post office passport check and send (waste of time)

arknor

arknor

arknor

Caporegime
Joined
22 Nov 2005
Posts
46,726
WASTE OF TIME!

I had a full on argument with the 3 women behind the counter for about 5 minutes because they inisted I need a FULL BIRTH CERTIFICATE even though the actual guide book does not say "FULL" birth certificate for people born before 1983 like it does the other catagories....

After much eye rolling from them I finally got them to send it anyway ...
I just contacted the IPS and got a reply
Dear Mr Harrison,

Thank you for your enquiry

The Full Birth Certificate was issued before 1982 however the reason the Passport Office require the Full Birth Certificate for anyone born after 1982 is that the Nationality Act changed to state that anyone born in the UK was not automatically given British Citizenship. British Citizenship is not claims via parents. Therefore the Full Birth Certificate with parents details are required to prove this.

If you were on or before the 31/12/1982 then you automatically got British Citizenship. Therefore either the Short or Full Birth Certificate can be accepted in support of the application.
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I feel like printing off the email and shoving it in the post office workers faces tommorow !

They even signed the receipt saying "customer advised to get a full birth certificate as a short birth certificate is not sufficient by post office standards and he refused"

GRRRR!!! it was a packed post office aswell so obviously i was made to look like a demented idiot even though I was CORRECT!
 
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no first one...

im just disapointed they offer a check and send service and dont even know what they are doing....
Let us take the hassle out of your passport application

new, renewal and replacement passport forms at your local Post Office® branch
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take the hassle out ? LOL
 
arknor said:
no first one...

im just disapointed they offer a check and send service and dont even know what they are doing....
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Renewed my passport last week and they questioned the background colour of my photo.

The colour was plain white as per what is required, but she still questioned it.:confused:
 
ThundyCat said:
Renewed my passport last week and they questioned the background colour of my photo.

The colour was plain white as per what is required, but she still questioned it.:confused:
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your branch must have better trained staff
Applicants must submit two identical photographs, which have been taken in the last month. If a countersignature is required, one must be free of writing or printing on the back. They should be taken against a cream, or light grey, plain background so that the applicant's features are clearly distinguishable against the background. From 1st October 2008 IPS will no longer be able to accept photographs taken against a white background as this can cause glare, definition and contrast issues.
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arknor said:
GRRRR!!! it was a packed post office aswell so obviously i was made to look like a demented idiot even though I was CORRECT!
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It doesn't matter whether you were correct or not, these people are told to follow policy no matter what, note: "post office standards".

It's annoying though, sure.
 
If you can read the check & send service is pointless.

However it only costs a tiny bit more then Special Delivery would.

If sending multiple applications then its not worth it.
 
POB said:
If you can read the check & send service is pointless.

However it only costs a tiny bit more then Special Delivery would.

If sending multiple applications then its not worth it.
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thats the only reason i wanted it :D you can pay in easy cash aswell where as if you wanted a postal order + special delivery it would probably cost about 20 quid
 
It doesn't matter whether you were correct or not, these people are told to follow policy no matter what, note: "post office standards".
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just recieved a cheque in the post from the postoffice for £8.17 :D

so glad i complained now!

btw the actual complaint was only put in 3-4 days ago! i wanted to be sure my documents were accepted at the passport office first :)
 
Sent me and my daughters off last week but didnt go through the post office checker thingy. Would rather take a chance all is ok. Done it before with no problems. Mine was a renewal but had to have new photo as i have changed 200% since last one (2000).
 
yea either version will do you fine if your born
If you were on or before the 31/12/1982
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recieved mine back a few days ago and ive got my passport interview booked for next week :)

I really need to find mine as I need to send off for a passport soon.
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if you cant find it the goverment has a website where you can order a birth cetificate online , i think it was about £10
 
arknor said:
I feel like printing off the email and shoving it in the post office workers faces tommorow !

They even signed the receipt saying "customer advised to get a full birth certificate as a short birth certificate is not sufficient by post office standards and he refused"
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I'd say it was fairly clear why they acted in the way they did.

Nothing to see here, move along....
 
ThundyCat said:
Renewed my passport last week and they questioned the background colour of my photo.

The colour was plain white as per what is required, but she still questioned it.:confused:
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Same thing happened to my wife but they sent it off. It was an "official" passport photo. She got her new one back in around a week.
 
meghatronic said:
I'd say it was fairly clear why they acted in the way they did.

Nothing to see here, move along....
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then why did i get an apology and a refund from the post office?
the post office standards btw seems to be how a perticular member of staff interprets the guide book...

obviously shes a dippy moo who cant read what it clearly says, she didnt offer to phone up the passport helpline and check or anything
 
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MikeHunt79 said:
So if I was born before 1982 then is any birth certificate ok?

I really need to find mine as I need to send off for a passport soon.
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had my interview today the questions the guy asked me were

my full name and how to spell it
where i was born
my current address + how long i have lived here
my current phone number (lol my mind went blank but i remembred it after 2mins)
my previous address
my email address
who my isp is with (the only actuall bill in my name he made more small talk about virgin buying some bank)
who lives with me
my wifes full name
my stepsons full name
my date of birth
who countersigned my form + their job + where they work
my mum and dads full names + their dates of birth and ages (i got there D.O.B's wrong :P the month and year was right though , he didnt tell me they were wrong i just checked now)
who i bank with
any loans , credit cards etc in my name.

he tried to make small talk with me like "that sounds like a wierd name, and i told him it was norwegian , he made comments about the aprs of credit cards etc)
i reckon they expect you to answer some questions wrong and only really want to compare the photo and your signatures, people on other forums have said they got most of the questions wrong and still got their passports within a few days anyway

oddly enough he didnt ask what my actual sons name is , where he was born , when he was , his age , where he goes to school or anything....
 
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So the point you're making is the PP office are less strict and pedantic than the PO check?
 
Passport interviews are nothing to worry about. As the above poster said, they basically just go through the form and ask you to confirm it.

The lady who interviewed me has the most patronising tone of voice i've ever heard, which actually put me at ease, as I though she was an idiot!
 
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