Options
What do people think? will I get my passport in time?
Dannielle_Howel
Posts: 1,551 Forum Member
✭✭✭
Hi! So me and the other half sent both of our applications off at the beginning on July via Royal Mail Check and Send, and we both received a text on the 8th of July to say it had arrived. From there we have heard nothing since and it's coming up to five weeks and neither of us has had the identity interview (Both are our very first passports) Now we will be flying on September 11th and with the passport backlog crisis going on I'm starting to get really worried. It'll be very upsetting if we can't go as its our first holiday abroad for both of us and it's for my 21st birthday. So, I'm just wondering what everyone thinks the chances of me getting it back in time are? Also i am aware that they tell you to wait vefore booking a holiday, but this was a surprise for my birthday. I have also emailed them but got a generic 'Your application arrived at Peterborough office on 8th of July' Thank you for pandering to my paranoia 
0
Comments
mine is up for renewal next April, so I'll be renewing it via 'check and send' in Nov/Dec...... I will not be booking my flights for June/July 2015 (for the USA)... until I have my new passport in my hand.. then I need to check to see if my ESTA is still valid.
I hope you get your passport in time....
As I've said it was a surprise neither of us knew about. We also weren't aware of the passport backlog until the start of July.
I believe the standard wait they publicise for a 1st passport is about 6 weeks, no? So if I were you I'd wait til after that and then just keep calling them. That's why my friend did.
You'll need to apply for another ESTA if you have renewed your passport.
I would say its cutting it fine. Someone mentioned something once that you can pay to have it done faster which tbh sounds very fishy as if they are profitting from the backlog but i would say do that if it means going on holiday.
I dont know if that would work for you though since youve not had your interview yet. Once your application has been processed you have your interview and then get your passport. I suppose of youre stuck in the backlog now you could also get stuck in it once the passport is being done after the interview,
Whoever booked the tickets? Did they know you didnt have a passport?
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1991783
It arrived 10 days later much to my surprise and delight.
Possibly the situation is different for first time passports.
...and the 13th anniversary too, hope you're not superstitious.
I am a bit worried I'll be honest, not the greatest date to have my first flight ever on, but I'm sure everything will be fine xD
Seriously. How would the average person on DS know. Why not phone up the passport office and chase it up.
Well that's good to know at least, hopefully I'll get the interview letter within the next two weeks.
Still 5 weeks to go, which IMO is plenty of time in advance to apply for a passport, so if it still doesn't come through by then, I would say you would have a very good case for claiming compensation, as 2 months is an excessive amount of time to issue a passport. And you can show that text message as proof.
Maybe as I'm getting older Alzheimer's is setting in, but I've booked scores of flights on line over the years, on almost all major U.S. carriers, B.A., Qantas, Iberia, T.A.P., Aerolineas Argentinas etc., and I don't recall ever being asked if I had a valid passport.
Maybe somewhere on the site it may have said that it is the customer's responsibility to ensure that they have the relevant visa for the country that they are going to, but I don't recall anything like, 'Do you have a passport?'
It may be because I hold two passports, so even if one was about to expire, the other one would always be valid, so I've never had any nerve racking moments like 'will I be able to travel?'
Incidentally I always allow 8-10 weeks to renew my French passport, it has to come from France, even though I apply, and eventually collect it from the French Consulate in Cromwell Place, South Kensington.
It has never taken longer than 6 weeks though.
Thank you for pandering to mine.
The passport backlog that was all over the news in mid June you mean?
When I renew my passport, I say chuck more momney at the problem and pay for the priority / check & send deluxe or whatever it's called nowadays. I did it last year (I think it was £80) and my passport only took two weeks. I was pleasantly surprised. I don't know if the process is different for first time passports though.
But keep the faith, I think you've still got enough time for it to come through. Hopefully they'll be in touch about your interview soon.