seems to be that the Feb and march applications have the delays but surely all applications should be dealt with in date order.
I can't believe you are no further along in the process, this is absolutely ridiculous.

When everyone is putting the timelines up and saying 14 days, 20 days etc.... for commication & delivery! Is it working days people are counting or just days since posted in general? It obviously makes a massive difference to anyones timeline now its May with all the bank Holidays if its working days? Just want to check so I can keep an eye on my timeline correctly!

@Mugcupmug
I called for 2 hours today to get it upgraded but it cut of after 2 hours on hold.
I broke down started crying because I lost hope. We changed our flight to 15th after begging the travel agency. Now I don't see any hope and I am totally lost and devastated

Ours was exactly 14 days from application to delivery. Due to be delivered today between 5 - 6pm.

I'm so sorry to read this, I was hoping you would have had some good news.
Keep trying to phone, there are some people getting through and picking up passports right at the last minute.
I can't believe this and the government are denying that there's issues 🙄

@Mugcupmug thank you so much! all of your updates have given me some hope that we will make our trip on the 4th June! Im now Keeping calm this week but next week I will be panicking!

Sorry for anyone that thinks they will miss a trip what a nightmare!

Week three I've heard nothing from the office to say they have the passport! Emailed NO RESPONSE! Called and its impossible to speak to anyone they just cut you off saying the line is busy! I have three weeks till my trip and have no clue where I stand now!

Considering looking into doing a fast track application now but then I'll have two applications? Anyone done this would it work! I can't spend day and night for three weeks trying to sort something that I cant even get a response from in early stages!

How's everyone else getting on!

You can't fast track unless you withdraw your initial application, they would have to open your letter of withdrawal which if they haven't acknowledged old documents then god knows when they would do that.
If you turned up to a fast track appointment with a live application ongoing they'd turn you away. Presumably you'd need the documents that you've sent in anyway.

This is a joke 😣

Thank you!

It really is a joke I've been calling all morning because I haven't received a text to even say they have the application after 3 weeks! (I sent it paper version because I'm dyslexic and thought it would be quicker than waiting for my husband to return from work and do it online! Big mistake)

I've been trying since 10am this morning to talk to an agent and they connect you then say its '4 mins' waiting time! then cut you off completely on 20 seconds! I'm hoping its the weekend back log they are dealing with and I'll have hope of getting through tomorrow! It's a no win situation at the moment for me because they have taken the fast track appointment link down now because its so busy! So that's not even an option at the moment anyway for anyone!

Sorry for the rant so fed up with all of this! It shouldn't be this impossible for a pre-paid service! It's not free so why are we being treated so badly on the customer service side!

If you ring after 8 when they are shut it gives you a call back option, I did this and they rang me within 36 hours

@bellsbuss amazing thank you I will try that tonight!

I called at 7.45am this morning and have been on hold for 3 hours kept it on whilst I dropped the toddler off! They then termated the call with an automated service voice! I really had to take a deep breath and count to 10 so I didn't get upset! So unfair! 3 hours and they just drop the call is terrible service again when you've pre-paid!

Not sure if it's positive or negative now! I have literally just received a text saying they have my passport application and it will take 10 weeks to process, but they have had it for 3 weeks already? I have 4 weeks untill our holiday, anyone else experienced an automated text but got the passport returned in less than 4 weeks?

Keeping my positive pants on today! And hoping we won't have to pay the 35% charge to move the holiday to a later date!

Terminated my call*

Jeremy vine on BBC radio 2 just started a call in session regarding the passport mess and how badly people are people treated! Maybe interesting! (UK time)

Being treated* sorry I'm the typo queen 🙃

@Sunshinexx95 how are you getting on? Did you have any luck, really hope you managed to get it 🙏

@Dontstoprunning
Sorry I didn't update you guys.
I was emailing the upgrade team every day and I was calling.
Finally I got a call on Tuesday to upgrade and I had to pay 97 pounds. And I collected yesterday from London office thankfully

Oh I'm so pleased for you! It's disgusting that you had to pay £97 extra but the main thing is that you have it now

I have some inside knowledge in that if you give the name of someone who has to confirm identity please make sure they aren’t flaky. As soon as they get a response from the PO they must respond immediately.

Yes! OP, same as me then! Mine was day before and yours two days. There's hope! Never making the same mistake again!!

Hi could you let me know how you do this! Due to go away in 3 weeks and still no update on first passport!