Durham

@upsidedown Totally. One MP - I forget who - said in one of the backlog debates "While the volume of applications is perhaps unprecedented, Ministers cannot, with a shred of credibility, claim that it was in any way unexpected." Our Leadership, there... As strategic as an out of control shopping trolley ricocheting down the egg aisle.

Here’s the thing though, and this is why I am worried; the old passport (my Canadian one in this case) is the passport I used to book my trip and my passport number I booked with has to match the one I will be travelling with. Therefore I can’t use the new UK one they’ll give me lol. I wonder if that’s not the case for you? I always thought you have to travel with the same passport … as the numbers will be different on both.

We didn’t book with passport numbers so we can use any passport. Just needs to have a passport to fly and board planes and cross through customs

Standard adult online overseas renewal from Saudi Arabia: Application submitted on 9 May 2022 Old passport sent via DHL on 9 May 2022 Old passport signed for at Durham on 11 May 2022 Documents received on 31 May 2022 Application approved on 8 June 2022 New passport printed on 10 June 2022 New passport collected by DHL 14 June 2022 New passport delivered 16 June 2022 38 days from application to delivery. Good luck to all those waiting for their passport.

how do you track overseas delivery after the passport is printed? Do you just enter the numbers after PEX into DHL? I swear i saw a poster mention the details

@Passnos I think the link was: https://www.dhl.com/gb-en/home/our-divisions/global-forwarding/help-and-support/hmpo-delivery-services.html and you put in the PEX number without the letters. But, this didn't work for me. I received an SMS from DHL on the day it was collected with a completely different Airway Bill Number and a link to track the progress.

Hi All, just wanted to give an update for where I am just so people know some of the difficulties. I hope no one else experiences this. I applied on 2nd May, due to travel on 20th June. All docs received within a day or so of my applying and updated on the system 12 days later which I understand is normal. It then went to processing and stayed there until recently when it moved back to docs received which may or may not be down to a glitch. As i am travelling soon I was able to request an upgrade on Monday just gone which I have done. Was told 48 hours for a response as long as they have my evidence. I have phoned in so many occasions that I don’t know what info is right anymore but I am still sat here 4 days before my travel date, no passport and waiting for a call from the upgrade team. I have been told I should send info to the Liverpool upgrade team as it’s closest to me and if needed I could pick it up (looks like that’s now the only option!). I called today and after 2 hours on hold to progress team I was told that the upgrade team has looked at it so I have to sit tight as there is nothing they can do. Ultimately it’s a waiting game and I’ve given up any shred of hope I had at being able to travel. I really hope that everyone here has a much better bout of luck than me. Thanks everyone for helping with numbers, email addresses etc.

Ugh so sorry to hear. I can’t get any straight answers, except we’re not eligible for upgrades as were overseas. So we just keep waiting I guess. Complete garbage as we are due to travel June 21 and it’s been processing since 27 April and applied for 30 March.

Final passport has arrived today. Child renewal: applied 15th May and received 16th June. So overall: 1 x adult renewal - 17 days 1 x child renewal - 29 days 1 x child renewal - 32 days All applied for online on 15th May. Think we have been very lucky! Hope you all manage to get the support you need and your applications start to move forwards quickly.

ah thanks! Also, if you applied from overseas like Canada / US how long does it take to your get your submitted documents back? (birth certificates / letters etc). you don't need to request it in writing right?

Hey @passnos I’m not sure if you read my previous posts here from a day or so ago. I’ve applied from canada and my application was received Mar 22. My documents were received back in April too. I was told I had to request in writing for my supporting docs back as I’m overseas, I did.. twice. Sent via Canada post obviously I didn’t pay for tracking for a measly piece of paper as it’s a waste of money, but it did arrive there I’m sure. I’ve done this twice and it got me no replies from HMPO. I called into the advice line and received this information that overseas applicants have to submit in writing if they want their supporting docs back faster than normal. As per normal timelines, what I’ve read (based on my research) is that they send you the UK oassport first and then later you get your original docs back… could be weeks after. I’ve had to already postpone a flight from June to August now because of this chaos. I have no Hopes for myself or anyone else applying overseas especially anyone planning to go on vacation in the next 1-2 months, ain’t no way that’s happening.

Reply to #17611 @Passnos to get an accurate update of your DHL passport delivery download the DHL express app and set up an account with your address details including zip code, post code etc, you will then automatically receive updates of your delivery including day and time.

