Passport delivery

[EDDIE51]

My son has just had a new adult passport delivered . He was told this would be via courier and that ID would be needed before signing for it. Because of this he took Friday off work so as to be here to sign for it ( he was told it would be here on Friday)
It never arrived Friday so phoned and was told it would definately be here Saturday, again he waited in all day and it never arrived. Today Sunday someone just dropped it through the letter box with out even knocking or waiting to check ID. He is going to complain about this as if for example this was a 'house share' anyone could have picked it up and used/ stolen / sold it.
Anyone else had a similar problem? This is just not good enough !

[marval]

I haven't had that but it is really bad. As you say anyone could have picked it up.

[douglas9401]

It's the modern world Eddie. Big organisations and their "partner agencies" talk a great game but in the end nobody gives a toss until the really bad stuff comes out.
While I agree that your son should complain I'd put 50p of my own hard earned money on him receiving either a form letter or some BS about how they're working "really hard" to resolve problems in their system and ensure client satisfaction etc etc.
At least after all the inconvenience he can go on hoiday.

[LoftyLottie]

Ours were delivered by a courier who just put them through the letterbox. I was in the garden at the time and just saw him as we was going out of the front gate. A cheery wave from him and he said "I have just delivered your passports".

So much for ID!! However, although they are delivered by courier to the correct address I do not think there is a necessity to check the ID of the receiver or get a signature.

[LoftyLottie]

I have just been back to the Passport site. It says they will be sent back by secure delivery but doesn't mention needing a signature. I have never had to provide ID on delivery of any of my previous passports or provide a signature as proof of receipt.

[EDDIE51]

He was specifically told that an ID check was nessesary to sign for delivery.
I really do not see why an official government department uses a private courier service for this when the Royal Mail is there and can do the job correctly.

[friedgreentomato]

The time they are delivered are recorded by the courier, you do not need to sign for them at all!

[EDDIE51]

Still does not alter my point that if this was a multi occupier house someone else could have picked it up and not told him it was here. I know of houses were there are 12 or more people of differing nationalites all living at the same address a British passport could be a strong temptation . He was told that it HAD to be signed for apparently part of new security measures.

[Traci66]

We live at number 49, last year a courier knocked on my door saying that a couple of weeks earlier he had put some post through the letterbox of a property I own which was empty thinking it was number 41, this property was number 47, he had come back to 41 to deliver a couple more passports, (family of six all applying for first passports), and they had asked him where the rest of the passports where.

[EDDIE51]

This is not the first problem with his application. First the Post office checking service told him the application was correct but had made a mistake and the application was rejected.
Then the refund cheque from the Post Office for doing the application incorrectly was sent to the wrong address ( luckily our postman knows us,spotted the mistake and delivered it to the right house)
Then he takes time off work to sign for delivery and it is just dropped through the door 2 days late.

[boxtops]

I can only suggest that you take it up with the Passport Office. They must have a complaints process.

[LoftyLottie]

The post office checking system is a waste of time and money. The forms are not complicated once you realise that half the questions don't apply. Was it the post office that told your son he had to sign for them Eddie?

I agree about houses with multiple occupancy and can see there could be a problem, bit that applies with all important mail that is delivered. I suppose the only thing they could do would be to insist on ID and promise delivery and a certain time, but that would be well nigh impossible.

[LoftyLottie]

'but that applies'

[EDDIE51]

Lottie, no the post office said he did not need to send in my and my wifes birth certificate as we have had our own passports in the past. The application was rejected as he DID need to send them in.
It was the passport information office that told him he had to sign for it and said it was due to tightened security measures.

[spudqueen]

I don't see what the problem is, if you had checked the website you would have seen that a signature is not normally needed for delivery of a passport
http://www.direct.gov...pplications/DG_174148
If your son really was worried about this he might have been better off then taking a day off to visit the passport office and getting a one day passport.

[EDDIE51]

Spudqueen you CAN NOT get a 1 day passport anymore if it is a first passport, you HAVE to go for an interview and there is a waiting list of at least week , after that it takes 3 or 4 more days to actually get the passport . You CAN NOT collect it on the day even for an emergency.
It was the passport office themselves who told him that a signature with ID was nessesary as recently as last Friday.

[Buenchico]

The information given in the leaflet which accompanies passport application forms states that SOME of the courier services used by the Passport Office require a signature. However it also mentions that some couriers take a photograph of the property to show where they delivered the passport to.

My own passport was delivered (recently) by simply dropping it through my letterbox (just over a fortnight after posting the application without using the completely unnecessary Post Office checking service).

[EDDIE51]

Buenchico that must have been a passport renewal , you do not have to attend an interview for that , so it is faster. There is currently a 3 week waiting list to get the interview for a first passport.

[spudqueen]

Okay, I didn't realise that it was a first adult passport that needed an appointment. My son has just got his first adult passport, but didn't need an interview. His passport was just dropped through the door by a courier. I still think that you're going off the deep end about the delivery, but if you want to complain then I'm not going to stop you.

[EDDIE51]

The point was that he was told by the passport office themselves , when he phoned to check when the passport was going to be sent, that he HAD to be present at the address to produce ID and sign for the passport. That is why he took a day off work and waited in all day and the next day as well, two days wasted because the passport office gave wrong information.

[munchie63]

Hi all. I work in a post office branch and we check 70-100 applications a week. Many people value the service, and after 25 years I've lost count of the number of incomplete and incorrect forms I've seen. For those people the checking fee (now £8.75) is well worth it. The apps also sent securely, which would cost you £5.90 if you did it yourself, as well as having to enclose bank payment details on the debit form. Security and peace of mind.

For what I'd call a 'normal' first passport, with the applicant and parents born in UK the full birth cert would be enough. If anyone was born o'seas then the passport office need to see relevant passports. That's to provide evidence of claim to nationality. Sometimes they ask for further ID before issuing 1st passports which is out of our control. The clerk has a check-list to use for the ID required to be sent, and experience of checking the forms helps. Was it a main branch or a smaller one ?
I'm guessing the IPS told your son to wait indoors ? maybe they wanted to conform the address / ID ? all of my families passports have come via the IPS courier and have just been posted through the letterbox, even though I've been at home when the last 2 arrived. They don't knock.
Good news is he's got the passport for his trip, and a renewal will be much easier.