RReed

Sent our passports to London for visa evidencing on 20 August by special delivery (arrived next day). They still haven't arrived back with us! Can't speak to a human at DIMA London, only machines which cut you off when they have finished their speel. Have sent an email, but in our grant letter it states that they will not respond to progress requests. We enclosed a self addressed special delivery envelope. All I need to know is if they still have our passports (which is fine, in no rush) or if they have got lost in the post - eek. Any advice, or similiar problem. Already totally stressed out trying to get house ready for viewings etc, could do without trying to track down our passports!
Rachel x

RReed

Update: DIMA responded to email, saying they sent the passports off same day and stated special delivery tracker number. I checked tracker to find that apparently the passports have been deliverd! The plot thickens. I'm assuming that if the passports are lost I can get some new ones and have the visa stamped into them again. Bit worrying though thinking that someone has signed to receive 4 passports.
Rachel

Bordy

Can't you contact Royal Mail & ask who signed for them??

tonyk38

OMG, nightmare scenario! I sincerely hope that you get this one sorted out, and if you can't get the original passports back, that DIMIA will be understanding and sensible enough to issue you with new visas.

I wish you the very best of luck with that.

Tony.

JAJ

Whether this is going to turn out to be another 'Royal Mail lose passports' scenario isn't clear but it's becoming depressingly regular.

The security implications of passports going astray in the mail on this kind of scale (which must only be the tip of the iceberg) really don't bear thinking about.

Jeremy

tonyk38

For those of us who haven't got to this stage yet, is there a way of picking up the passports in person, or am I being unrealistic?

Tony.

JAJ

Not in London, although if it's a spouse or other visa applied for in London it might be different.

However I'm really beginning to wonder if this issue of passports disappearing in the UK needs to be taken up officially with DIMIA (probably through the MIA). At least to convince DIMIA that a more reliable alternative to Royal Mail is required for UK and Ireland visa evidencing.

Jeremy

tonyk38

Thanks for that. Something to bear in mind, rather worryingly, for the future.

jinxnkay

get the post office to fax you a copy of the signiture. thats what i did when my sons passport was lost.

RReed

Thanks for all your posts - panic over! Rang Royal Mail this morning to be told that the passports had been delivered (as the tracker system stated). I pointed out that they had not arrived with us. I was told that somebody must have signed for them, perhaps one of the neighbours. But there was no card put through out door! The local post office branch took my details and said they would get back in touch. They rang back half an hour later whilst my husband was out hassling all the neighbours. <<continued>>

RReed

The passports were at the post office! They had taken them back when we weren’t in. I asked how come they had been declared ‘delivered’ and signed for then. Apparently someone at the post office had to sign for them, therefore according the system they were delivered! So what’s the point of special delivery if ‘delivered’ just means that someone, somewhere has your post? When we collected them the envelope had split open and been put into a scraggy plastic bag. Luckily all passports were there with the visas in. Big sigh of relief. Just need to sell house now - 2 viewings this evening. Back to cleaning!
Rachel
\0ps. in two parts because I can't send long messages (don't know why)

OzTennis

All's well that ends well!

Jeremy is right about Royal Mail in questioning whether they can cope with this. Passports are liquid gold now in the hands of criminals (and terrorists alas). It was not very comforting when Royal Mail released their latest 6 monthly results a few weeks back. They have 15 performance targets to achieve and they failed on all 15 in the last 6 months. One of them for example is to deliver 92% of all first class mail by the next day (eh, I thought they were all meant to be next day). Latest figure 88%, 6 months before 91%. Worryingly they also reported that they LOSE over 4,500 items of first class mail per day - but don't worry too much apparently because that's out of over 14 mill items per day so it is insignificant! Seems most of the 'lost' items are delivered to the wrong address, left with neighbours, stolen or thrown away by a postman who can't be bothered delivering them because it's hissing down or there's a savage dog or its the last item to be delivered and the pub is opening soon etc, etc.

You are right about the silly system whereby undelivered items are officially classed as delivered too.

OzTennis

Jonahs_mummy

I have been observing your Royal Mail problem as a silent observer - I would just like to say how chuffed, happy & relieved I am for you & your family!
Nice one.

teach

Really pleased that your passports have turned up. Good luck with the viewings.
Best Wishes
Sarah

tonyk38

Wow! All's well that ends well.....still not comforting though that the system in general is clearly not working.....

Hope you have more luck with the Aussie postal service when you start your new lives.

Good luck and best wishes,

Tony.