Hi Newton,

Yes, I shouldnt think it's anything to overly worry about. I filled my passport up in two years and when I applied for a new one last year they wanted new photo's. I haven't changed that much in two years but they insisted . . . . . possibly as Morgoth says, they're being a little sensitive over the olympics and stuff and all the attention the UK is receiving?  

Thanks guys. Will wait and see and phone them when the time comes.

Thought that perhaps I was being hyper!

Don't really care about the photos, got them done at the same time as the wife so they are ready to go. Just the delays and so on.

I suppose they have their systems and that's it!

Government departments Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!

Well still no passport and is now past the time limit THEY set.

Phoned today, spoke to a very nice lady who couldn't trace what's going on. She said she would contact another place and they would phone me back today - no prizes for guessing whether they did or NOT.

So back on the phone tomorrow. Am trying very hard not to lose my temper with them but it's getting harder. I am getting more suspicious my the minute as to why it hasn't come back.

Got it a couple of days ago.

Only 'explanation' for the excessive delay was under staffing and too many people wanting passports.

OK. Got it now!!! End of story.

A peculiar one this!

Both the missus and I applied for new passports on the same day in the same post at the beginning of July. We have checked and they were both received on the same date at the passport office. Needed to apply as we had changed our surname. Both cheques have been paid and cleared by our bank.

Now the anomaly: Within 3 days the wife had a letter asking her for up-to-date photos. She sent these off about 4 days later. Today she got all her documents back and her new passport. So I phoned of passport office to ask what about mine. They said that my application has been received but hadn't been been looked at, despite in the previous conversation they told me that mine had been 'examined'. I am assuming that they are going to ask me for new photos as well, this despite the fact the explanation notes do not say I have to send them (wife used the same notes). They are covering themselves by say the rules have changed recently and I have an old explanation booklet.

As I am just about to come off probation I am feeling rather paranoid that they are looking into my passport application more than they look into other people's applications. They have told me to phone back after the 25th July if I still have not heard from them.

Has anyone else out there had this type of problem? Can the information about my conviction be put onto my passport? Am I just being hyper sensitive?

Newton

I think you're being a bit hyper. The passport doen't contain any detals about past or convictions. When it is scanned, it is the computer that reacts with whatever they put on that, not the other way round. There is some event happening in August in east London I think, maybe all the staff are going there to search handbags and check you're not wearing nike trainers!

Keep the Faith

Morgoth

I decided to avoid any worry by going to the Passport Office in person. I was able to pick up the passport in the time frame promised on the website (four hours after submission of application). So it would appear that there should be no problem with passport applications

Post Edited By Moderator (Christopher Stacey) : 20/03/2013 19:56:54 GMT