Australia Post Lost My Passport

majimaji on 17/10/2017 - 17:29
Last edited 17/10/2017 - 17:46 by 1 other user

Got my passport renewed, paid the ~$300 including new photos etc. Australia Passport Office sent it last Tuesday, and nothing had come yet, so I called them up and asked for a tracking number. Lo and behold, the tracking number seems like a dud, with no scans despite being registered.

Australia Post says contact the Passport Office, the Passport Office says contact Australia Post. Eventually I prompted them to start an investigation, which will take a week or something. I guess these things happen, but what has me worried is a visa application (working holiday) I need to complete this week. Needs to be done two months in advance, which I had planned for (which may be thwarted now).

Any recourse here? If it comes down to it, can I get the passport office to send me a priority processed one without charges, or am I (profanity) out of luck? Any insight/advice would be great. Thanks.

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Comments

  • tsunamisurfer on 17/10/2017 - 17:32
    +10

    Go to the passport office in person and explain the situation (with as much proof as you can).

    They can issue a passport within 24-48 hours but normally it costs much more, ask them to waive the extra fee given you need it soon and the authorities have screwed up.

    • majimaji on 17/10/2017 - 17:40

      Thanks for the advice - I'll definitely try to take that route given my circumstances.

    • majimaji on 17/10/2017 - 19:19
      +9

      What? I organised it based on the processing and postage times the Australia Passport Office specified - 3 weeks. It actually took 4 weeks after filling out the renewal form, to them sending me the passport, and even then I have time to spare. Should I have anticipated the passport going missing too?

      Prior to my passport application, I was overseas, so this is literally the best I could have done. I can see your name is fitting with the quality advice you give.

        • majimaji on 17/10/2017 - 20:25
          +1

          cool story, please tell me more

    • majimaji on 17/10/2017 - 19:48
      +5

      Um, that's what I was doing? Getting my passport ready well before hand - using the Australian Passport Websites guidelines for preparation.

      "right now you're not capable of leaving your room let alone leaving the country."

      Uh, I just said in my previous post that I was out of the country before applying for my passport renewal.

      Seems like you're both a troll, and incapable of reading. Good job champ.

    • majimaji on 17/10/2017 - 19:57
      +2

      Are you illiterate? I've said I have planned around my own time constraints (considering I was overseas), and the guidelines of the passport office three times now. And the topic of my thread was towards recourse for a lost passport, not planning. Please get some lessons in reading comprehension! Cheers!

      • BlazinPast on 17/10/2017 - 20:04
        +5

        Considering his username is 'Dont Care', I don't think you'll be getting through to him.

        • bobbified on 17/10/2017 - 20:08
          +4

          he needs a turkey slap!

        • majimaji on 17/10/2017 - 20:10
          +3

          yep, seems like he's a bit challenged

      • Dont Care on 17/10/2017 - 20:12
        -7

        you're blaming your time constraints and inability to plan adequately for not receiving in time. You probably didn't enter your name correctly. You would have got a tracking number when you submitted the application and you wouldn't have needed to ring up and request another one. By the way, you could also have lodged a passport renewal at an overseas consulate.

        • majimaji on 17/10/2017 - 20:16

          cool story bro

        • bobbified on 17/10/2017 - 20:19
          +1

          dude, your reading and comprehension skills are shocking, to say the least. Be a good boy and re-read the post.

    • samfisher5986 on 20/10/2017 - 13:02

      You need to seek professional help.

  • qwerty on 17/10/2017 - 20:19
    +2

    $183 for a priority 2 day passport

    https://www.passports.gov.au/Pages/Fees.aspx

    i would see if aus post reimbusrses you but your probably going to need to lawyer up - passport office would be the better bet and they may show some sympathy

    • majimaji on 17/10/2017 - 20:24
      +1

      Yeah, I think the passport office will be able to help out by the sounds of things - the guy I spoke to just before seemed to be quite accommodating.

      • bobbified on 17/10/2017 - 20:52

        mind sharing how they're going help out? are you going to need to pay the fee again or anything?

        • majimaji on 17/10/2017 - 21:05
          +1

          Yeah, not too sure at the moment if I'll have to pay again or not. But I'll post an update once I know.

  • Stewardo on 17/10/2017 - 23:46

    Sounds like an inside job

  • try2bhelpful on 18/10/2017 - 03:10

    Sympathy, this is always our fears with passports so we usually try to renew early. However, this time we would’ve ended up in your situation with the US waiver program if we got stuffed around by Aust Post.

  • onetrickpony on 18/10/2017 - 08:06
    +1

    Ive the same problem, luckily I've no travel booked. Was meant to have been posted on the 4th, but as of last Thursday it hadn't come, so I went to the passport office. They told me Aus Post were allowed a 14 day delivery window, and it should arrive by the 18th. Person I spoke to commented the tracking number returned zero information, but offered no other comments apart from "by the 18th".

    I'm not feeling too optimistic about today. Does anyone know which city they are actually sent from? I'm in Brisbane, wondering if it would have shipped from here or elsewhere. May well be a side business for someone going on here, can't see how a registered post item can be sent without being scanned at the beginning.

  • Book72 on 18/10/2017 - 09:05
    +1

    It can be scanned for lodgement and then not actually get picked up for entering the postal system for days. Basically a batch pickup on a regular schedule.

  • iamagirl1969 on 18/10/2017 - 09:28

    Australia Post parcel/document tracking system is in shutdown mode at the moment and not working (I read this on MSN Nine.com.au) Apparently it will be a number of weeks before it is operating again………? Perhaps that is the reason why you cannot track the number?

    • majimaji on 18/10/2017 - 14:42

      Could be.. I noticed the tracking was down a few days ago, but it seems to be up again? No idea if the information is accurate though

  • Aussie Smurfette on 18/10/2017 - 10:18

    From memory it took 3 weeks to receive my passport and I am in Brisbane, I don't know where they come from, must be some far off land.
    Australia Post tracking numbers only work if the parcel is lodged over the counter which passports aren't. You put a parcel in a mailbox there is no one in there with a scanner. I was told that passports are all put in a mailbag, and picked up randomly by AP, so pretty much a large bag of sitting around at a sorting centre until they get around to it, which they don't scan in.
    If it hasn't been received I think the passport office will issue another without cost, it's not as if it actually costs them anything to do.
    I wouldn't be too concerned as yet, but my main concern would be about someone getting hold of my ID to use if it doesn't show.

    • majimaji on 18/10/2017 - 14:45

      Yeah, I'll stay patient and hope that it comes through. I contacted the Japanese consulate about my visa, and they said it's OK if my application is a little late, so I still have time to spare.

      Theft was my concern too. I wonder how much passports are worth for people who want to make counterfeits. I imagine a freshly minted passport would be of some value.

  • [Deactivated] on 18/10/2017 - 14:28

    Should have done it earlier, pay for the express option and remember the lesson for next time

  • JoyVee on 21/10/2017 - 00:24

    Not sure how quickly one can get replacement passport. Misplaced mine last Monday and needed to fly to bkk on Wednesday for funeral. Earliest appointment available was following Wednesday and no passport until Friday!
    Some 25 years ago I had to replace passport , turned up at 9 a.m. and had it by noon and that was day after Boxing Day with many staff on holidays.
    Luckily I found it in time to fly out as planned.

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