Cancelling app & going for 1 week service

[jadelem]

So, having read how long things are taking I fly in less than 8 weeks and my daughters passport is in doc recieved (I did leave 10 weeks) I’m now considering writing to Corby who has her old passport, cancelling the application and booking a fast track. I’ve been told it will take 10 working days to get the old passport back but given the shambles the passport offices are in, it’s a gamble. Has anyone done this? I really don’t know whether to wait it out with fingers crossed or pull the plug.

[dimarolivier]

Hi jadelem, we did this yesterday as the passport we sent for renew was still valid until September, we applied on the 2nd March and our holidays are the 31st and we are still waiting in processing

[sk91]

Mine is a lost/ stolen application which was submitted on 27th Feb and I’m stuck in ‘processing’ – we fly on the 31st. I spoke to HMPO twice this week, on Tuesday I was told renewals were taking 4 weeks from the day the application goes to processing – not the day you apply (very misleading!).
I’m pulling out my application on Monday when I go to the fast track appointment at 9.00am. From what I’ve been reading I have more chance of getting my fast track passport in 6 days than I am waiting for this normal application to go through processing.
I don’t have any documents to request back but they did tell me it’s taking around 2 weeks to get old passports back to people if you withdraw the application..

[crbev85]

I hate putting a dampener on everything, but our fast track took more than a week.

We applied for a first child passport when it said it would take 3 weeks and got stuck in application processing. Luckily we have two birth certificates so went with the second one and a cover letter withdrawing our application early on 14th March. We got our first birth certificate back on 23rd March, so within the two weeks. Royal Mail very good re sending updates and bringing when they said.

‘Fast track’ passport only arrived yesterday morning (24th). We were given an incorrect/invalid reference, so couldn’t even chase it. Just lost in the HMPO fun vacuum. Issue date is over 7 days after our appointment, so not TNT that were the problem. We only got a message to say it was coming the day before we got it with no real indication of when that would be.

Either panic early and chase that birth certificate until it’s back or perhaps ring and check that they can’t use their existing scan of it for your fast track application? I found you get helpful and unhelpful plus conflicting information from the helpline, so ring a few times until you get someone that genuinely sounds like they know what they’re talking about. We took bad advice early on and it cost us a couple of weeks. If they’ll accept their existing scan of the document, then you could do the same as us and save the stress of waiting for the return of the birth certificate.

Only other tip is to keep refreshing the appointments page as they release them in batches and you can probably get one that suits you.

It’s all horribly stressful. Good luck!

[cjay]

has yours arrived yet?

[brassimc]

I’m going to do this as well but the closest passport office is 6 hours away. Silly question but do I have to take my daughter with me to the passport office or can I go on her behalfX it’s her first passport

[sazward89]

Hi I’ve just requested my old passport back, does anyone know how long it takes to come back and whether it is sent via TNT? I know it’s taking 11 days for post to be scanned so I’m expected 2 weeks, but don’t know if it’s 2 weeks from when they read the letter. Im so anxious and stressed with this all, I just want it back! Thanks x

[trebby]

Hi
Can I just check the process for this?
I have applied to replace a stolen passport but just hit processing stage today. Travelling in 6 weeks and judging by posts on these forums it sounds like there’s a good chance my passport won’t arrive by then.

If I want to switch to the one week fast track, do I just make an appointment and take a cancellation letter with me? I don’t know which centre my application has gone to, does that matter?

[sk91]

We took a letter saying we wanted to cancel our current application for lost/stolen passport replacement and go with the fast track service appointment (date, time, HMPO office location). I included as much info as possible .. so full name, dob, address, email, plus existing passport application number and the date that was submitted.
I also included a second later which gave the details of the stolen passport – the police reference number and reference number from the passport office when I’d reported it to them.
Basically just cover all bases haha and triple check the form / photos to make sure they have nothing to come back to you on.
If someone is going to the fast track appointment on your behalf you have to take a letter authorising the person (give there name) to apply on your behalf and sign it (again I included the information I possibly could on the letter).
They didn’t say anything about where the current application ha gone. I assumed mine went to London but my partner went to the passport office in Liverpool on my behalf and they said it was fine .. I’ve not heard anything from them to say otherwise!

[dimarolivier]

Hello, did they said the passport was lost?

[dimarolivier]

Sorry how do you know is lost or stolen? I think my application might be the same?

[sk91]

I lost my passport during a house move and my partner had his stolen last year so we didn’t have a passport to give back to do a standard passport renewal so we had to do a lost/ stolen passport application

[jadelem]

Not yet but only a week since I wrote in to cancel. The helpline said 2 weeks to get my old passport back but also said if I included a SAE it would be quicker.

[Author]

Posts