HM Passport Office

I'm_With_Stupid

Does anyone know how you can actually get to talk to someone who can help?

I applied for a fast track passport on 16th December, which was guaranteed to arrive on 23rd. As you can probably guess, it still hasn't arrived and I'm supposed to fly in two days. When I phone them up, all they can tell me was that it was printed on the 19th. TNT who do the deliveries have no record of it on their system. But the most frustrating thing is that the people on the phone line are seemingly unable to actually do anything useful, either in terms of finding out what happened, or actually putting you into contact with someone who can. All they can do (they claim) is put in a call back request, where the management will phone you back 'within 24 hours.' Well I requested that 24 hours ago and no-one phoned me. So I phoned them back this morning, and again, all he can do is put another request in, which again I was advised will take 'up to 24 hours.' It's a shambles. So does anyone know of any way of speaking to someone who can actually do something?

DullGreyGuy

Having had my own fun with HMPO in May/June of this year I did manage to get a telephone number for the "management team" because whilst my callbacks in 48 hours were actually made the person making the callback was the same outsourced team who I'd spoken to in the first place. 

My experience of the "management team" was an average of 2.5hrs waiting time to get to speak to anyone and whilst they sounded much more confident in their answers their advice turned out to be just as incorrect as the main number. 

MPs do have an expedited number they can call... our experience was very poor but others have reported their MP being much more helpful. If you are able to contact them at this time of year may be another question. 

I'm_With_Stupid

Thanks for that. I've just called the MP's office and their staff are calling for me now. Dunno if it will help, but fingers crossed.

smudge56

I'm_With_Stupid said:

Does anyone know how you can actually get to talk to someone who can help?

I applied for a fast track passport on 16th December, which was guaranteed to arrive on 23rd. As you can probably guess, it still hasn't arrived and I'm supposed to fly in two days. When I phone them up, all they can tell me was that it was printed on the 19th. TNT who do the deliveries have no record of it on their system. But the most frustrating thing is that the people on the phone line are seemingly unable to actually do anything useful, either in terms of finding out what happened, or actually putting you into contact with someone who can. All they can do (they claim) is put in a call back request, where the management will phone you back 'within 24 hours.' Well I requested that 24 hours ago and no-one phoned me. So I phoned them back this morning, and again, all he can do is put another request in, which again I was advised will take 'up to 24 hours.' It's a shambles. So does anyone know of any way of speaking to someone who can actually do something?

Which office did you visit to make you application?  I suggest you go back to the office this morning as that is the office that dealt with your application.  They may be able to re print another passport for you whilst you are waiting.

I'm_With_Stupid

It just arrived in the post. The main issue was that they gave me a TNT tracking number and then sent it with the Royal Mail. So neither me nor them could track where it was, and presumably it was affected by the strikes.

I also didn't get asked to sign for it, so I don't even know if there will be any proof it was late for the compensation claim.

I got it from Liverpool, but I couldn't have gone to get another one, because I needed the original passport back too as it has my work permit for Malaysia inside.

DullGreyGuy

Might need a clean pair of pants but at least its turned up in time!

Dalby84UK

Next time might want to use the urgent passport service (https://www.passports-office.co.uk/emergency_passports.asp), especially when theres a royal mail strike. I cannot believe HM Passport office would use RM or a courier that relys on them when they already have delays, these people running it have no clue as usual even the last two had to step down due to disasters aswell: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2019/aug/22/home-office-passport-and-visa-chief-mark-thomson-set-to-resign