10 weeks wait time exceeded. What next?

I had a nightmare with my daughters renewal so id advise to get on to it. I was at week 12 of waiting, its been expedited, printed and posted today 4 days before i go away. Deffo ring and ask to speak with the case management team. You can also email, escalatedservice@hmpo.gov.uk

I would go to an office soon as you can, I have had a nightmare of a time, my passport was printed last Wednesday and still haven't got it and supposed to fly on Thursday 23rd. I have been told that many lies my head is battered with it all I was allowed to upgrade on the 9th June....while waiting for the call back it processed and went to print the normal way, was waiting for a call to collect that never happened, next phone call was told a courier had picked it up so been hanging on for that and 5 days later still no passport, today I was told it was sent by posted yesterday next day delivery but still not arrived today so tomorrow is my last day for it to come, all the promised call backs didn't come. I have lost count how many times I have rang waiting for hours on end and its got me no where the whole thing has had me that stressed I feel ill with it My daughter went for her fast track appointment last week and said people were showing up whose flights were only in July and they was dealing with them that was at Liverpool. If I knew back then it was going to be like this I would of gone to a passport office long ago, take your chance and turn up

@snoopy55 I was told London were dealing with mine but ended up being processed at liverpool… well so they say.

I am the same week 10, 8 weeks processing and just no help at all. Only advice they give me is allow them more time. I travel in 4 weeks so 2 more weeks before I can upgrade. Lindsay11uk how long was you waiting before yours was processed? What has happened to you is exactly what I am worried about 😭

My appllication was escalated in week 11, travel in July. Received in less than a weej

Mine is now 10.5 weeks and I travel in 2.5 weeks. I contacted my MP as soon as it reached 10 weeks and got this reply in Sunday but have heard nothing since: “ I can confirm that I have raised your concerns with HMPO and as soon as I have received a response, I will be in contact with you. Please note, it may take some time to receive a response from HMPO, but I will let you know as soon as one does come in.” I just rang the helpline number. Pressed 3 then they had an option 1 to press if you had waited more than 10 weeks. All I did there though was give my details to an automated system which then said “we have all the information we need and will contact you if there is any update” then the call was ended. Does anyone know if that does any good as I think that’s a fairly new option on the helpline?

We hit 10 weeks on Sunday but needed to upgrade on Monday as my son travels on 4th, we've heard nothing from the upgrade team as of yet, not sure if they should have at least acknowledged receipt of the request, I've seen people saying they have had automated confirmation emails.. will be chasing again Monday once passed 10 weeks and likely heading to the passport office next week. I mailed my MP a few weeks ago who went to a help desk they have available to them and to be fair they came back with an update in about an hour, didn't change anything as not at 10 weeks but I think they have ways to speak to them quickly if needed.

I’ve just now rung the HMPO management team who couldn’t help me as I am not travelling in two weeks. So annoying that they would have helped me if I had applied 6 weeks ago and travel in 2 weeks but won’t when I have applied 10.5 weeks ago and travel in 2.5 weeks.

When I applied for my son's overseas child renewal (mid May) I was told 15 weeks minimum on the HMPO confirmation... is that because it's overseas or is it a new timeframe?

Yeah overseas applications are longer processing time. I believe the waiting time doesn't start till doccuments are received. (They won't tell you that bit till you have exceeded the waiting time you was told initially) My is a uk adult renewal but with a surname change approaching 11 weeks now 9 weeks processing.

Hi Everyone - sorry to hear about your problems too. When have you decided is the 10 week deadline? Is it 10 weeks from when your documents were received or from when you were contacted or the message on the on line tracking system? I have nearly 2 weeks between my old passport arriving in Liverpool and a posted message saying it had been received and was being processed. Don’t know what date to work from?

If you call them they will say 10 weeks from the day your doccuments was received. You should be able to upgrade your application from 6 weeks at a cost though and free over 10 weeks if your travelling in 2 weeks or less. I spoke to an adviser on the chat this morning that said any one who has been waiting longer then 10 weeks should be eligible to escalate there application and to speak to the help line to do that. 3 advisers later and still a lot of confusion no one can quite work out how to do that on the system 😂

I have called and gone through the automated system if requiring an urgent passport and then I get off and can’t speak to anyone. Any ideas please?

