Passport Nightmare

RjhsteelRjhsteel Posts: 132
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My partner applied for her passport at the beginning of June. She changed her name in 2011 and had to send her deed poll document as well.
After chasing them up, we finally received a letter on the 25th July stating her application was rejected because the witness hadn't entered the date on the deed poll document.

Never mind that the government car licence and her bank accepted that same document!!!

Since then she has tried to speak to someone to see what she needs to do, because we are due to go on our holiday of a lifetime(Disneyland Florida) in 21 days.

But no one can give us an answer and all she gets is" we will send an email to the relevant person, and they will call"
Nothing!! It's a bloody joke. We are starting to worry now.

Anyone have any advice? We don't think they should have rejected that document in the first place.
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Comments

  • HypnodiscHypnodisc Posts: 22,728
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    Rjhsteel wrote: »
    My partner applied for her passport at the beginning of June. She changed her name in 2011 and had to send her deed poll document as well.
    After chasing them up, we finally received a letter on the 25th July stating her application was rejected because the witness hadn't entered the date on the deed poll document.

    Never mind that the government car licence and her bank accepted that same document!!!

    Since then she has tried to speak to someone to see what she needs to do, because we are due to go on our holiday of a lifetime(Disneyland Florida) in 21 days.

    But no one can give us an answer and all she gets is" we will send an email to the relevant person, and they will call"
    Nothing!! It's a bloody joke. We are starting to worry now.

    Anyone have any advice? We don't think they should have rejected that document in the first place.

    Sorry, but I'll start with the obvious - official advice from the passport service:
    It takes at least 6 weeks to get your first UK adult passport. Don’t book travel until you’ve got it.

    On to more useful things;

    I'm presuming the name was changed because of marriage, rather than just wanting to be called something different?
    After the ceremony
    Send the marriage or civil partnership certificate with your application.

    Did you send this in? Signed and dated by the appropriate minister?

    Have you tried to send it in again with the deed poll document signed and dated by the witness?

    Anything sent in to the passport agency must be dated as well as signed, regardless of what your bank or the DVLA accept.

    Have you considered using the Post Office Check and Send service? Might make this easier..

    Your post really isn't very clear and you shouldn't really blame the passport service, you have left it very late.

    ETA: I'm pretty sure you can drive to major passport offices for fast track applications, but be prepared to pay extra.
  • RjhsteelRjhsteel Posts: 132
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    Hypnodisc wrote: »
    Sorry, but I'll start with the obvious - official advice from the passport service:



    On to more useful things;

    I'm presuming the name was changed because of marriage, rather than just wanting to be called something different?



    Did you send this in? Signed and dated by the appropriate minister?

    Have you tried to send it in again with the deed poll document signed and dated by the witness?

    Anything sent in to the passport agency must be dated as well as signed, regardless of what your bank or the DVLA accept.

    Have you considered using the Post Office Check and Send service? Might make this easier..

    Your post really isn't very clear and you shouldn't really blame the passport service, you have left it very late.

    ETA: I'm pretty sure you can drive to major passport offices for fast track applications, but be prepared to pay extra.
    She applied over 10 WEEKS before the holiday, so late, no.
    We used check and send. In the small print they don't check other documents.
    It's a deed poll document, nothing to do with marriage.
    I am blaming the passport office. It took over 7 weeks to get any info from them, and then they said there wasn't a problem, only to receive a letter contradicting that.
    Since then, it's been impossible to speak to someone who can help us, we just get told they will send an email to someone who can deal with the problem....no call back still!!!
  • HypnodiscHypnodisc Posts: 22,728
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    Rjhsteel wrote: »
    She applied over 10 WEEKS before the holiday, so late, no.
    We used check and send. In the small print they don't check other documents.
    It's a deed poll document, nothing to do with marriage.
    I am blaming the passport office. It took over 7 weeks to get any info from them, and then they said there wasn't a problem, only to receive a letter contradicting that.
    Since then, it's been impossible to speak to someone who can help us, we just get told they will send an email to someone who can deal with the problem....no call back still!!!

    You still haven't answered my question.

    Was the name change to do with marriage or not, or did she just fancy a different name? Or was it a minor change? (ie. Jane to Jayne). The type of name change matters a lot, and you're not giving much information.

