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Hi, so I applied online for a adult renewal a couple of weeks back. As soon as I clicked “order” i thought i’d check the current wait time (as I was needing to travel in about a month for work).
Saw that it was 5 weeks wait. Ok no worries I thought, I can just cancel it and fast track it…….Called their offices, was told I should have had an email with a link with something to click on to cancel the application and that I could not apply for fast track until it is cancelled. Fair enough I thought. Waited for that email.
The next day, still no email. Called them again. Was told this time that it takes up to 48 hours for that email to come through. ffs ok.
Next day, still nothing. Called them again and this time i was told that it would be escalated as I should have had it by now.
A call back a few hours later, the person this time said that no such email exists and to cancel, the only way is to send a snailmail letter to do so!!! I flagged that by the time someone had opened, read the letter and cancelled the order, informed me and allow me to order a fast track, it would be likely no different in timings than I am currently experiencing. The person seemed to think that they would open it and cancel it quickly. I didn’t believe him.Oh and he also said that my original application was non refundable. !?!?! despite them not having done a thing as the passport was yet to be returned.
figured as I live in Peterborough I could pop in on Monday and speak to someone to get the definitive answer (sister in law used to work for passport office too and she said i could do that).
Waited in line for an hour to be refused entry because i didn’t have an appt.So, seeing that I had little real option, given that the time for a fasttrack appt was now cutting it fine to get it back in 7 days even if it was cancelled within a week… plus I don’t want the risk of spending nearly 300quid on a simple renewal, ridiculous!). So, I just sent the passport off and hope it might be back in time. Knowing full well it wouldn’t really be …at all.
Posted monday. Friday I had confirmation of receipt.
Guessing there is pretty much no hope now seeing as the graphs on this site say there is currently about a 25 day wait (although I’m unsure if that is from application or from acknowledgement of the passport receipt…. and is that working days or assuming a 7 day week?).
Passport service is an absolute joke. Its 2022, but the flexability and way of doing things is akin to 1972!
Once it hits two weeks before you are due to travel phone (and if you are willing to pay for the upgrade) and ask for the service to be upgraded as you have proof you are due to travel within two weeks.
I don’t have personal experience of doing this (I had a nine-week wait for my passport) so I can’t say if it is effective or efficient but would be worth a shot.
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