Post Office Passport Check & Send

A question about : Post Office Passport Check & Send

Has anyone else had problems with the post office passport check & send service? I'm really disapointed by them.

I have to complete a student loan application form and have two options - enter a valid passport number, or get an additional form signed by someone proper and send it to them with my birth & marriage certificate. Thinking the second option would delay the application given I would have to find a proper person willing to sign and send off my paperwork, I decided to renew my passport.

Rather than going it alone I used the post office service. Filled in forms, they checked them, paid the fee and left with a receipt then sat back and waited.

Three weeks later no sign of passport so I thought I would chase it up, but when I went online the passport office require a barcode which I've never been given. I called the post office (via customer services as I cannot get a direct number for the branch). When they put me through to the branch they were less than helpful, in fact the person I spoke to was rather rude. Said the printer had not been working at the time but I didnt need a barcode, just had to call the passport office - which I did but they said they could do nothing without the barcode.

Called post office customer services again, who cannot get hold of the branch. They finally gave me the number, but I still cannot get through to the branch.

If I had sent it myself I would at least have the special delivery number I could check to make sure it had arrived, but I have nothing but a bill for Ј8 for trusting the post office to sort it for me.

So what do I do now? Looks like I'm going to have to go down the route of sending off my paperwork which is a pain given I've just paid for a new passport I won't use for anything else, but it woudl be nice to know where my application is.

Best answers:

• Just in case you weren't aware, the passport service is understaffed and seems to have some delays going on at the moment which might be why it's taking longer than expected.
  https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2...ations-backlog
  I'd stick with trying to get more information from the post office branch before sending off any more money. Can you call in and phone the passport office while you're standing in front of them, rather than doing it online? Is there any information on the receipt you were given to help narrow it down?
• OP, did the front page of the guide notes that came with your application form look like this:
  Have another read of the writing in the box:
  Quote:
• I'm sure I'll get flamed for this, but i just renewed my passport myself. No check and send.
  It was extremely simple and the form is a complete doddle. I don't get why anyone would pay Ј8 for it to be 'checked' and sent.
• The post Office says
  "Secure: we’ll send your application by Special Delivery™"
  Ask the Post Office branch. It's their reponsibility to send it by Special Delivery - that's what the service they charge for included.
  The Post Office should be able to confirm if the item they sent by Special Delivery was delivered or not.
• The post office never gave me the barcode. They gave me a receipt and having never used the service before I assumed all the details I needed would be on that receipt, but they are not.
  Having no luck at all getting any sense from the Post Office. Customer Services pass it back to the branch but branch domt even answer the phone. They emailed them to ask they contact me but still nothing.
  Only reason I used the service was because I was advised its quicker than sending the application yourself, but clearly thats not the case.
• Despite being understaffed, the passport office were at least helpful and note rude like the post office were. And they answered the phone!
• I too have used it and been unhappy with the service.
  After 3 weeks I got a letter from the passport office saying the documents that had been sent (and checked as correct by the P.O!) were not sufficient!!!
  To the P.O's credit they did note that I had used the service and had been let down and sent me all the details to be able to get a refund and still returned all my documents securely by signed for/special delivery!
• I'm aware that I need the barcode, but as I've never used the service before I just expected that one of the codes on the receipt I'd been given to be the barcode. The post office employee wasnt very helpful at the time, maybe if they had offered a complete service they could have pointed to the receipt they had given me and mentioned which one was the barcode I would need to chase up the passport. It would have then been highlighted they had not given me one.
  Anyway, thats all in the past. The issue I'm having now is actually getting hold of anyone at the post office. I'm unable to get to the branch as its a 50 mile round trip which I'm unable to do during the day due to work. Customer services have tried calling them to no avail and I've done the same. Other than take time off work and do that trip I dont know what else to do.
• I'm also not very hopeful it actually arrived in one piece at the passport office. The post office employee walked off with my passport, photos and form in her hand and started dealing with other waiting customers before coming back to me for payment. When I asked if she needed the envelope the application form came in she said she didnt. So how could she ensure all my paperwork etc. was kept together without it being in some form of envelope?
• Yes but none of them are recognised. I've spoken to customer services and they say I should have received a second receipt with the details on it, all I have been given is the sales receipt showing what I've paid for and my visa card details.
  Managed to contact the branch, who promised to call me back before 1pm but I'm still waiting 3 hours later. Customer Services have logged it as a complaint but apparently that can take 10 working days for them to review so I'm no better off.
  The most frustrating thing about is if I'd used my birth certificate and got someone "proper" to sign the form I could have applied for my student loan 4 weeks ago, but having been told doing it online using your passport was more secure and faster I opted for that route. Now Ј81.25 out of pocket and still nowhere nearer getting my application done.
• Did you put a mobile number on the form? If so did you receive a text to say that your application has been received?
• Yes I did but never received any text message.
• Finally obtained the barcode and called the passport office. They told me that despite me going into the post office on 20th and the payment being deducted from my bank account on 22nd, they didnt actually receive my application until 29th. Where on earth has it been for 9 days? If I had completed the forms and posted them myself by special delivery it would have been with them the very next day, not 9 days later.
  Been told to give it at least another 2 weeks, thats 6 weeks in total and going on todays news I'm expecting it to be delayed even further.
  I cannot cancel my application, well I can but they wont refund my payment. So I'm now around Ј90 out of pocket by the time you include the cost of photos, countless telephone calls, application fee and post office charge and still no nearer sending off my student loan application. Will need to follow the alternative route and send off my birth certificate (at more cost for special delivery) and wait.
  Had I just done that in the first place I would probably have an answer by now, but all this has caused delay which may mean I also have to pay my first term fees as the loan will go through too late.
• None of the codes on the receipt appear to be valid on the track & trace site. The barcode only appears to mean something to the passport office themselves.
  I don't know who to believe. Passport Office have told me the 29th is the day it was received by then, then it was forwarded to their Belfast office for processing arriving there on 30th. Even they cannot understand why if I went to the post office on 20th it took until 29th to reach them regardless of the delays they are experiencing.
  I'm starting to think the post office kept hold of it until they got their barcode printer working again hence the delay. Did seem strange they were very reluctant to provide me with that number until a couple of days ago.
  Anyway, at least I know sort of where my application is now, but its going to be too late for my loan application to be procesed in enough time so I'm pretty fed up at the moment.
• Its not for a university course, its with a training provider so their deadlines are different.
  They require payment by 1st August, student finance have told me to give it 6 weeks for them to make a decision so I will need to get my application submitted by 20th June at the latest. Nearer to that date, the longer its likely to take. When I explained this to the Post Office they assured me my passport would be returned well before then, but thats clearly not the case. Had I known that I would have considered paying the extra to fast track it but they said that wouldnt be necessary - how wrong they were.
  I called the passport office again yesterday to ask about fast tracking it. They said it may be possible, but I would need to speak to the Belfast office to organise it. They would not give me the Belfast number so I've just got to sit back and wait for them to contact me - but given what others have said I'm not optimistic they will call me.