    Just to confirm, was it a new passport, or has she had a passport before?

    The bit I highlighted in the official advice was that you shouldn't even book the travel until you have a passport, regardless of the predicted time scale.
  • RjhsteelRjhsteel Posts: 132
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    Hypnodisc wrote: »
    You still haven't answered my question.

    Was the name change to do with marriage or not, or did she just fancy a different name? Or was it a minor change? (ie. Jane to Jayne). The type of name change matters a lot, and you're not giving much information.

    The bit I highlighted in the official advice was that you shouldn't even book the travel until you have a passport, regardless of the predicted time scale.

    If your aren't going to help, and just criticise, (and not fully read my reply) then please stop replying. Thanks.
  • RjhsteelRjhsteel Posts: 132
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    If someone has any "useful" advice, please leave something here or PM me.

    Thanks.
  • HypnodiscHypnodisc Posts: 22,728
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    Rjhsteel wrote: »
    If your aren't going to help, and just criticise, (and not fully read my reply) then please stop replying. Thanks.
    Rjhsteel wrote: »
    If someone has any "useful" advice, please leave something here or PM me.

    Thanks.

    ...

    Wow. :confused::o

    I was trying to help by finding out the type of name change.

    At a guess, if your attitude to provide as little information as humanly possible, and a fundamental failure in ability to read extends to real life it's no wonder the application was rejected.

    I've already said that the reason for the name change matters rather a lot, and I was trying to find out the reason so that I could help you with some more specific advice.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 3,228
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    Hi, relax... I am sure this can be solved and you can still go on holiday:)


    I think it best to get all the documents you need. If need be, get a new deed poll. They are cheap and quick to do yourself. I believe if you search for Seacam in this forum he gives information how this is done.
    Then book an appointment to your nearest passport office and go down in person. You can book an appointment by phoning the advice line 0300 2220000

    I have done this before. You get your passport on the same day I found that the process was very easy and the staff were flexible. For example with the passport photos I had accidentally sent two different photos of me rather than two identical copies. I just had to take a new photo in the photo booth in the building rather than return and get my witness to sign one copy again.
  • War OnWar On Posts: 1,448
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    Rjhsteel wrote: »
    If someone has any "useful" advice, please leave something here or PM me.

    Thanks.

    You are getting very defensive - probably because you're stressed and worried and don't like to be told something by someone on here that is written advice from the passport office.

    Anyway that to one side, Hypnodisc's advice re travelling to a major passport office is probably the best route to go down here.

    Obviously you should call ahead of just rocking up there to ensure they offer fast track applications and what will be required by the office for the application.

    There's a chance Hypnodisc could help you further if you explain the name change but for whatever reason, you seem unwilling to do that. In fact you've ignored several questions that Hypnodisc has asked to try to clarify the best route to take. If you act with such contempt on the phone when speaking with the passport office, I'm not surprised you are getting very little help from them. Manners and a nice tone go a long way in this world whether you are worried or not. After all you are trying to deal with something now after a change in 2011 and after booking your travel which is against the official advice that was pointed out to you.

    I hope this gets sorted for you both - but I must say, your attitude stinks!
  • dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,439
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    The OP hasn't answered if it is a first time application....if it is I don't believe you can fasttrack this service.

    And sorry OP you can pass the buck and blame others (passport office) which to be honest this Country is good at, but the advice is not to make travel arrangements until you have your passport...sorry but the fault lies with you.

    I do hope you get it sorted though and get to enjoy your holiday.
  • Rich_LRich_L Posts: 6,110
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    My 10 year one will run out in March 2015 and I go on holiday in January but need at least 6 months worth of dates available on the passport to traval (and in January I wont if it runs out in March)

    Guess what? I wont be waiting till December to order my passport, I've done it now.

    I'm sorry but if I was going on my holiday of a lifetime in July, I wouldnt be applying for my passport in June.
  • Rae_RooRae_Roo Posts: 1,185
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    dearmrman wrote: »
    The OP hasn't answered if it is a first time application....if it is I don't believe you can fasttrack this service.