Type: Child's Renewal From: Singapore Method: Online Passport Office: HMPO Durham Online application submitted: 28 April 2022 Ask someone to confirm your identity: 28 April 2022 Email sent to person confirming your identity: 28 April 2022 Identity details received: 28 April 2022 Application received: 28 April 2022 Documents sent: 29 April 2022 (by DHL) Documents delivered by DHL: 03 May 2022 Documents confirmed received by HMPO: 23 May 2023 Ask someone to confirm your identity (AGAIN): 27 May 2022 Email sent to person confirming your identity (AGAIN): 27 May 2022 Identity details received (AGAIN): 27 May 2022 Application approved: 27 May 2022 Passport printed: 31 May 2022 Passport received: 04 June 2022 (by DHL) Email from DHL confirming despatch of documents: 14 June 2022 Documents received: 16 June 2022 A very helpful link for applicants from abroad to get a tracking number from DHL using their applications number https://www.dhl.com/gb-en/home/our-divisions/global-forwarding/help-and-support/hmpo-delivery-services.html.

I don't even know what to do anymore. I am due to fly on the 29th of June, but am away from home from the 22nd. StatusDate Identity details received 11:40pm on 30 March 2022 Email sent to person confirming your identity 11:27pm on 30 March 2022 Ask someone to confirm your identity 11:23pm on 30 March 2022 Application submitted 11:23pm on 30 March 2022 Every time I call the helpline I just get told completely different information, have been told to email people, have been told I'd be contacted in 48 hours. Nothing. My girlfriend got hers through just today. I don't think I'm going to be as lucky.

Applied for my passport on May 2nd for a child to adult renewal and my documents were sent next day special delivery. But it wasn’t updated on the system until May 16th as received and then I received another message on June 6 saying my documents had been received again. I am travelling on July 1st so I called the helpline on June 1st as I was a bit worried and they said I can apply for an upgrade on June 17th. But I thought let me try my luck and send a request for an upgrade a few days earlier. So after sending the request to the Durham upgrade team on June 12th I got a call today(17th June)telling me I can upgrade. Due to having waited 6 weeks and nearly 7. So in the end I paid the upgrade top-up on the phone and you either had the choice to pick it up tomorrow from the nearest passport office or pay for it to be delivered to me. And is estimated to come between June 21st to June 22nd which is soon. After the call my passport was printed within a couple of hours as I received the email. Will update when i receive my passport. I hope that this will end well for you all guys too.

Would love to know how you managed that, i emailed them on the 11th june, i am due to travel on the 25th june. 12 weeks today since sent passport off and still noone has contacted me

@louiseamy22 Hey I called this number 0300 123 1973 and explained my situation and I’m sure with having waited 12 weeks you should be prioritised but obviously this isn’t case as you said you’ve emailed the upgrade team. May I ask which email you sent it to for an upgrade? However I do know this my friend (who had also waited about 10 weeks) did call the helpline and said he needs to travel for compassionate reasons which is wrong but he couldn’t afford to waste money due to fully paying for a holiday. The email is different to the upgrade team email but they will only read your email if they’ve been informed by the helpline that you’ll be contacting them. He said they take your details and your application reference number is given to their upgrade team so this way they will be able to contact you quickly. 5 days later he got call allowing him to upgrade in which he did and he could pick up his passport the next day! So I know this wrong but you could try that.

Timeline for renewal from child to adult Application submitted 29th April Documents received 13th May Application approved 12th June Printed 14th June 1 of 5 applications made for my family, all made either 28th or 29th April, all sent to different offices but this took the longest

I emailed DurhamUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk Iv emailed it a few times since and i only got an auto reply last Saturday when i sent it. Been on hold for passport office nearly to hours this morning and still waiting

With the number I used I called and dialed 8 then 3 then I was put into a someone within 5 minutes. You could try that

I spoke to advise line who tranfered me yo the case management team, i waited 2 hours on hold. I explained the situation she said as its been over 10 weeks i should have to upgrade i should expedited and that she wpuld send an ‘extremely urgent’ 3’email to the escalation team. However i said already been told this days ago and also emailed the escalation team and still not heard anything. She said to call back Tuesday if not heard anything but frok my experience so far i bet i will be doing. Or turning up at durham 48hrs before flight

Shouldnt have to upgrade**

Oh I understand, that must be very frustrating but I hope you get your passport when you go down to Durham.

We are due to fly on the 27th June but after 7 weeks of waiting, my husband still hasn’t received his passport. He submitted his passport for a renewal with a name change and have emailed the Durham upgrade team to no response. Is it worth driving to Durham on the Saturday to request for his old passport if we are due to fly on the Monday? Does anyone have any successful experience turning up at the passport with no appointment?

@maryw Your friend who called the helpline and said he needed to travel for urgent/compassionate reasons - I thought that particular team asked for strict evidence for such a thing, and that they're very particular who they allow through on 'urgent and compassionate' grounds, no? I've had to supply medical evidence, and if it's a relative's ill health, they can even contact hospitals, doctors etc to verify your loved one's state of health (which seems a bit Big Brother to me) but that is what people have said they needed to supply, to qualify. I wonder how your friend got through these hoops?