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Original poster

Baby passport panic - Help

16 replies

Sponge · 15/02/2005 16:26

We're supposed to be going on holiday on Sunday and have just realised that junior (6 months) doesn't have a passport.
Officially it takes a week.
We have an appointment on Thursday morning but it's discretionary whether they can issue one in time.
Has anybody else had a child passport issued as a rush job? Can anyone reassure me?
Aaaarrrgghhhhhhhh

OP posts:

Twiglett · 15/02/2005 16:27

you can get them done in a day if you go to the office (liverpool and london I think)

but I would pay to get everythign checked at the PO first to make sure nothing is wrong with forms

good luck

Original poster

Sponge · 15/02/2005 16:30

You can pay to fast track renewals (I know, I've done this myself!) but not first applications apparently. Whether they'll do it fast is down to the person on the desk and the application complexity.
I'd just like to hear that someone else has made this work so I know whether I seriously need to consider cancelling our holiday .

OP posts:

motherinferior · 15/02/2005 16:35

Mine came through quickly - but yes, I wish people would realise that you can't get a first passport overnight any more - see this thread . best of luck. It's a total bugger, isn't it.

Original poster

Sponge · 15/02/2005 16:44

I know that's the rules and I am going in person. They've said maybe but it's down to circumstances. I'm trying to make alternative arrangements just in case.
We just hadn't thought about it at all. Stupid but there you go.

OP posts:

motherinferior · 15/02/2005 16:57

Oh no, sorry, didn't mean to sound supercilious, I was driven to tears, lots of them, over the whole damn thing with both Inferiorettes.

Original poster

Sponge · 15/02/2005 17:05

For some reason we were organised and thought about it in plenty of time with dd but with ds it just didn't occur to us until today. And dh works in travel!
Our own stupid fault but agonising nonetheless.

OP posts:

Twiglett · 15/02/2005 17:07

people have now realised

Gwenick · 15/02/2005 17:09

It's shame this wasn't last Friday or Saturday - we sent off both DS's first applications and my name change one at the same time on a Saturday after lunch. We got all three back the following Thursday!!!

MummytoSteven · 15/02/2005 17:35

if you've not got a long birth certificate for junior, try and get hold of one before you go - strictly speaking you are meant to have one, but as I was doing it as a rush job, they let it through with the short form birth certificate.

nappybaglady · 15/02/2005 22:40

Got one done on a saturday morning at Durham passport office. Only problem was the poor quality of DDs photo but they issued anyway. Suggest making sure you have plenty of photos to choose from. Can't remember if you have to get the baby ones signed

bea · 16/02/2005 11:57

yes get baby one signed... as i;ve had a mre getting mine done... this not signed, lost birth certificate, etc....etc... luckily all done now... it's threads like these that made me get passports for my littlies...not going anywhere where a passport is ncessary!... but got them done just in case dh springs a fantastic holiday on us... yeah! right!!!

good luck sponge... i was in a situation like yours a couple of years ago (my passport) and got it done in a day in Peterborough!... hope it gets done quicko!!!

bundle · 16/02/2005 12:07

sponge i hate to pour cold water on this, but i was in this situation last summer and when i turned up for my renewal (in london) and dd2's first passport i was told under no circumstances could i get a first passport on the same day. in the end i sobbed so much (yes!) that they did get it ready for the next day but i think the absolute quickest they could do it would be 48 hrs. it was one of the worst moments of my life, the stress was appalling and dd1 and dh nearly had to go to france on their own. i was also advised on their helpline that first passports were discretionary and this was WRONG ADVICE.

Original poster

Sponge · 16/02/2005 12:35

I do have a bit more than 48 hours so there's still hope, albeit slim.
I have long form birth certificate, certified photos etc etc. I've phoned the passport office about 15 times to make sure I get it all right and take everything I need.
Then it's just down to how straightforwrad they see the application as. I will cry if necessary .

OP posts:

bundle · 16/02/2005 14:30

I cried, but even the supervisor was strangely unmoved. they give you a number to "track" your application but when i rang the helpline they said " oh yes, it's being processed". doh - i thought it was going to literally track it, they said oh we can FAX (ffs, this is the 21st cent) the passport office (helpline in n.ireland by sound of accents) who will respond WITHIN 24 HOURS. aaaaaaaaaaaaaghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.
take drugs, anything to help you get throughthis. and expect the worst. xxx

Original poster

Sponge · 16/02/2005 16:04

I have fall back plans but naturally they're all far form ideal.
Oh well, fingers crossed.
To make matters worse my countersignatory has done it all wrong so I have to go back round tonight and get her to do her bit again. I have two forms just in case!

OP posts:

Original poster

Sponge · 17/02/2005 13:52

Had my appointment this morning. Not much comfort from the passport office. They just said that I'd have to wait and see but they couldn't guarantee anything in under a week. I'll have to keep checking but it looks like ds will be staying with my mum for the week .

OP posts:

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