    And sorry OP you can pass the buck and blame others (passport office) which to be honest this Country is good at, but the advice is not to make travel arrangements until you have your passport...sorry but the fault lies with you.

    I do hope you get it sorted though and get to enjoy your holiday.

    I have to agree wholeheartedly with this, unfortunately with all the recent passport office news, I think you'd have to live in a cave to have missed this over the last several months... Leaving it til 10 weeks even, is a risk at this time of year, no way I'd have paid fora holiday without having a valid passport in good time. Even if it was a last minute one, I'd not have booked anything without passport in hand, just common sense really.

    I am aware of the fastrack service, having had a friend use it, for emergency travel to see a sick relative, but I'm sure they were only able to do it because it was a renewal.. and it did involve spending the best part of a day waiting to be seen/interviewed at a central passport office.

    I do hope you get it sorted, but I can kinda understand why problem at this point isn't really a concern for them, they'll always fall back on the "shouldn't have left it so late" stance, I just hope this doesn't end up being an expensive lesson for you all :(
  • Frankie_LittleFrankie_Little Posts: 9,271
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    My sister had her passport stolen a week ago, someone took her bag off the back of her chair in a pub, then returned it minus her phone, purse and passport. She's off to Morocco in 10 days, so it was an appointment at the passport office, a day off work, and a fair bit of expense before all was well. The passport office were very helpful though.

    OP perhaps go in person with an updated deed poll document?
  • sweetpeanutsweetpeanut Posts: 4,805
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    This happened to my daughter and her family. They had to pay extra in the end to get them pushed through faster and sent by courier They came two days before travel.

    Keep ringing them.
  • 3Sheets2TheWind3Sheets2TheWind Posts: 3,028
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    Did she change her name to something funny like that woman who changed her name to princess-rainbow.com?
  • abs2512abs2512 Posts: 611
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    My daughter got married in March and sent her passport off to have the name changed - she has been chasing them for 7 weeks and got nowhere - they couldn't even find her paperwork - yesterday she called again and they did find her papers but couldn't confirm how much longer the process will take, however, if she was happy to pay another £75 over the phone she can have her passport tomorrow (today now) she did that as she is going on honeymoon in a couple of weeks and was scared that the passport wouldn't arrive in time and guess what arrived this morning - her shiny new passport in her married name.

    Passport Office are an absolute joke and theiving bastards
  • 3Sheets2TheWind3Sheets2TheWind Posts: 3,028
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    abs2512 wrote: »
    My daughter got married in March and sent her passport off to have the name changed - she has been chasing them for 7 weeks and got nowhere - they couldn't even find her paperwork - yesterday she called again and they did find her papers but couldn't confirm how much longer the process will take, however, if she was happy to pay another £75 over the phone she can have her passport tomorrow (today now) she did that as she is going on honeymoon in a couple of weeks and was scared that the passport wouldn't arrive in time and guess what arrived this morning - her shiny new passport in her married name.

    Passport Office are an absolute joke and theiving bastards

    With all the media coverage of the Passport Office's delays, why didn't your daughter just travel on her old passport in her maiden name and carry her marriage certificate with her?

    They should of course have been able to tell her that it was on its way to her and not take another £75 off her.

    I hope she gets that back.
  • abs2512abs2512 Posts: 611
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    With all the media coverage of the Passport Office's delays, why didn't your daughter just travel on her old passport in her maiden name and carry her marriage certificate with her?

    They should of course have been able to tell her that it was on its way to her and not take another £75 off her.

    I hope she gets that back.

    TBH, I'm not sure but I think she was so excited to get her passport in her married name that it wouldn't occur to travel any other way and without asking her she may well have figured that she would have her passport back in plenty of time as she wasn't travelling till mid August. As to the money back I doubt she will get a penny back - they sort of implied that if she didn't pay the extra money it would just go back into the system and have to wait it's turn, however long that was.
  • AVTECHAVTECH Posts: 1,399
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    Is this your partner ?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-28559872

