Turning 16 while waiting for child passport renewal

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Viewing 9 posts - 16 through 24 (of 24 total)
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  • #17751
    s_h123
    Participant

    Pleased to hear you received your letter, hopefully things will move quickly for you. I’d happily pay the extra if it meant we’d get the passport back quicker. What I don’t understand is why they don’t just issue when you apply prior to the 3weeks cut off for an adult passport or at least give you a warning that it may be rejected and option to upgrade there and then!

    #17940
    Flowers27
    Participant

    Another update, not sure if it is helpful. I called again Sunday and got through to progression. They told me a form had been sent 15th June (received 21st), it was just another application form for an adult passport. She advised not to send it back oddly but wait until the upgrade team called – interestingly she said the upgrade team don’t work on Sundays so I couldn’t be put through. She put an ‘Alert’ on my records and someone did actually call on Monday from Liverpool upgrade (first time having been called).

    They refused to take a scanned copy of the form and said they needed new passport photos as well as the other ones were digital and they couldn’t access them!? I was advised to get an application form from the post office (as the form they posted to me hadn’t arrived at this stage), which we did and sent recorded guaranteed next day before 1 to the Liverpool address they gave. Guess what… Royal Mail still have it in the depot 24 hours after the guaranteed delivery time. Seriously losing hope – 72 hours out from the flight now.

    They also said they couldn’t take payment for the upgrade over the phone until they got the form.
    I can’t understand why the processes sound different?

    Any advice gratefully received.

    #18044
    s_h123
    Participant

    I received a text from HM Passport this morning and was hopeful before I read it, it was just exactly the same info as previously stating old passport received- o don’t understand how can have for weeks and then re said same text and email. no change to tracker. I’m hoping it means they are looking at it but she’s 16 on Monday!!
    I hope there has been some positive outcomes for others on thread, it’s just so frustrating

    #18103
    Flowers27
    Participant

    We did receive the passport through the upgrade service in time for the flight. The Royal Mail delivered the adult application and photos on Wednesday morning and I received a call from the Liverpool office early afternoon. They pushed the application through and it was printed the next day in Newport, collected in the afternoon. Very stressful process when you are heading into flights and holidays being cancelled knowing there is a fairly complex issue with your application i.e. needing to restart from the beginning!

    A few observations from the process:

    I spoke to four seemingly knowledgeable and understanding people who all said they had put my case through for an urgent call back from thee upgrade team. The only time actually I received an a call back was when the last person putting me for a call back confirmed that they had added my flight date on the system (noting she was surprised her previous colleagues hadn’t done this) – even though it has been discussed on every call with each of them. I would check this is being completed when you speak to the customer management teams or progression teams. I have to add that by the time I spoke with this final customer management lady I was getting upset (shaky voice and only just about holding it together not to cry!) and she did say she had put an ‘alert’ on the case as she could tell it was causing distress. I think there is something in this ‘alert’ for unlocking access to the upgrade team, other people on the forum have reported similar and there have been references to it in other discussions I had with the progression teams.

    Another point of note, I only received an automated response to my upgrade email sent to Liverpool when I was 72 hours away from the flight. I very specifically only wrote ‘Flight 25th June’. I am not sure if it was the 72 hours element or the simple title of the email but I had never received one until that point. They are definitely using some sort of screening via the email titles with use of capitals or not/flight date so I would suggest following exactly what you are told to write.

    Once you do get a call back from upgrade, reviewing the forum, I would say they do on the whole get your passport sorted but would suggest escalating hard at five days before flight to give yourself the best chance heading into the 72/48 hours prior with as much on your system as possible.

    Happy to advise on anything else from my experience if needed.

    #18104
    Flowers27
    Participant

    Oh and forgot to add they took payment for the conversion to adult (£26.50) and the upgrade service (£125) over the phone! Cannot deny that a cynical thought crossed my mind as to whether this is all an additional revenue generating scam!

    #18199
    s_h123
    Participant

    I definitely think you are right, glad it’s sorted for you but ridiculous that has cost so much more!
    I managed to get on chat today and before he cut me off, this was said!!!

    Where an applicant turns 16 mid- applications, you will be contacted for next steps – which should require submission of a new form and payment (to scale up the application to a full 10 year passport and adult application). As no queries have been raised to resolve I will need to advise to allow time for the office to raise this and then contact you on how to resolve this.

    I honestly wish I’d waited until she was 16 now as my older daughters has been back well over 2 weeks and this one is just stuck!!

    #18546
    bilty
    Participant

    We have had a letter stating need to upgrade to adult passport and pay the difference! But no contact details to pay the difference. Has anyone got any telephone numbers please. Getting close to our holiday dates.

    #18599
    StillWaiting47
    Participant

    We also got that letter to pay the £26.50 difference. The number to pay by credit card is 0300 222 1111 and is open from 8am to 8pm (Mon to Fri) and 9am to 5.30pm weekends.

    The person on that number takes the details and another person then calls you back to take the actual payment which could be up to 48 hours later, although it was within the hour for me so pretty good.

    Once the signed letter was sent back and the payment made, the passport was approved within a couple of days and we received it within a week.

    Good luck.

    #18675
    s_h123
    Participant

    That’s great to hear, it does give a little bit of hope after I received an email back today stating that my daughters application was received on a different date and sent to a different office which is a little bit concerning as I think they’ve sent me details for someone else.

    Just wondered what dates the passport office received applications for those who have now received a letter and paid the extra £26.50, trying to work out how much longer it could be before we get passport back. Many thanks 🙂

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