Belfast:
Passport printed 9:13pm on 18 March 2022
Application approved 12:26pm on 16 March 2022
Application being processed 1:34pm on 14 March 2022
Documents received 11:33am on 24 February 2022
Application received 9:18am on 14 February 2022
Special note:
The only reason our application was approved so soon after processing is because I basically begged the urgent and compassionate team at the Belfast office. I got their email address from someone at the passport advice line.
I explained our situation. They responded within 2 hours and also said we don’t qualify for being expedited:
“Thank you for your e-mail. Sadly this situation does not fall within the urgent and compassionate criteria to have _____’s passport issued urgently.
Though as _____’s application is awaiting examination, I will have it lifted and referred to an examiner to process today via the normal service.”
It was approved the same day!
I do think it’s important to note that our situation was unique. If we didn’t receive my daugther’s passport in time, I was going to be separated from her since I had to leave the UK before the end of my visa.
If you have a difficult situation requiring you to travel, it does seem worthwhile to email the urgent and compassionate team to at least get it on their radar.