Durham

[vsn22]

Just land up at Durham Passport office as early as possible today (Saturday). I think they work from 8 – 1530 on saturdays. Go with a copy of your ticket. From my understanding, if you are more than 6 weeks after submission, they will consider upgrade – for more than 10 weeks it is a free upgrade and for others it is a paid upgrade. If everything else is ok, you will get your passport in 3-4 hours. Go to the office where it is being processed. That way, they can get things done locally quicker.

[TerryTots]

So we’ve had a very different experience from most people. Haven’t received the passport yet but it’s being printed so I assume it won’t take too much longer. Online Child Passport Renewal lodged 17 June. Posted documents via DHL from Melbourne, Australia. Documents marked received on 29 June. Application approved and sent to print on 4 July. Yes it may still take weeks to print and send but the other response times have been pretty fantastic. I’m sure this doesn’t help anyone else but maybe it will give you hope that things are getting better.

[ks18]

Hello – Long post sorry!!
We have also pretty much given up 🙁
we sent a first time adult passport application with Post office check and send (paper application) on 13th April, got an email on 22nd April advising application received then another on 25th April advising it was now with Durham Passport office. NOTHING at all received since.
Ive chased it on the webchat option and they tell me as of yesterday it is STILL WAITING to be examined, its been there 10 weeks and not even been looked at yet!!- I know as a first time adult application I will likely need an interview too which are going to be hard to get I imagine, ive filled in application trackers and had a reply saying received and waiting to be checked, ive filled in the enquiry form nothing back from that – I rang advice line and the automated response told me they have the information they need and will continue with application and contact if need any more info then call ends, I spoke to someone on advice line number option 8, on 4th July who told me that they would have been in touch by now if I needed an interview (Not sure how they would know this though if they haven’t checked my application yet). I seem to get conflicting info from anyone I manage to get through to, ive filled out a complaint form, emailed MP but no reply and emailed the expedited team to see if there is any thing I can do to get it sped up as (i received automated response from that email!!) although ive read you can do this if you have waited more than 10 weeks, only thing is I have no holiday booked as yet so would have no flight docs to show, my holiday was due to start from 8th August but advised not to book anything by post office till you have passport so hadn’t booked anything!! thinking 17 weeks in advance of holiday I would have the passport with me.
its awful asking to wait till 2 weeks prior can expedite is as airline usually needs more notice than this or 48 hours before could turn up at office hoping they can sort it but no guarantees ??!!??!?
I am beyond frustrated and stressed its making me ill with worry as others have waited for booking their holidays till I had this passport back.
Any thing else I can do?? I’m desperate to get it, ive even said I would go wait at Durham office to see some one but the told me they would probably just turn me away
Thanks for letting me vent

[amber9514]

@ks18 only other thing you could do is hunt online for a cheap flight for within the next 2 weeks and go through the upgrade team that way, if you look about there will be some really cheap flights

[wanting3]

Amber9514 they are now checking you booked your flights before applying for a passivity to crack down on people booking cheap flights to get an upgrade. Doing this probably won’t work now and will just waste more money. If you’ve been waiting over 10 weeks you don’t need to have travel booked. You can still turn up to the office and get the application sorted

[amber9514]

Oops sorry didn’t realise that 🤦‍♀️

[Zestreyan]

Hi, can anyone help me passport timeline as below:

First Passport

May 7th sent via check and send service
May 14th
June 31st awaiting examination
July 05 awaiting printing
July 05th awaiting checking
No update since

Rung the progress team everyday since June 31st as due to fly on July 15th
Some people were helpful which is why I think my application suddenly started to move forward.
However, no one can give me an indication as what is happening now

Was told awaiting to be checked meant it was printed and needed checking before dispatch.
Will i receive tracking?
How long is the usual dispatch time from printing?
Have been told i cant upgrade due to first passport!
What are my options? Do you think it is likely to arrive on time judging from this timeline was told 4 days from printing to send and then 2 to 4 to arrive? Anyone had a similar experience.

Sorry for all the questions dont really know what to do and im stressed. Any help will be appreciated. Many thanks

[ks18]

@amber9514 – i did consider that but then read that they were checking to see when flights were booked and turning people away as @Wanting3 says, so I dare not do that to risk losing more money. I thought 10 weeks would be more than sufficient to get it back – we are not due to go till august 8th so fingers crossed there are still a few weeks BUT there are 7 of us going so will be harder to accommodate when booking late deals.
emailed expedite team on Thursday so hopefully hear something back by Wednesday this week, but failing that is arriving at the office an option ?? @wanting3, what’s likelihood of getting passport then , especially as i may need interview as 1st passport and people are saying those are hard to get booked too

[djs1996]

I need some help of who to contact, as I’m getting frustrated of sitting on hold for 2 hours plus and the embassy isn’t responding.

I need my replacement passport urgently (presently on week 8) as I need to renew my residency visa for the country I live in. The irony being, if I miss the visa renewal I have no method of leaving the country anyway!!!

All information I get is wish washed, and I’m unable to speak to anyway/have a contact email.

Pulling my hair out here as it’s urgent I have a form of ID. I had to get a new passport due to excessive wear and no pages left due to stamps.

Thanks in advance if anyone can support me.

[Upsidedown]

I’m a bit excited – just got email notification that our passport applications have both been approved!

StatusDate
Application approved 12:02pm on 11 July 2022
Documents received 12:21pm on 13 April 2022
Application received 5:45am on 24 February 2022
Identity details received 5:44am on 24 February 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 7:25am on 22 February 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 6:59am on 18 February 2022
Application submitted 6:59am on 18 February 2022

Application approved 12:02pm on 11 July 2022
Documents received 12:21pm on 13 April 2022
Application received 5:41am on 24 February 2022
Identity details received 5:40am on 24 February 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:30am on 22 February 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 6:39am on 22 February 2022
Application submitted 6:39am on 22 February 2022

This was after emailing the expedite team on the weekend.

[Estival]

Does “awaiting examination” mean it has progressed further than “in processing” or is it the same thing?

[Upsidedown]

Awaiting examination is the last part of the process before it is approved.

[ks18]

ive just had a call back and email advising its finally with an examiner after 11 weeks 🙂 said once checks are done itll be 3-5 days after printing for delivery and no need for an interview as waited so long – so hopefully moving in the right direction. now just the worry of how long the examination takes

[Estival]

@ks18 Mine is also with an examiner. Is that good? I wasn’t sure if this was further along then “being processed” or whether it was the same thing? 🤔

[ks18]

@Estival, that’s good news! I’m hoping that means its not too much more of a wait now – just wait for updates.

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