Passport Office has destroyed my passport - help!

georgiac

Bizarre one!

We applied for a passport for our foster child a couple of months ago. We had to include various documents to support the application including my passport.

The process was delayed by the local authority and was finally completed 3 weeks before we travel.

Unfortunately, they returned our foster child's expired passport with a corner snipped, and did the same to my passport which was valid for another 7 years.

They admitted the mistake initially and told us that we'd have to travel to the passport office to get a new one. They said it would be free as they had snipped it. This would be incovenient as it is a fair distance and would mean taking a day off work for something they had done wrong.

Obviously we would do it but when thy rang back to make the appointment they said it would be quicker to apply at the post office and send the forms guaranteed next day delivery. They said a note would be attached to expediate the service and that they would contact us to keep us up to date with the progress.

We received notification from th Post Office that the Passport Office received them last week but since then we have heard nothing.

We have tried phoning - only to now be told by a call centre that there is no record of the application. They won't put us through to customer services and basically say tough.

We have put in an online official complaint and received an email response saying they will respond within 15 days - when we should be on a beach relaxing!

Does anyone have any advice for a v. stressed carer!

Thanks in advance

eDicky

georgiac said:

 they said it would be quicker to apply at the post office and send the forms guaranteed next day delivery. They said a note would be attached to expediate the service and that they would contact us to keep us up to date with the progress.

In what way was the note going to be attached? Was the application made as a renewal, replacement of lost/damaged, or..? Did you send in your snipped passport? Did you check the online service for tracking applications..?

Hoenir

georgiac said:

We received notification from th Post Office that the Passport Office received them last week but since then we have heard nothing.

We have tried phoning - only to now be told by a call centre that there is no record of the application. They won't put us through to customer services and basically say tough.

Acknowedgement of receipt is just the mail room. Thousands will arrive every week.  Not an indication that processing has started. A week isn't long. Nor will they waste time trying to track down just yours. Time is more productively spent getting the applcations through the system and new passports printed and dispatched. 

Emmia

I applied online for a new passport recently, and it was with me in less than a week - paper forms might be slower to process though.

Flugelhorn

who did you speak to when the problem initially occurred? sounds like they need to make you an appointment to get it done in person 

georgiac

Thanks, they initially suggested an appointment then changed their minds and said I should complete the form and post it. They were attaching the note electronically on the system as a damaged by Passport Office replacement as it is surprisingly common apparantly. We also put our date of travel at the front of the application. We were told to insert the snipped passport too. Since then we have had repeated conversations with the call centre without success. We then made a formal complaint and a member of the Customer Service Management Team rang us and was lovely. Unfortunately they couldn't locate where our application is up to and so we are left with 7 working days until our holiday. If it isn't in the system by the weekend they will hopefully cancel the application and arrange an appointment - fingers crossed!

saajan_12

I wonder if you can apply for a new passport online, paying for it as usual if that's the fastest way, and then claim the money back from them.. much better than risking your entire holiday.. 
My standard renewal was back within a week, and that was last year. 

mksysb

saajan_12 said:

I wonder if you can apply for a new passport online, paying for it as usual if that's the fastest way, and then claim the money back from them.. much better than risking your entire holiday.. 
My standard renewal was back within a week, and that was last year. 

probably won't work as you have to send the old one back, and he doesn't have it now.

smudge56

Did the customer service management team tell you where to send the application form?  They are in Southport so they should have received and then sent it on to a processing office to complete.  Keep on at the call centre and ask to escalate to a team leader.  Unfortunately there is no generic number for CSMT as all calls are through the computer and numbers are personal to each individual