Missing registration certificate after Passport Office update of receiving documents

[jakino]

Hello!

Sharing here, I need to vent out. I've just recently filed mine and my children's first British passports. I have sent the required documents in different parcels and even took a video of them as I read one member here reporting the passport office losing the certificates. True enough, the passport office is now asking for the certificates even if I have included them with the foreign passports. I already called 0300 222 0000 and logged requests for both certificates to be located. I was also asked for the Royal Mail tracking number. One missing in Hemel Hempstead, other one in Corby. I deliberately sent separate parcels as there were no shared required documents anyway but they still missed taking out the document from the envelope.

Anyone experienced this lately? Please tell me some good news. I hope to get these done before the upcoming festivities.

I thought my Home Office ordeal is over, apparently the saga just continues with the Passport Office

[contorted_svy]

Call the helpline and ask to speak to a senior caseworker. Log all instances of calling them and what they say. You can also lodge a complaint following the instructions here https://www.gov.uk/government/organisat ... -procedure

[jakino]

Quick update on this. Both certificates were already found. First passport was approved the day after I reported they lost the certificate. The second one, it took two calls before they found the certificate. Still waiting for its approval (there were other additional requirements on this passport aside from the certificate they lost in the parcel).

Some tips for those who want to avoid this situation or for those who are already on the same situation:
- Attach your certificate to the foreign passports. Use maybe a paper or small binder clip or maybe just even inserting the certificate in between the passport pages would do the trick. I inserted the passports and certificate separately in the envelope. 2/3 of the envelopes I sent, they missed taking out the certificate. It made me think that they are probably just pouring out the contents of the envelope and not really reaching out inside of it? I couldn't imagine any other explanation how the certificates were left inside the envelope.
- Take a video of the items you're sending in the envelope. This really helped me a lot in reassuring myself that I sent the correct documents.
- Take note of the Royal Mail tracking number. And if sending multiple applications, note the application-specific tracking number especially if posting to the same passport office.
- Call 0300 222 0000 (option 8 then 4) immediately if you were told your documents are missing even if you already posted them. I didn't have to ask for a senior caseworker as this seemed to be happening all the time. To be fair, they immediately resolved one of the missing certificates.
- Ask the helpline agent to read out the tracking number to ensure that they have the correct one in record. They couldn't locate one of the missing certificates after my 1st call. In my 2nd call, I gave the tracking numbers again and that time I asked the agent to repeat the numbers to me.

I will definitely file a complaint after I received the last passport. They need to improve on how they're handling the documents sent to them. They are fairly quick these days but very careless I would say.

[contorted_svy]

Congratulations, and thank you for reporting back.