[bubsxo]

I don’t know if anyone can help or offer advice but I’m on the verge of tears. To be honest I’ve cried already!

Pre warning, long post.

We’re going away on the 17th of April. I checked my passport and realised this was due to expire in July so paid for a standard renewal on the 14th of March. Silly now I know, however at the time the waiting times were only 3 weeks.

Total cost so far £75 + £6 signed for next day delivery of my old passport.

I rang up to check the progress on the 25th of March as they’d signed for the passport on the 16th and I’d had no updates. I was advised the timeframe now was 10 weeks, obviously not good enough.

The lady on the phone asked if my passport was damaged, I advised no as I had gone through the checklist on their site prior to paying the £75. All the pages were intact, however the front cover was slightly worn but there was nothing to suggest this was classed as damaged. When I advised her of this she said this changes things, when we receieve your documents (they were received 9 days prior) these would not be accepted as they are damaged and in order to get a passport on time now you must apply for a fast track.

She advised me to declare the passport as lost, which I did. Write a letter asking to withdraw the renewal and send this off signed for immediately, book a fast track appointment as soon as possible, and take a copy of the withdrawal letter, proof of postage of this letter, a lost passport reference number, a NEW application, and two photos one signed for, and that my previous application would be withdrawn in person and the new one processed immediately guaranteed for 7 days. The second i paid for the fast track my documents were miraculously received.

Total cost so far now;

£75 for old application
£6 for signed for delivery of old passport
£3 for signed for delivery of withdrawal letter received the 26th of March
£8 for new passport photos
£147 for a fast track appointment.
£5 parking for FT.

Cue my appointment on the 30th at 9am. As soon as I got there I was advised I shouldn’t of declared the damage passport as lost, despite being told to. I queried whether a faded cover was actually as damaged but it was ignored. She took all my documents and said my old application is still live and won’t be withdrawn until the letter is attached. I told her this is why I’ve brought a copy of the letter so you can do it immediately. “Thats not how this works” (fyi about 10 people on twitter have done this and their applications have been withdrawn a refund issued and their fast tracks processed immediately). When I asked how long my FT would take, she shrugged and said usually 7 days but in your case longer. You can go now. And she stood up and simply walked off.

I left in floods of tears and immediately rang the advice line who agreed the information she gave me was wrong, I was due a refund, and my FT should of been approved. They were going to get someone to contact me back. A lovely chap rang back I explained the situation and he agreed her advice was incorrect. Told me to ignore everything she said and checked both applications. The fast track was now on the system so I should receive that by the 6th but he advised to ring Monday if I haven’t had a tracking number, and he checked that she did infact leave a note on my old application at 9.05 to cancel this and not to worry about my old application ant further. He passed the information onto complaints to get someone to contact me regarding a refund.

Todays latest drama is I received a text to say my old application which should be cancelled is being progressed. I rang to query this and again has to explain the whole situation. The lady confirmed the process of taking a letter to a FT appointment for immediate withdrawal was correct. She also advised me my passport was NOT damaged as faded front covers have to impact, and that my application has been a nightmare. Upon checking my old application she confirmed despite me asking for it to be cancelled it was now being processed with a NEW application date of the 30th of March. My fast track date. And that this would significantly delay things. I explained I cancelled this and paid an additional £147 to FT a new application and she agreed that it seems my old one hasn’t been cancelled and I will instead have to wait for this one. Furiously I agreed to wait 48 hours for a callback from resolutions.

Tonight I have received this update. They are sending me a letter as there’s been a problem with my OLD SUPPOSEDLY CANCELLED APPLICATION. and that I am not to contact them further until I receive the letter.

I’m due to fly in 16 days.
So far I have paid over £220 in passport fees alone excluding postage fees etc.
I have spoken to tons of people on twitter who in the same situation as me was given the same advice and their old applications withdrawn there and then and a new passport received in 6 days.
However one guy did the same as me, they cancelled his fast track and processed his original application instead. No refunds nothing. Luckily he will receive this in time as his old application was months prior to mine.
If they process my old one there’s no chance I’ll receive it in time, especially there’s now a supposed problem.

THIS IS WHY I CANCELLED AND PAID FOR A FAST TRACK.

Does anyone have any advice or guidance. I could cry. I have cried. I’m so fed up. Their call handlers lie down the phone, or tell you incorrect advice. Their hold times are ridiculous and the people who deal with your application are no better.

I’m going to be down a holiday and £250 out of pocket with no passport due to their terrible advice.

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