10 weeks wait time exceeded. What next?

Good evening, I’m looking for a bit of advice please? I’m passed the 10 weeks for passport renewals for myself and my son. We travel on the 24th July. I’ve emailed the expedited service inbox, but am yet to receive a response other than the automated reply. Through talking to an agent on the phone I’ve managed to establish that the passports are being processed in Durham. If I don’t hear anything early next week, is my best option to turn up at Durham on Thursday/Friday next week? We travel the Sunday after that (hopefully!) I’m based in Brighton so Durham is about a 6-hour drive each way. I’m guessing I won’t have any joy if I turn up at the London Victoria office (which would be much more convenient travel wise). Thanks

Honestly is still luck if the Upgrade processes it. The priority for the passport office is the statistics to say that over 98% of applications are dealt within 10 weeks. Reducing the backlog is not a priority. By principle you could hear from them 72 before your flight. But not the case for so many. I am going to the nearest passport office in person tomorrow. They receive you if flight within 12, 24 or 48 hours. A few offices will allow for others if applications is over 10 weeks as last priority, but some offices turn you down. Maybe it depends on how busy they are on the day.

@sussesplum Honestly is still luck if the Upgrade processes it. The priority for the passport office is the statistics to say that over 98% of applications are dealt within 10 weeks. Reducing the backlog is not a priority. By principle you could hear from them 72 before your flight. But not the case for so many. I am going to the nearest passport office in person tomorrow. They receive you if flight within 12, 24 or 48 hours. A few offices will allow for others if applications is over 10 weeks as last priority, but some offices turn you down. Maybe it depends on how busy they are on the day.

Hi all, this will be my last post (hopefully). I went to the passport office today. Arrived 6:20 about 10 people ahead of me. Seen at 8am (given a number and a paper to fill in with application details). While waiting I got just after 9am a call from the Belfast office that my application has been approved and I could pick it up at 1:30pm. So I could have avoided the way to the office, but honestly I could not take the risk to leave it to the last minute. One lady had plane same day and was dealt with immediately, but the office asked her why didn't she come the day prior (24 hours before travel). Though my upgrade request had been acknowledged on July 2nd I did a few calls yesterday (not progress but management team) and the last one in the evening was maybe one too much as she hand up saying she can she it is our 3rd call today... FYI: I am now 13 weeks since documents received (PEX353); child renewal and imminent travel.

@Sussexplum. If you have provided proof of travel the office should call me 72 hours before latest (Upgrade team). Worst case go 48 hours before travel to any passport office. You can take the risk to come earlier, but a lady in the queue this morning was denied entry in the London office twice. She got lucky today. This being said I heard someone only leaving coming Wednesday and he was allowed entry...So if travel less than 48 hours it is a little of a gamble. I think you don't need to account for a Sunday. So if travelling on Monday 48 hours would probably be Friday.... Hope this helps.

So we did eventually get both our passports after the 10 week 2nd being delivered today... Upsidedown gave some great advice here we emailed expedite email and listed our experience from application to the week 10 status less than 6 hours later approved. this was after been told the passport was unable to be found. Ignore the gibberish they give you and keep hammering

My story is all too common. Knew I'd be travelling in the summer and had lost my passport in a house move. I also have an Irish passport. Applied online on 7th April. Still do not have my new passport 14 weeks later and they've held my Irish passport hostage for 12 weeks. All that's showing on the tracking site is additional docs received on 20th April. I emailed my MP over a month ago as I was due to travel to France last Tuesday and then emailed the expedited service team who said I was being passed to the upgrade team who would be working to my date of travel. That date came and went and still no passport. I've lost thousands from work I haven't been able to do abroad am due to travel again in a month and my biggest beef is that no-one can tell me what's going on! Also my concern is that they've lost my Irish passport. You can to request a callback and it's the same old. Someone calls back a few days later and checks the system which is the same as what you can see on the tracking. It's an absolute disgrace from the only gov dept that makes a profit!

@ks18 @boblee4 That's even worse to be told they've been approved only to be to they're waiting to be checked again. What a shambles. @Flippo2605 That's good news - did you have travel already booked? I'm waiting to hear from Upgrade Team but currently got no travel booked so that might go against me.

Application submitted 4th May. Docs received 16th May. We travel 9th August. A colleague I'm sat next to sent his passport off on Tuesday this week, docs received day after. He's just had a message saying your passport is ready for printing. Fuming, I rang them up and queried it. Mines being held up because the "digital system" when I submitted mine was overloaded so was transfered to a manual application. Doesn't help my situation. Still angry and stressed! Just out of interest. We're due to fly 9th August Tuesday 6.50am. I will request to be expidited when we're 2 weeks away, but when should I start going to Newport knocking their door.?I'm assuming Saturday as that's technically 48 hours hmpo time? Thanks.

Currently sat at 13.5 weeks and noone has even looked at my application. Called and called, emailed and emailed (noone repsonded!) MP office helped a bit and apparently been escalated as of last week but still not update. Now sat waiting on a call back for upgrade team because it's 2 weeks before fly and now been told will take up to 72 hours to call back (11 days before fly) Has anyone had any experience with just turning up to an office to get it sorted/printed? I will wait all day if I have to. My passport in Liverpool but our closest office is Peterborough which is doable at a 1.5 hour drive one way.