    Surely she can get her pasport by using the force LOL
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 1,553
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    Have you tried contacting your local MP? I had a problem with the passport office (nothing to do with name changes, just them being useless) and my MP was able to sort it in less than 24 hours, after weeks and weeks of me trying to call (and even visiting the passport office in person) to speak to someone. I'm not sure if they would be able to help with your situation but it might be worth a try :)
  • SeasideLadySeasideLady Posts: 20,766
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    I think a lot of it has to do which passport office you apply to. My son's application forms were addressed for Belfast, so that's where they went on 11 June. We got his new passport on 16 July, which wasn't too bad. Previous renewals there have come back in 10 days - amazing service.
  • SherbetLemonSherbetLemon Posts: 4,073
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    Rjhsteel wrote: »
    She applied over 10 WEEKS before the holiday, so late, no.
    We used check and send. In the small print they don't check other documents.
    It's a deed poll document, nothing to do with marriage.
    I am blaming the passport office. It took over 7 weeks to get any info from them, and then they said there wasn't a problem, only to receive a letter contradicting that.
    Since then, it's been impossible to speak to someone who can help us, we just get told they will send an email to someone who can deal with the problem....no call back still!!!
    AFIK, the passport service has always recommended you apply three months prior to travelling, if it's needed for travel during the peak summer season, so 10 weeks wouldn't be enough even if there was no backlog.

    You've had pretty shoddy service though (re contradictions). Phone and take the name of the person who answers, and also get the name of the person dealing. Ask to be transferred to the person, instead of an email being left. I would even ask if you can go into a passport office in person to help speed things up.

    Good luck, and hope you have a great holiday. :)
  • LushnessLushness Posts: 38,158
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    Rae_Roo wrote: »
    I have to agree wholeheartedly with this, unfortunately with all the recent passport office news, I think you'd have to live in a cave to have missed this over the last several months... Leaving it til 10 weeks even, is a risk at this time of year, no way I'd have paid fora holiday without having a valid passport in good time. Even if it was a last minute one, I'd not have booked anything without passport in hand, just common sense really.

    I am aware of the fastrack service, having had a friend use it, for emergency travel to see a sick relative, but I'm sure they were only able to do it because it was a renewal.. and it did involve spending the best part of a day waiting to be seen/interviewed at a central passport office.

    I do hope you get it sorted, but I can kinda understand why problem at this point isn't really a concern for them, they'll always fall back on the "shouldn't have left it so late" stance, I just hope this doesn't end up being an expensive lesson for you all :(

    Not in my experience. I recently did a fast track renewal; went back home for the 4 hours required for processing and then went to pick up my passport. I was in their offices no more than an hour. It was very efficient.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 672
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    If the trip is to Florida, then don't you need an ESTA as well? That's after you get the passport you'll be travelling on.
  • dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,439
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    ozark1 wrote: »
    If the trip is to Florida, then don't you need an ESTA as well? That's after you get the passport you'll be travelling on.

    Yes you do, but they can even be got on the day of travel...personally wouldn't recommend that, but it can be done on the day. Of course if you are declined and have to arrange an interview at the US embassy then the Florida trip is most certainly off, because that can take up to 6 months just to get an appointment.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 121
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    Well they do say not to book travel without first sorting your passport, but literally only the other week my aunty booked me on a surprise family holiday without checking my passport was valid so I know the stress you're under.

    The reason the poster wanted to know if you were changing name by marriage or just a small change by deed poll is because I'm sure the Premium 4-Hour Service is only available to those changing their name by way of marriage/civil partnership certificate.

    However, you can still use the Fast-Track 1 Week service for any other changes, including name by deed poll I believe, which will cost you £103.

    Firstly, you need to ring the passport advice line on 0300 222 0000. They were super helpful in my case and did their best to help me out as much as they could. They'll establish your nearest passport office and get you the earliest appointment they can, but you can always ask them to look for an earlier appointment at other passport offices if you're willing to travel. My local passport office was only 30 minutes away in Newport and I got an appointment for a week later! It was very very efficient. I signed in my appointment, was even sat down 30 seconds before I got called, they doubled checked the application and then I went to pay. I returned 4 hours later and had a brand new passport easy as that.

    Yes you received some shitty service OP, but all the guidance about passport renewals is available and if you'd bothered to check you would have realised that you were making a mistake going about it and leaving it as late as you did considering it wasn't ever just a straightforward renewal and the massive backlog that has been all over the news. Regardless, I hope you get it sorted and have a great trip!
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