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bubsxo, I am so sorry to read this. Such a stressful situation. I too found that information provided by call handlers was incorrect. I don’t think it is their fault though. I think the system is at fault. I too had a really stressful time. I have started a government petition for change. Please do sign it to help everyone on this forum. I really hope that you situation is sorted out for you. I am so sorry.
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/612738
Reform UK passport application tracking and options to fast-track applications
We want the Government to:
1. Improve passport tracking information so accurate, detailed and real-time information is available online for all passport applications.
2. Allow the option to fast-track any passport application (for a fee) for any reason.More details
My recent experience of passport renewals has highlighted the need for the passport application system, and the tracking information provided to customers throughout the application process, to be overhauled.There is a lack of communication in the system, which can cause a lot of stress. In addition, there is a lack of flexibility in the system for existing applications.
After a tricky and stressful passport renewal experience I have started a government petition. Please do sign it to help everyone on this forum:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/612738
Reform UK passport application tracking and options to fast-track applications
We want the Government to:
1. Improve passport tracking information so accurate, detailed and real-time information is available online for all passport applications.
2. Allow the option to fast-track any passport application (for a fee) for any reason.More details
My recent experience of passport renewals has highlighted the need for the passport application system, and the tracking information provided to customers throughout the application process, to be overhauled.There is a lack of communication in the system, which can cause a lot of stress. In addition, there is a lack of flexibility in the system for existing applications.
After a tricky and stressful passport renewal experience I have started a government petition. Please do sign it to help everyone on this forum:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/612738
Reform UK passport application tracking and options to fast-track applications
We want the Government to:
1. Improve passport tracking information so accurate, detailed and real-time information is available online for all passport applications.
2. Allow the option to fast-track any passport application (for a fee) for any reason.More details
My recent experience of passport renewals has highlighted the need for the passport application system, and the tracking information provided to customers throughout the application process, to be overhauled.There is a lack of communication in the system, which can cause a lot of stress. In addition, there is a lack of flexibility in the system for existing applications.
After a tricky and stressful passport renewal experience I have started a government petition. Please do sign it to help everyone on this forum:
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/612738
Reform UK passport application tracking and options to fast-track applications
We want the Government to:
1. Improve passport tracking information so accurate, detailed and real-time information is available online for all passport applications.
2. Allow the option to fast-track any passport application (for a fee) for any reason.More details
My recent experience of passport renewals has highlighted the need for the passport application system, and the tracking information provided to customers throughout the application process, to be overhauled.There is a lack of communication in the system, which can cause a lot of stress. In addition, there is a lack of flexibility in the system for existing applications.
sorry – so not full weeks as I had said above. It is 6 weeks and 4 days for both children’s renewal of passport. Adult renewal was 5 weeks exactly.
Child renewal timeline (2 children):
-Post Office Check and Send: 15th February for both
-Processing (both): 23rd February
-1 child’s passport printed 23rd Feb (text received on 24th Feb saying it should arrive in next few days – but didn’t)
-2 child passport printed 30th MarchBoth passports received on 1st April 2022 (possible because I contacted my MPs office who also phoned the passport office).
Travel date: 8th April.
Total time: 46 days (6 weeks and 4 days).
SO, we finally received our 2 children’s passports today (1st April) and our travel date is 8th April. It has been really stressful, but interesting that my daughter’s passport was printed on 30th March and we received it on 1st April together with my son’s passport which had been printed on 23rd March.
We received a text on 24th March saying ‘you should receive you new passport in a few working days’ but even through calling they couldn’t tell us which of the two children’s passports this pertained to (we had done the paper post office check and send route). Then, when I discovered my daughters passport had only been printed on 30th I thought we had no chance given that my son’s had been printed on 23rd and still hadn’t arrived. But then they did arrive on 1st April (today). Both of them did.
What I think did help (though I can’t be sure) is that I did contact my MPs office. The MPs assistant contacted HM Passport Office (they have a dedicated telephone line for MPs) and flagged our travel date as 8th April on their system apparently. The passport office also told the MPs office that our passports should be with us in time and the MPs assistant phoned me to let us know this. So, I am hugely grateful. My learning is that I will only ever do FAST TRACK from now on as you never know when your passport is needed. I really hope it works out for the rest of you. All in all it has been 7 weeks since posting via the post office. Online applications are definitely quicker as it takes some time for paper applications to be scanned onto the system. The Post Office didn’t tell me this.
I have started a government petition to improve the passport processing system, communication with call handlers and tracking. 5 of you lovely people supported it. I will share on this forum if the petition is approved as no-one else can support it now until and if it goes live.
Good luck to all of you!
I am an ex Head Teacher and I would never have got away with such poor customer service in as school. I would have been closed down. I don’t blame the call handlers. I don’t think they have the information they need. I just think that the whole system needs an overhaul and needs to be more automated with tracking updates in real-time.
Having read everyone’s stress, I am sure that we can all group together to put pressure on the government to change the system for everyone’s good. Please do write to your MPs. I have been in touch with the MP office and my MP’s assistant also found that the passport office gave them inaccurate information. Also a headache for her. It is just a system that needs to be changed. However, if we all leave this forum without raising the issue with people who can change the system, nothing will change. I really hope that my bad experience will help others.
My children’s passports (renewals) went to print on 23rd March, but no further information after this date. We hope to travel to my sister’s wedding on 8th April. Her wedding had already been cancelled twice due to COVID and our passports would have been in date previously. Please do write to your MPs!
This is really strange, the helpline told me my kids passports were with the Durham office. Since then they say they were sent to Newport all along! I also notice not much discussion about Newport on this thread. Has anyone sent in child renewals and how long did they take please? My children’s renewals have been with the examiner since 21st February. My husbands passport arrived today. We travel on 8th April, so I am getting worried now.
I think we should lobby our MP for a more compassionate system. I think that people would be prepared to pay more to have their passports expediated in exceptional circumstances(not just death of a relative). What do others think?
I had posted yesterday that my husband’s passport was waiting for exam from 23rd Feb. Finally today he had a text saying ‘your passport should arrive in a few days.’ This is encouraging.
No news on the children’s passports yet but theirs were with his and ‘waiting for exam’ from 23rd Feb. So, I am hoping that we will have news of them soon.
So, husband’s passport check and send at post office was sent in on 15th February. Waiting for exam from 23rd Feb and no more news until 17th March when we had a text saying ‘you should receive your new passport within a few working days. We’ll send your supporting documents separately.” So, 30 days days from sending the passport off until receiving a text saying we should receive the new one within the next few days. I hope that this helps others. My learning is I will always do fast track from now on though as this process was very stressful with not much information on the stage of the process.
