Jamesyy Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Hi guys, Massive, massive long shot here! Clutching at straws is an understatement! Basically, myself, my mrs, her wee boy and her family are due to go on holiday on Friday. Her passport has been in the Durham passport office for 7 weeks now and still being told its waiting to be processed by an examiner. She's also 7 months pregnant and the stress isn't helping, aside from this we therefore can't really go away any later as she will be too far on to fly. Anyway end of sob story. I've read everything online on BBC etc but has anyone had any first hand experience or any advice for us to get it here by Friday? Or even better, does anyone work in the Durham passport office that could help?! Any help would be appreciated as you can probably tell how desperate I'm getting now! Thanks, James Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lacky Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Probably not much help, but a couple years ago I went to Durham passport office and got it done on the day as I was getting sent overseas last minute for work. Paid a little bit more and had to wait a few hours. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ebized Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Feeling for you. Any help? http://www.itv.com/news/2014-06-13/details-of-urgent-fast-track-passport-plan-revealed/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-Bradders- Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Cant you actually go to the office, i heard that the victoria office if you go there you can get it on the day? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhackyWill Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Cant you actually go to the office, i heard that the victoria office if you go there you can get it on the day? Bradders do you know where Durham is, not that close to Victoria. I'm not sure you can get it done in a day at Victoria either now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevoD Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 (edited) with out sound like a **** but why book a trip abroad without valid passports in your hands in the first place? Edited June 17, 2014 by StevoD 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JetSet Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 You can indeed go to the passport office but I believe you have to have an appointment these days and be prepared for a long wait. Pete Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grundy Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 with out sound like a **** but why book a trip abroad without valid passports in your hands in the first place? To be fair to him, if I order a passport, I wouldn't expect it to take any longer than 6 weeks.... I'd say someones cocked up somewhere in their dept. for it to take this long. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevoD Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 with out sound like a **** but why book a trip abroad without valid passports in your hands in the first place? To be fair to him, if I order a passport, I wouldn't expect it to take any longer than 6 weeks.... I'd say someones cocked up somewhere in their dept. for it to take this long. i still wouldnt book a trip with out a valid passport tho, infact im 99% sure on the passport forms it says dont book anything until you have received your valid passport 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesyy Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Thanks for the help so far. The waiting time for an appointment face to face is 3 weeks and before we knew we would be in this position and enquired they said it wasn't necessary as it would deffinately take no longer than 6 weeks! In reply to why we booked the holiday, it wasnt planned. It's a family holiday and with my mrs being pregnant we weren't planning on going away. Her parents offered to pay half when they asked us to come, otherwise we wouldn't have, so the passport was then needed whereas otherwise we would've waited till the winter as its the quietest time to get it sorted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhackyWill Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 with out sound like a **** but why book a trip abroad without valid passports in your hands in the first place? To be fair to him, if I order a passport, I wouldn't expect it to take any longer than 6 weeks.... I'd say someones cocked up somewhere in their dept. for it to take this long. Just been on the news 35,000 backlog of passports, the Head of the Passport Agency is to be interviewed by the Government today over this shambles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WINKJ Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Thanks for the help so far. The waiting time for an appointment face to face is 3 weeks and before we knew we would be in this position and enquired they said it wasn't necessary as it would deffinately take no longer than 6 weeks! In reply to why we booked the holiday, it wasnt planned. It's a family holiday and with my mrs being pregnant we weren't planning on going away. Her parents offered to pay half when they asked us to come, otherwise we wouldn't have, so the passport was then needed whereas otherwise we would've waited till the winter as its the quietest time to get it sorted. if i were you I would be stuck on the phone to them insisting I get in to get this sorted. It will be whoever shouts the loudest will get to the top of the pile... Get on the phone and refuse to get off it until you get an appointment Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevoD Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 (edited) Thanks for the help so far. The waiting time for an appointment face to face is 3 weeks and before we knew we would be in this position and enquired they said it wasn't necessary as it would deffinately take no longer than 6 weeks! In reply to why we booked the holiday, it wasnt planned. It's a family holiday and with my mrs being pregnant we weren't planning on going away. Her parents offered to pay half when they asked us to come, otherwise we wouldn't have, so the passport was then needed whereas otherwise we would've waited till the winter as its the quietest time to get it sorted. thats good enough reason, haha But the idiots crying on the news that they missed there 5k all inclusive because there passports didnt arrive in time i think the **** ups with you not the passport agency you wouldnt book your driving test with out getting the theory done would you Edited June 17, 2014 by StevoD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesyy Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Feeling for you. Any help? http://www.itv.com/news/2014-06-13/details-of-urgent-fast-track-passport-plan-revealed/ Thanks mate. Been through this aswell, doesn't quite seem as black and