Call the helpline and press 8 then 3 Or there is a customer service number that I don't think they know is out in circulation and often can't get through which is 03001050850. It's a long wait but you will get to speak to some one

Big shout out to Helly87 THANK YOU. Called the number, waited 1.5 hrs, but thought it would be longer, spoke to an actual human who has helped expedite fast track process.

Aww glad you got sorted, I am actually jealous because I am waiting for a call back from the expedite team 🙈. Fingers crossed it shouldn't be too long now

I applied for the renewal of my son's passport on the 13th April. Additional documents were requested and this was received at Peterborough on the 9th May (checked Royal Mail). But the system had not been updated. Since then, heard nothing. Called numerous times to check whether they had actually received the additional docs which they finally confirmed on the 10th June! Called them again to try and push things along but the message I keep getting is 'wait 10 weeks'. We are now in week 9 (from the date when the old passport was received) and getting slightly worried as travelling on the 16th July. Not sure what to do next? Any advice. Thank you.

I am in the same boat we travel the 20th. Applied 10th April and been processing 9 weeks today. Think all we can do is sit and wait it out and pray it gets dealt with this week. Otherwise then it will be a upgrade 2 weeks before travel which will be stressful but it's out of our control sadly

@Helly87 - Thank you for the reply. You are right, this is not within our control and all we can do is wait unfortunately. Stressful times ahead if nothing happens in the next few days.

I applied for 2 child renewals on 12th April via paper application and PO check and send so haven’t had the ability to track the applications. I rang after 6 weeks of waiting just to check that the applications had been received as I only got 1 text message not 2 and was told that both applications were received on 19th April at Durham and had been awaiting examination since 26th April. I rang the helpline last Thursday as it had been 10 weeks and 2 days since submission and was passed onto the progress team (eventually) who said that the 10 weeks only starts from them receiving the application so I was only at 9 weeks 2 days as far as they were concerned and there was no point ringing back until I was due to fly within 2 weeks as they couldn’t do anything until that point anyway. I was told that both applications were still at the awaiting examination stage. I received 1 text message today to say that I should expect to receive my passport within the next few days. I followed the advice I’d read on here and used a link that someone had previously posted for TNT tracking and both passports are due for delivery tomorrow. I’m not holding my breath as I won’t believe it until they’re both actually in my hands but I’m growing more optimistic 🤞

Wishing you luck. In same boat as many of you. My son’s old passport arrived at the Liverpool office on 27 April - I know cos I tracked it and have a signature but it has taken them 2 weeks to say ‘documents arrived’. We leave on 12 July. The tracking tool is sh*t and you try and find on any government website an explanation of when the application time starts. Fully appreciate they can’t do anything until documents arrive with them - but 2 weeks from the post room? Shocking. Advice line cuts us off, web chat so busy I couldn’t get on it. Emailed the passport office direct with evidence we leave in 2 weeks. Not heard back. Don’t know whether to chase it or wait - don’t want to hack them off. Our holiday and the potential loss of thousands of pounds is in their hands. Getting a real vibe that children’s passports are more heavily affected. Our adult ones arrived within 10 days!!!! Guess what passport people - we can’t leave them at home.

This is the reply I got when I sent a request for upgrade this morning. It seems to be clear that the clock starts when you submit your application. It doesn't speak about receiving the documents. We have received your email. Please do not send any more emails as this may cause delays. We can only consider expediting an application if: • you submitted your application at least 10 weeks ago; and • you have evidence to show you need a passport in the next 2 weeks. This mailbox is only for customers who submitted their application more than ten weeks ago. If this does not apply to you, you will not receive a response from this mailbox.

Thank you vsn22. You seem to have the elusive answer. Can I please ask where you sent your upgrade request? Was it to expeditedservice@hmpo.gov.uk? Based on your response I should be eligible on Tuesday - 1 week before we leave. Thanks again and good luck with your passport.

Hi Helly87 - just wondering if you have heard back from the expedite team yet? How are you getting on? I will reach 10 weeks on Tuesday. Contacted the Liverpool upgrade service as I am now only 10 days till we fly - not heard anything. Guy on phone said I may not hear until 2 or 3 days before departure. Eek! I have an extremely stressful job which I manage really well - but this is getting to me!

Not a thing 😭 My Mp has contacted the forgein secretary and still nothing My 2 weeks before we fly is next Wednesday and like you I am very stressed. Only have 2 days off between now and us going away and one I am in hospital other my car is in for a mot. 12 weeks since I applied and 10 weeks since doccuments received. Really hope you hear something soon but feel like we have been forgotten about 😭