MSE News: Passport backlog: What are your rights?

Annabee

Nice! I assume you have everything organised perfectly all the time then? Until very recently, as far as I'm aware, the public was being told that passports took 3 weeks to come as standard. The information about the massive backlog came out not that long ago. But if it makes you feel good, carry on gloating!

(I have no personal axe to grind, as my passport was renewed last year, lucky for me. Took the standard 3 weeks, in June/July). I assume part of this year's problem is the job cuts that have been made to the service.

Prof_Ligate

jaylee3 wrote: »

I have got not one single scrap of sympathy for ANYone regarding this. ANYbody who booked their holiday BEFORE getting their passport deserves all they get IMO. It's a well documented fact that you should always wait for your passport to arrive before making holiday plans. It says it in big letters on the passport application!

I don't think the passport office should owe anybody ANYthing. Yes, they have a backlog. Sh-t happens. if you lost your holiday because of it; bad luck. Lesson learned. Get your passport FIRST next time.

May sound harsh, but I just have no time for stupidity.

There was this bloke on the news a week or so ago with a chubby red-eyed little daughter on his lap for effect and he was whining 'we go on holiday tomorrow and Shannon's passport is not here yet, so we can't go.' It was about 15th June: he sent for 'Shannon's' passport on 25th MAY!

You gotta be some special kinda stupid to send for a passport THREE WEEKS before your very expensive family holiday overseas.

Like I said: I have not a jot of sympathy.

Well I guess I'm one of those special kind of stupid people, although we did allow more than 3 weeks. My daughter's passport is now here thanks to the advice on here re contacting my MP for help.

I think part of the problem (political staffing issues aside) is that the passport office advertise a 3 week turnaround. If they ditched that and started stating that an application could take up to three months using the standard procedure, then maybe people would apply earlier as their expectations would have been managed better.

dianasnan

Just to give people hope.
I sent mine by check and send for renewal and it was received on 09/06 , hadn't seen the news about delays .Had text this morning to say it was being printed and would be here in a couple of days.

So not all bad news, less than 3 weeks

painterscastle

We were not planning a holiday abroad this year but changed our minds. Thankfully as I was about to pay I had a nagging thought about our passports. Sure enough they run out this August so they have to be renewed. So I didnt book the holiday.

I applied to renew online for 2 adults and a child. the passport office got our photos etc on 23 July 2014. So now we just wait and see if they get here in the 3 weeks they are still saying.

If they arrive in time then you never know I might even get a good deal. Highly unlikely in the school holidays I know but I can dream.

When I receive them I will post a reply so that may be people can gauge how long they are taking.

balletshoes

2 colleagues applied for their childen's first passports - one at the end of May, and one a week later on 5th June. Both sets of passports have been received just within the 6-week turnaround for new passports (ie one set last week, and one this week, so around 5 weeks each).

chrisyb84

Hi does anyone know what else i can do we sent off for my sons renewel passport nealy 6 wks ago and still nothing we fly on the 21st july. When we sent it we got the txt message confirming that they received the application so we left it about 3 wks so we decided to phone them to see everything was ok they told us that they havnt even got his application,so they said leave it with us and said if you havnt received anything by the 14th july phone us back. We decided to phone back 7th because we was running out of time they told us it is in printing they said they will call us back within 48 hrs they called us back and said the passport isnt on the system now she said it might of been sent out in the post but what are we suppose to do if it hasnt we fly on the 21st:mad:

bylromarha

Anyone any update as to how long they are taking?

Hubby sent his renewal off 1st class 13th June (not recorded or special...just DON'T go there, he's already had an earbashing from me about it...)

Passport office claim they didn't get it until 26th June. 4 weeks from then, which is what they're claiming in their email, is approx turnaround time. 24th July is when it should be here by...waiting with baited breath.

Anyone else having Royal Mail take an extrordinarily long time to deliver to the Passport office?

duchy

growler834 wrote: »

We need 6 months left on our passports when we visit the US in late April - our passports will only have 5 months left on them when we leave the US in May so we need to renew them for that visit.

Why on earth does this myth persist........could it be because holiday companies and travel agents are too lazy to use apps they've had access for years to like TIMATIC properly ?

I have travelled to the US on a UK passport with 5 days remaining on it-They didn't even question it (obviously they could see my return flight on the data the airline gives them though). I left after 4 days- returned overnight so arrived on the last day my passport was valid.

I hate to think how many people renewed believing the incorrect info about needing 6 months validity- and now won't get their passports back in time.

duchy

painterscastle wrote: »

We were not planning a holiday abroad this year but changed our minds. Thankfully as I was about to pay I had a nagging thought about our passports. Sure enough they run out this August so they have to be renewed. So I didnt book the holiday.

I applied to renew online for 2 adults and a child. the passport office got our photos etc on 23 July 2014. So now we just wait and see if they get here in the 3 weeks they are still saying.

If they arrive in time then you never know I might even get a good deal. Highly unlikely in the school holidays I know but I can dream.

When I receive them I will post a reply so that may be people can gauge how long they are taking.

Do you mean June ?

fiona242

My sister works for a call centre company that has been sub-contracted to deal with calls.
I can tell you, they don't have a lot of sympathy for complainers.
What the newspapers don't tell you is that most of the delays are caused by the people applying. If folk took time to read the forms properly, complete them in full, sign them in the right place etc, then they wouldn't have such a problem.
And how about NOT BOOKING A HOLIDAY WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE A PASSPORT!
You wouldn't buy a car when you don't a license would you?