Immigration and Security Minister (James Brokenshire): " Her Majesty’s Passport Office is committed to delivering better value for money for our customers.

In keeping with this commitment, I am pleased to announce that from 7 April the passport fee for customers applying for a UK passport overseas will be reduced by £45 for adults and £28.50 for children. The new fees are as follows: Adult 32 page passport £83.00 Child 32 page passport £53.00 Jumbo 48 page passport £91.00 (Child and Adult)

This reduction comes as a result of efficiency savings made over the last 3 years by bringing back the processing and issuing of overseas passports to the UK, whilst maintaining the highest levels of security and customer service "

https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/reduction-in-passport-fees-for-uk-citizens-overseas

::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::) ::)

Why the eye rolling? Isn't it good news?

Just posted mine last week. Rolls eyes even more  ;D ;D ;D

Ah right, very annoying for you  ::) ::)

I think I opened a can of worms here when I sent off my passport and forms/fees to Ireland which is now dealing with overseas passport applications not Madrid. I posted it recorded after filling out the on-line application.I phoned yesterday to enquire it's whereabouts I was told yes we have your application we then check it etc....." How long does that normally take " Oh 4 weeks came the reply. 4 Weeks now let me check for you Oh it was 4 weeks yesterday we got your application " I said well what next ? She said "Well it could be 5 days or 2 weeks but I normally tell the applicant 3 weeks after the initial month THEN THEY ARE NOT DISAPPOINTED !  This was a simple renewal.

My question is and my next problem, Has anyone used this method of passport renewal with regards delivery as I have a post office box and they use a courier so I can see problems there in the next month or two when they try to deliver it. I do not have a UK address.If you have used this method which courier company do they use ?

I would advise if your passport is due for renewal "Try" to deal with it in the UK.  ::) ::)

  :( :( :(

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Ours came back with D.H.L.
All came back separately, two old ones came one day, then the two new ones the following day. Four packets!

Rita.

      Did DHL deliver to your home or did you contact them re meet ?  I wonder which DHL office it would be ? If I am still around I will never let this happen again when it's due for renewal.

They should provide me with a tracking number which would/will help. But you never know  ;D ;D

:-[ :-[

http://www.dhl.es/en/contact_center.html

We had left contact phone number, which D.H.L. used, when they were due to deliver them back to us.
Then my husband, arranged to meet the driver in the village,
to save him getting lost!

DHL are incapable of finding me however the letter they then send telling me that my address doesn't exist (which they send via post - and I get post delivered to the house) always arrives, work that out!

For all the 'won't post to PO boxes, bank addresses etc. as it must be delivered to the house' when I renewed my Passport DHL called me and I met the guy near Lidls. Makes a mockery of the system really.

I guess you could make up any address you wanted and as long as it's in the área you live and they have your phone number they won't bother even trying to find it.

I've had similar experiences to those mentioned and prefer to renew whilst back in Blighty.  The Post Office's 'check and send service' seems to take about a week and actually attending the passport office (in Liverpool) recently took 3 days to renew my daughter's passport.  Adult renewals can be done same day.

Thanks all. I noticed on the website they email you a tracking number I will contact DHL then. I think they have pilot depots in Tortosa and Amposta ( I mean a run down shop with a battered white or blue van)  we are a spin off from DHL bla bla. I might pick it up at one of them. What a palaver.

::) ::) ::)

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Ahh.  Memories of the A47 in Leicester during the hard winter of 2012.   ;D

Or Michael sharing a cab going out with the lads on a Friday night.  Are we there yet mate !!!

;) ;) ;)

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I have just looked at my registered receipt from the Correos and it shows I sent off my old passport for renewal on 25th February 2014. The package arrived at The passport office in Ireland 5 days later. I have just checked my application on their website and it is still showing "Declaration form received, being processed " The service is appalling I am sure most civil service type departments have targets if this is an example of their service running to plan the lot of them should be sacked. I know they just check it and send it over to the UK but allowing for the Easter "Rush" I am to say the least very very cross. I have reported my dealings in person with the jobsworth above it just beggars belief.

>:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:( >:(

Rant over now here is a VIDEO to calm me and all of you other good citizens waiting for various items of officialdom.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-wmbM6EpZU

;D ;D ;D ;D

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Hi Bunter,
Sorry to hear of your problems with the passport office but you seem to be approaching this from the wrong angle. Last year we had to renew both our passports, at the cost of the National debt of a small African country. Seven days after sending the passports to Ireland, we received a phone call from an  uncivil servant stating he was unable to renew the passport of my wife as on her photo she was smiling. At this point I insisted on speaking to his boss stating as my wife reminds me, being married to me for many decades I have never given her any reason to smile. As promised his boss phoned me back and stated the problem was the smile. I informed her if this was the case why ten years earlier had they issued her with a passport because on that she not only looked like she was smiling but laughing hysterically as I had just been rushed into hospital when this photo was taken. After a few ums and arrs she agreed that after speaking to me for nearly an hour now, she would issue the passport and it arrived a few days later. If you are not paying for the phone call, always insist on speaking to the boss informing them that you have tea and sandwiches by the side of the phone and have no intentions of finishing the call till the matter is resolved.
Yours the problem solving Bulldog.      

Thanks BF for that it's nice to see you can still put a smile on the wife's face after all these years.I think the only thing that would put a smile on my wife's face would be if I packed my "Bag" singular and left her. I have news on my passport, Yesterday I had a letter delivered to my post box which informed me my signature had gone outside of the signature box on the form, The letter was dated 31st March ??? The application was rejected and they gave me a form with a box in which to sign again.They have my telephone number and my email address which they could have at least informed me I was a misdemeanant but no they send a letter which takes 17 days to reach me. I sent a letter to the UK on Monday and it was received yesterday. Bored with the whole saga now.  8-)

Good Cheer at the Mo the bread maker is out in the kitchen and hot cross buns are on the me and you. YUMMY.  8-)

http://patternpatisserie.blogspot.com.es/2012/04/hot-cross-bun-bread-and-butter-pudding.html

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Well blow my socks off my new passport arrived at Lunchtime today via DHL. I must say DHL were first class kept me informed all the way via internet and phone and rang me 5 mins before the meet with the courier. The passport office were total crap they never informed me by email that I had made a mistake on the form with regards signature outside the little box or indeed a tracking number or informing me my passport is on way in order I arrange its safe arrival at this end. I can see why these rubber desk johnnies are getting the sack in their droves the sad part is they recruit more through the other door.

>:( >:( >:( >:(

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My husband needs to renew his passport soon and we only have an Apartado box,can you please tell me, do you have a home address or did you arrange to meet DHL somewhere. Would be most grateful for any help.

Passports can not be delivered to a P.O. box.
So you will need to give an address.
Leave a phone number for D.H.L, to contact you and then meet the courier somewhere.

wrote on May 23^rd, 2014 at 4:34pm:

My husband needs to renew his passport soon and we only have an Apartado box,can you please tell me, do you have a home address or did you arrange to meet DHL somewhere. Would be most grateful for any help.

http://www.dhl.es/en/contact_center.html

I had mine delivered on Thursday this week. I contacted and dealt with firstly DHL Barcelona then DHL Tarragona both depots found me an English speaker on the telephone and the delivery was at a spot of my choosing.I explained I have a PO box and that was no problem for them in that they agreed to meet me at which time I produced ID and signed for the package. They even rang me at home 5 minutes before the meeting in order I am not kept waiting unduly.1st class service I must say. The passport office in Ireland e-mailed me this morning informing me my passport is now at the printers in the UK and will be with me in about four weeks I rest my case.

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;D

Since I brought my passport dilemma to the attention of the worlds press via this forum I now see wholesale panic in the UK government and world leaders are under job threat ahhhhhhhh the power of the T forum.

;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2654616/DAILY-MAIL-COMMENT-Dead-hand-state-passport-chaos.html