Passport

[Looby Loo]

I sent off for a replacement passport on the 4th April because my house rabbit (yes I did say rabbit) chewed the corner of my original passport off a few years ago!!

Our last 2 trips to the States (Sept 02 and Sept 03) have been painless enough with the "damaged" passport - only one question from Virgin Security at Manchester (Sept 02) and when I explained what had happen the guy just laughed and said that no one could have made up a story like that and carried on checking passports behind us in the queue!

But with the more stringent rules coming in I thought better be safe than sorry and applied for a replacement!

I didn't do the "check and send" thing as I figured I have a good 2 months to go before I go to visit the mouse but can anyone tell me how long the wait is on getting a replacement passport?? Any ideas welcome!

 

[carolfoy]

Usually 2-3 weeks so you've plenty of time, they WILL call you if they've just a slight query over something you've written so the check and send service isn't that useful but they will send it back to be redone if you've left out any vital info or documents.

 

[wicket2005]

I used check and send which I thought it was worthwhile. Each time we have done a passport we have always done something wrong on the form and we are not stupid people. It took a couple of weeks using this method.

 

[carolfoy]

Sorry Wicket2005 if I offended you, I didn't mean to imply that anyone is stupid if they use check and send I just meant that looby loo has obviously done passport forms before and its only a renewal so I presume she's been through the paperwork so many times herself and couldn't see that she'd left something off, no offence , sorry!

 

[wicket2005]

Sorry Wicket2005 if I offended you, I didn't mean to imply that anyone is stupid if they use check and send I just meant that looby loo has obviously done passport forms before and its only a renewal so I presume she's been through the paperwork so many times herself and couldn't see that she'd left something off, no offence , sorry!

I didn't take offence at all. All the point I was making is that we always mess them up in some way so it is handy having someone else double check them and we are just normal people. So please don't think you upset me, It didn't even cross my mind.

 

[carolfoy]

ok, sorry me just being sensitive i guess!

 

[Looby Loo]

Thanks for your responses! I haven't received a call from the passport office and I know that they have received it because they have taken to money off my card for it so I presume the form is okay!!

I have done this before, but it only takes a lapse in concentration (which I tend to have quite frequently!!!) and the form is then wrong!

The funny thing is, is I took the envelope to the Post Office with the intention to have it weighed as I was sure it would cost more than a 1st Class postage stamp to post it.

I told the lady who served me that I just wanted it weighed - she took the form, pictures and old passport out of the envelope and began to read through the form - I thought that she was just being thorough!

She then informed me that my picture were no good because I had a fringe!! To which I replied, what am I supposed to do - sit in the photo booth with my hand on my head holding my fringe away from my face (we aren't taking about anything that obstructs my face - just a short normal fringe!) she requested a second opinion, then agreed that the photo was indeed fine!

Then she asked me where I had lost my passport and had I reported it - again to which I pointed to my passport that was right in front of her and the form and said - "I am applying for a replacement passport due to damage" - "oh right" she says

then she opens the passport and says "I think that you will actually need someone to countersign the back cause I think you have changed too much in the past 9 years" - I have a small but quite clear scar on my left cheek that is obvious on both photos! - after a lot of umming she turns to her colleague and asks for her opinion and says loudly enough for all in the queue to hear - "she has put on a bit of weight, she has got chubbier cheeks! - do you think it will be okay" - I could have died there and then of embarrassment.

After all that she finally agrees that all is in order and says "£6.50 please and £42.00 for the passport" - WHAT!! All I had asked her to do was confirm the postage!! I pointed this out to her - she huffed and pushed the contents back through to me with the envelope and a 27p stamp!!!!! All that just to get a stamp - Never again!! But on the plus side, the form was checked and verified for nothing!!

 

[wicket2005]

and given you a very entertaining story to boot.

 

[Dimplenose]

I've used check and send in the past and the PO checker missed a very big mistake. I eventually got my fee refunded but the attitude at the local PO was "Well we're not experts!" If they're not experts why do we pay for the service?

Libby

 

[KayleeUK]

Loo - Oh my what a cheeky lady!!!!!!