Originally Posted by britinegypt

I have much the same story or terrible service.
My application was delivered by courier to the Durham office on 23rd March, payment taken on the 28th.
I'm renewing my sons passport, i called the 'help' line on the 2nd May and was promised a response withing 72 hours which did not come, called again on the 12th May, that time they filed a complaint and told me a team leader would respond to me within 72 hours.. no reply.. I called again on the 17th and totally lost me temper on the phone, the lady had no idea about the process, she could only ask me for the bar code, which i don't have as from Egypt you download and fill out the paper form, you don't do an online application.
After this i sent a mail via the form on the web site with a big complaint and all the info, a few days later i received an e-mail asking for all the details again, i don't know if this mail was a response to my mail or calls.. i sent all info again and was sent a reply that they would contact me within 72 hours... guess what.. no reply.... I have sent another mail..
So now its over 9 weeks and no one can even tell me if its in process, or they need more info or anything useful.
I have to travel in a few weeks if not before, my mother is elderly and unwell, and i wanted to spend the school holidays with her. The prices of he tickets have almost doubled in the last couple of weeks, i've spent a fortune on DHL and international calls, and i still have to travel 400 miles each way to pick up the passport if/when it ever arrives as they send it to the visa application center in Cairo (maybe because when i sent off the forms it said it will arrive to the consulate, now its the VAC)
feeling very frustrated with the whole thing.
When my own needed renewing 2 years ago es-pat applications were supposed to go to France and the fees were more that double UK fees, plus 2 ways courier plus 2 trips to Cairo to deliver documents and then receive the new passport, in the end i booked myself a cheap last minute flight and went and did the 1 day service in the UK, wish id done the same for my son now, would surely have worked out cheaper and i would have had a passport for him!
Still its nice to find this thread and know im not the only one facing this madness..

Originally Posted by jkelly2156

Good news... I've just called the passport office and i am advised that my passport was printed yesterday. by the time it is received, this will be 10 weeks taken for a simple renewal. Good luck!

Originally Posted by johno5175

10 weeks for a renewal? Imagine the first time applications?

Nice 1 anyway

Originally Posted by boogster

Nearly 7 weeks now and neither of my 2 72hrs calls backs came ! The last one was escalated to manager level. It is quite apparent that the people you speak to on the phone, whether it be the adviceline or the progress room are only able to tell you what they have on the computer in front of them. They have no contact with the passport office and cannot even call them, just e-mail.

At least they told me today that my application has moved from awaiting examination to being examined ( if they are telling the truth !). So hopefully I will get me passport before my vacation at the beginning of July.

A manager in the progress room did say that the whole process is now taking between 6 -18 weeks !!I had to get him to repeat it to make sure he did say 18 week. I lodged a complaint today saying it was a totally inadequate and woeful system being unable to find out any information and with a totally unacceptable time frame. This gets e-mailed from the progress room to the passport office, I am sure it will not help but at least it gets it off your chest. so frustrating and oh they have put in another escalated request for a call back within 72hrs, I won't hold my breath !

Does anyone have a time frame for how long it took for them to get their passport after it went into the being examined stage ?

Originally Posted by windsong

I've read that some people in the UK called or wrote to their MP, but who can we overseas applicants contact for help - or to complain? This is REALLY ludicrous! What about the consul general in the USA?

Originally Posted by JAJ

No such thing as an EU passport.
Have you got the nationality of another EU state (Irish, German, Swedish, others?) If so, then you may apply for the passport of that country instead.

Originally Posted by rebeccajo

Eighteen weeks puts you at the middle of September............

Originally Posted by windsong

I am renewing an old blue book passport which is considered the same as a first-time application, so it will be interesting to see how long it takes. I already submitted my online application two weeks ago - and paid for it - and I am now gathering the supporting documentation which I hope to put in the mail early next week. Wondering if it is better to send it by Fedex rather than post office mail from the US.

Originally Posted by tuckersworld

I used UPS Global Express...guaranteed delivery in 72 hours at a cost of $62.00...well worth it when you consider USPS is taking close to 3 weeks for delivery.

Originally Posted by windsong

I know. I was hoping to be gone before then - and at latest by October 1. It is cutting it very, very tight. I really don't like the idea of being trapped here until September!

Originally Posted by rebeccajo

I'm so confused. I thought the other day you wrote you wanted to be gone by the end of September..........

At any rate - have you sent off for the passport yet?