10 weeks wait time exceeded. What next?

I could do with some advice please. submitted daughters renewal online 25th MAy. docs sent and identity verified. No updates since 12th June. We foolishly took the advice of the passport office and didn’t book a holiday. We are prepared to book last minute, but due to school holidays need to go in August. Can we still ask for an expedited appliction after the 10 week deadline? I noticed Helly87 wasn’t asked for proof of travel? What should we say? Any suggestions gratefully received. What a ridiculous situation it all is. Will be gutted if we can’t go anywhere. Like everyone else, it’s been a long time….. thank you

@sussexplum I did not get any contact from the courier. I just looked up on the DHL site (they use DHL for overseas deliveries and TNT for UK deliveries) using then PEX number without the PEX and the spaces and it came up. You should get another text from HMPO to say it has been despatched I think.

@Grumpy we were not asked for proof of travel either. They count 10 weeks from when they officially received your supporting documents.

I'll contribute by saying every HMPO escalation related call I've had has mentioned proof - despite being past 12 weeks. I don't think everyone is having the same experience with this.

@upsidedown Did you get yours by emailing the expedited services email? That's the only one left for me to try. Already tried escalated service email and upgrade team email email so last chance saloon for me now...

Yes, I emailed the expedited service - it's different to the escalation and the upgrade services. It is basically for people whose applications have been stuck in the system. They say that they will ignore your email if your application hasn't been in the system for long enough. Escalated and upgrade require proof of travel. @boblee4 email expeditedservice@hmpo.gov.uk and set out all your dealings with HMPO and when everything was submitted. That's what I did and they got our application moving.

@Upsidedown I've emailed everything apart from the upgradesteam email as I was told this is for people pre-10 weeks. I was told by Belfast upgrades last night that the passport would be printed this morning...

Thanks @upsidedown I will definitely try this because got nowhere with upgrade team and escalated service team. Upgrade team called me at the weekend and apparently my passport will be with me today....still waiting and had no txt message updates other than the original one saying they'd received my application so chances of passport turning up today are slim to none I would say!

@Estival the wife has received a text "You should receive your new passport within a few working days. We'll send your supporting documents separately." All so wishy washy... but it does appear they may send a text when the process moves along. I still wouldn't assume they've failed to move along with yours even without semi-reassuring text messages though.

Although I haven't received my passport today like they said, I have now received a text message saying "You should receive your new passport within a few working days. We'll send your supporting documents separately." I think this sounds promising- has anyone else had this text before? Hoping it's not just a standard courtesy text they send when you reach 10 weeks !!

@estival - I went to Belfast to pick up my passport and after I’d picked it up I received that text - so I think it does bode well

@simon888 Thats good news then - thanks for the info. 👍

@simon888 Thats good news then - thanks for the info. 👍

Hi etival. Do you mind explaining what your process has been? I've just had a call back from the progress department and by coincidence, my application had been assigned to an examiner 5 minutes before the call. She did say it could take 7 days to be looked at. 🙄

@Brian27 I tracked my application as it got closer to the 10 week mark to be told it was with an examiner. I waited a further week just to be told it "was being processed" not sure if that is the same thing or had gone back a step. I emailed the escalated services team and never got a response so I then emailed the Durham Upgrade Team who called me at the weekend and told me my passport would be with me today by Royal mail special delivery. However I haven't received my passport today but I did get the following text: You should receive your new passport within a few working days. We'll send your supporting documents separately. So I'm not sure if this means it has been dispatched or just approved but I'm hoping it's a good sign something is happening!

Do you mind if I ask you who you emailed at Durham? I've emailed generic ones but not direct ones.

@Brian27 The address I emailed was DurhamUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk I think you replace "Durham" with the relevant passport office and it should work.