white to the passport office as it is on there! Read a couple more posts on random forums (net mums I think haha!) and they have had success going through their MP. Spoken to mine today and waiting a call back after they have spoken to passport office. Fingers crossed. Thanks again bud 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Will370z Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I feel your pain, passport expired 2 weeks ago, sent mine off and its now in processing. I am hoping to head off towards the later half of July but im not booking anything until the passport is back in my hands They are stating 97% of standard renewals are being delivered within the 3 week window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ioneabee Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I feel your pain, passport expired 2 weeks ago, sent mine off and its now in processing. I am hoping to head off towards the later half of July but im not booking anything until the passport is back in my hands They are stating 97% of standard renewals are being delivered within the 3 week window. good luck with that Will - but i wouldn't be holding my breath Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zebedy Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 My wife and daughter sent theirs 4 weeks ago and had it back last Friday. But these were re-newals. We were told that the back log only affects New Applications ??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesyy Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 That 97% figure has been on the website for weeks mate, would like to see the proof to back it up! If only 3% were delayed there surely wouldn't be such a huge issue nationwide? My mrs is a renewal aswell. What makes it worse is her cousin sent his off the same day, he doesn't go on holiday for another few weeks yet, but his came back in about 2 and a half weeks. Appears its just luck if yours is done or not on that evidence... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 (edited) I just don't get why they don't write to you way before it expires, like driving licence or TV licence. They could use these reminders to shape passport application and renewal traffic over the year, so they don't get inundated just before summer holidays. Also isn't it something like £60 for a regular application? So warning people up front would pull that money in sooner. Edited June 17, 2014 by SuperStu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevoD Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I just don't get why they don't write to you way before it expires, like driving licence or TV licence. They could use these reminders to shape passport application and renewal traffic over the year, so they don't get inundated just before summer holidays. Also isn't it something like £60 for a regular application? So warning people up front would pull that money in sooner. would put the cost of passports up a fair whack tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesyy Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 I just don't get why they don't write to you way before it expires, like driving licence or TV licence. They could use these reminders to shape passport application and renewal traffic over the year, so they don't get inundated just before summer holidays. Also isn't it something like £60 for a regular application? So warning people up front would pull that money in sooner. Good idea mate but I imagine they make a fortune from people leaving it late and then paying the extra to upgrade or have a face to face appointment, think the price doubles. In my opinion its all down to money. Apparently they closed 6 overseas processing centres for passports last year and this is another reason why there's a backlog. Again, cost saving. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stutopia Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I just don't get why they don't write to you way before it expires, like driving licence or TV licence. They could use these reminders to shape passport application and renewal traffic over the year, so they don't get inundated just before summer holidays. Also isn't it something like £60 for a regular application? So warning people up front would pull that money in sooner. would put the cost of passports up a fair whack tho A monthly mail shot can't be that expensive? They could even use that new technology like email or texting... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KyleR Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I sent mine off last week for renewal, need it by August, but haven't booked anything yet. After reading a few things in the last week or so, I think they offer an emergency 1 year extension or something, maybe worth reading up on that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StevoD Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I just don't get why they don't write to you way before it expires, like driving licence or TV licence. They could use these reminders to shape passport application and renewal traffic over the year, so they don't get inundated just before summer holidays. Also isn't it something like £60 for a regular application? So warning people up front would pull that money in sooner. would put the cost of passports up a fair whack tho A monthly mail shot can't be that expensive? They could even use that new technology like email or texting... it would have to be post as they cant agree to everyone having a phone or the new number the cant work on everyone having an email were as everyone has an address which then means more staff operating the system even if its only 4-5 the cost of the new system the cost of a couple million envelopes and paper with ink each year adds up Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamesyy Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Well what a coincidence! After posting this in the morning I found google searches of people who have chased it up with their local MP in the same situation. I called mine and he said he would get on to the home office straight away. Now what a coincidence. 2 and a half hours after contacting him and he having said he would contact the home office, we now magically get a call saying its been processed and can be picked up or posted next day delivery. I can now look forward to the holiday! Firstly thanks for all the helpful comments and input, excellent on a non car related topic and much appreciated. Would also strongly recommend anyone in this same position to contact their MP and get them to progress it. We waited for a call back for 3 weeks and got nothing, but 2 hours after contacting an MP the full thing is done. Coincidence... I think not! Anyway thanks again guys for all your help, truly appreciated. Regards, James 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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