I’m on 10 weeks now and sue to travel in 3 weeks, so can’t upgrade for another week, but they’ve said that the upgrade doesn’t mean you will get the passport for definite. Was just wondering, I’ve heard of people going to the passport office and waiting, but can you just turn up and they will eventually see to you, and which passport office do you go to. Thanx

I'm on 12 weeks since they have received my application at the Durham office 3 weeks till holidays from work are due to begin - looking to travel from the 9th August (nothing booked as yet though as advised not to book anything until passport arrived around 10 weeks time , but this was 17 weeks before the holiday was due to start) mines still not been examined yet - despite them telling me twice now its been examined and checked ad waiting for printing, ive filled in numerous enquiry forms and complaints forms - used the webchat facility and the advice probably on a daily basis for last week, and all give me contradicting information just to fob me off and get me off the phone ive involved the local MP (which was useless as nothing heard back from them). ive had a call back this morning to say its still waiting to be examined DESPITE HAVING A CONVERSTAION WITH SOMEONE YESTERDAY SAYING ITS CHECKED AND WAITING TO BE PRINTED AND NO NEED FOR INTERVIEW NOW DUE TO TIME SCALE AND DELAYS none of them can seem to see what the hold up is either (just in case i didnt already know this) but if i email the expedited service email address through the GOV.UK website and expedite it ill receive it in 8 days (nonsense i think but yet another way to get me off the phone) ive already filled out the expedite email on 7th july and received the standard auto reply back from it - then when i rang the other day and they said waiting to be printed i was pleased to say the least - however its just all lies form them at every turn, i cant turn up at office as i have no flight booked due to being told not to book till it arrives so in a bit of a catch 22 situation, i am beyond furious as all this time and no further forward than the day it was received. ill be on to advice line again today no doubt, ive even said ill collect it numerous times to save more delays getting is posted but prettu sure holiday this year is a no go

Just got a phone call from the passport office, my phone lit up and that was it, my phone says it rang for 1 second but there was no ring tone, just hope that me not missed my chance?

@screamer I got a call back yesterday at 5pm, double checked I was past 10 weeks and with less than 2 weeks to travel, then put me on hold to pass me to the upgrade team, on hold for 51 mins then the call just cut off. I then called 0300 330 0901 again which only got me put me back on the call back list. That call was returned at 2pm today. This call started the urgent upgrade request and instructed me to email escalatedservice@hmpo.gov.uk with relevant details and flight booking evidence attached.

Call back done after a hour on hold and email with proof sent along with preference of collection at the office a d further instructions from me. Yes there is no guarantee Unfortunately. I originally sent my application on 27th February and that was stated in the email. So will see if it gets noticed

Hi guys hope your well! I think we’re all on the boat with waiting for our passports! Such a stressful time! Especially when we have holidays booked! I applied for my kids first ever passport two weeks ago. They needed birth certificate but the guy on the fone said to send it to Durham then I got a txt to say send them to glasgow! Such a nightmare! Does anyone have the number for the MP for Manchester area. So I can contact them. I don’t want to wait 10 weeks!

"Does anyone have the number for the MP for Manchester area. So I can contact them. I don’t want to wait 10 weeks!" Your MP's contact details are a matter of public record, you will need to go onto the Westminster website and input your thier name and the details will pop up. We all don't want to wait 10 weeks, I'm 5 weeks in and counting - its doubful your application will get expedited unless you hit the 6 week mark and can prove you have travel booked. However, from this website it looks like the corner has been turned and hopefully those waiting will have that little blue book in hand shortly.

What do you mean by this website? Are people starting to get their passport more sooner now?

"What do you mean by this website? Are people starting to get their passport more sooner now?" Yes. Look at/click the Expierance and latest Waiting Times tabs. That said you may still have little way to go yet as the average time for a childs 1st passport is currently at 45 days according to this site.

Is 45 days including weekends? Or just the week?

This is stressful! I’m only two weeks in and I can’t be bothered with the stress of waiting and I defo don’t wanna wait 48 hours before travelling

@rabia1992 you will probably not have to wait that long as things have been moving more quickly for applications submitted recently. I believe there is/was a huge backlog of applications from February/March/April which is still being worked through. The length of time here is an average number of calendar days since submitting the application. Some people are longer and some are shorter. What does your tracking say? Good luck and hopefully you will get your passport soon.

I hope I get it soon! Like within next couple weeks otherwise il have to cancel my holiday which I don’t want to do. Calendar days so Monday to satuday? My tracking on the passport tracking website says - Application received 4:34pm on 30 June 2022. So nothing yet I keep getting texts saying we have received your docs. That’s because the agent on the fone gave me the wrong address to send it to when they should have went to glasgow instead of Durham. So hopefully, they scan it internally electronically. And they can see it.

OK so have they got your documents? Does it show on the tracking that they have received them? Because some people on here have been told that they don't count till they receive your documents - that's because they can't start working on your application till the supporting documents arrive. Calendar days means the total amount of days between dates. For example in my case we submitted the application on 18 February and that is 148 days ago. We are expecting passports to arrive on Monday or Tuesday according to postal tracking, so will probably end up with a figure of 150 of 151 days. Hopefully you will be much luckier! don't think your MP can do much as you have only submitted very recently.

No they haven’t had my docs yet! So stressful! BecUse they told me to send to the wrong office!! Wow it took that long! Hopefully it comes asap