Made my application for my sons renewal almost 14 weeks ago and still dont have a passport and documents still being "examined" Application was made on 16th April Documents signed for 27th April Documents "received" on the systme on the 19th June (conveintly this was after I chased on the phone, that same morning they where still showing as me needing to send documents) Have now chase them multiple times about the renewal, with little to no change. Was supposed to be travelling to Belfast to see kids grandparents for the first time in 3 years due to Covid, on Saturday 23rd July, so conatcted on Tuesday 12th about expiditing the situation, was told it was at Durham for examination and they spoke to Durham who would be in touch, still no call back by Friday 15th so called again and was told it was being progressed, still no contact. Got my MP to contact them (again) today but so far still no contact. This trip can be cancelled with no loss of funds, but we are also supposed to be going on Summer Holiday 20th August (which is booked and paid for) and based on the experiance I have had trying to get it expiditied when in the 14 day window (i.e. a full week and now news) I have little faith that I will recieve it then meaning I will have two dissapointed kids and be out of pocket thousands! Its bad enough being stressed about this situation but the lack of contact is an even bigger kick in the teeth, I also think that its outragous that there is no recourse in the event that someone loses money in the event of the passport not arriving in time. This is 100% the fault of the passport service and the government, providing this service is litrilly a basic function of government! Will try and call again today and likely spend another hour on hold to get told "its being processed"

On the upside todays call was very short as apparently they can not even put me through to someone who might be able to deal with my complaint/situation. This is a new development and a new low in the level of communication!

@Upsidedown thank you for replying. Hopefully reassuring that proof of travel not required after 10 weeks. I got a bit cheeky and emailed the expedited team (silly of me) it’s only 8 weeks. I got this standard acknowledgment: “We can only consider expediting an application if you submitted your application at least 10 weeks ago.” I will try again on 3rd August. Doesn’t give me much time though! I’m not hopeful that we are going to get the passport in time to book a holiday Darent tell my daughter! It’s sooooo frustrating when other people I know have had theirs within a fortnight. I just don’t get it.

thanks @Upsidedown. I’ve checked the TNT website and there’s a section for tracking passports. I put the postcode in and the application number and it looks as though it may arrive tomorrow. Fingers crossed.

It seems people are having different experiences....I applied for my sons first passport 13 weeks ago via post office digital check and send. Documents put on their system 03/05. I asked for it to be expedited once I was over 10 weeks on 30/06, was given the email address and told me NOT to put my travel date in (22/08) as they would reject as not in 2 weeks time but they would consider as over 10 weeks and would hopefully at least get it looked at, rcvd auto reply straight away. Rcvd a reply 3/06 to say they have forwarded my application details to one of our examination teams to progress as soon as possible...heard nothing to date! Most people seem to hear back quite quickly so iv thought there was an issue. When I tracked my application at exactly 12 weeks (what they class as 10 weeks as docs rcvd/put on system),it advertises that you are eligible to expedite but only if you travel in next 2 weeks. I've emailed upgrade as I'm willing to pay to get it, no reply. Spent hours on the phone being passed around to eventually be told by progress team that it definitely hadn't been expedited and that they won't expedite until 2 weeks before travel, confirmed it had not been picked up by an examiner, no updates since 03/05, that's it's not a guaranteed service and that even if I go to a passport office 48hrs before with proof of our holiday, still may not get it. I have been waiting for 3 call backs from customer service management team, supposed to be in 48hours nothing. Anyone I have spoken to cannot help. Have highlighted my experience to MP, But he just sent a generic letter to HMPO and won't expect a reply for 20 working days. We are hoping that we will be able to move our holiday to next year as I fear it will not arrive and we will lose all our money.

Hi Jezzreal, sorry you are having a similar experience. Not sure where you live, but I travelled to Belfast regularly before covid as FIL lives Newry and you don't need a passport if are in the UK as its classed as internal flight, same with Newquay, not sure if you live in UK? Just may be another excuse for them not to issue... good luck, hope you get yours soon :)

@upsidedown As a fellow ex pat I would like to thank you for input into this fora as it has been invaulable and insightful. Although, I'm not at the escalation stage it has given me clear insight in what I need to do *IF* I reach that stage. Fingers crossed I don't, but unfortunately it looks to be heading that way.

Little update. I rang the general number and got through straight away using option 8. Nice man answered. Explained that it was 8 weeks but no updates on tracking since 12th June. Man expressed concern as it is a straightforward renewal and documentation received and proof of identity. He tried to put me through to the progress team, all lines busy of course. He emailed them with the scenario and has requested a call back, so we will see. I’m hoping that at least someone will look at it and get things moving again! I will let you know! I’m going to keep trying- not giving up yet!