New Passport Upgrade Service!

[Smeniniho]

Hi everyone, how much are they charging for this upgrade. I’m flying in 6 days time and my application is just over 6 weeks so I know I’m eligible. Jet2 who I’m flying with have been very helpful and are willing to amend my holiday for a small admission fee per person so wondering if its cheaper and less stressful moving the holiday compared to trying to upgrade in time
Thanks

[andstillwaiting]

@flowers. I didn’t get any email back but mine was sorted on Wednesday 15th. passport arrived early Thursday morning. I sent email 10th and fly 22nd. I had applied over 10 weeks ago though

[joshburn92]

My wife got a call last night at 8:30 to confirm that her passport upgrade request has been accepted. Got told we would have to pay additional £101 and that the passport would be ready to collect from our nearest passport office the next day. Honestly thought we wouldn’t manage to get the passport, as that’s been nearly 2 weeks calling, but once I spoke with the progression team (requested a call back and eventually getting a call) they were very helpful and managed to get the ball rolling with the upgrade. Hope anyone else in the same boat as us, is successful with getting there passport back in time. They do leave it last minute, but seems they don’t look at upgrades until 48 hours before flying.

[csy30006]

We fly at 7am Monday 27th June, waiting to hear back from the Upgrade team after sending them multiple emails. If we can’t through to the upgrade team, we’re planning on going to the Durham office from London on Saturday. Has anyone travelled to the Durham office on a Saturday and managed to get seen, have their passport approved and printed on the same day? With the office closing early on a Saturday, we’re worried it might be a waste of a journey.

[Ginge]

My husbands application went to Durham, they didn’t process his upgrade in time (we go on holiday tomorrow) but he drove to a more local branch for us – Peterborough – today, and they printed it for him. They just contacted Durham and they sent it over to them.

[csy30006]

Thanks! This is really useful to know.
If we can’t get my husband’s passport in time, we’ll try Peterborough rather than Durham.

[Blondie23]

I applied for my daughters renewal on March 29th, was still waiting so after calling the advice line and choosing option 8 and waiting to talk to an advisor who told me about the upgrade service which you get put through to 2 weeks before your flight, I sent proof of flights on June 9th to both the Peterborough office where passport was and the expedition team, no contact from the upgrade team until June 16th telling me it couldn’t be posted out in time for flight in 23rd but I could collect it in person from my local office Newport, not my local office but 2 train trips later I went in on the 18th with only ten others waiting and collected it within ten minutes.. as long as you have proof of flight you should be good to go.. good luck everyone

[csy30006]

@blondie23 reassuring to know. Hopefully we will hear from them this week before travelling to Peterborough.

Our flight is at 7am on Monday. Ideally we’d go to the office on Friday assuming they’ll be out of action on Sunday and closing early on Saturday. If we go on Friday is it unlikely they’ll do anything about it since it’s more than 48 hours before we fly? I’m a bit nervous leaving it until Saturday to sort out.

[brussels83]

Hi all,

Just after some advice, we’ve hit 14 days to travel after applying in April, we’ve submitted all the details a few hours ago to the upgrade team at DurhamUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk but as yet we’ve not had the auto response, I thought there should be an automated message you receive back over email saying they’ll be in touch, is that right, or have I misunderstood, do they only send that once they have looked at your email?

• This reply was modified 1 year, 10 months ago by brussels83.

[csy30006]

We’ve just spoken to the customer service management team again. The person we spoke to this time round was more helpful than the last and even helped us draft the email. Although we have been emailing them since last Tuesday, it was interesting to know the emphasis on the capital D, U and T when sending the email to DurhamUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk. We also mentioned that we would pick the passport up from the London office, which is local to us. They also escalated this to the Upgrade team. Apparently we should hear back by tomorrow afternoon.

[brussels83]

Sounds like the same conversation we had with them Friday and similar help too, so thank you for confirming, gives me some comfort you’ve been told the same thing, will keep my fingers crossed all works out for us both

[csy30006]

@brussels83 As far as I’m aware, there is no receipt of confirmation and I was told this doesn’t mean they’re not looking into it. They also prioritise people flying within 24-72 hours. I think if we don’t hear back by Friday, we’re going to make our way to the passport office in Peterborough assuming the Peterborough office queue will be smaller than the London one.

[nels]

Hi all. I sent an email yesterday to the Liverpool upgrade team and received an acknowledgement email today saying my date of travel has been acknowldoged. I’m not hopeful I will receive a call or email from them ahead of my flight on Monday morning at 6am but the email says they will be In touch as soon as they can. I would be grateful for advice to attend the office where I believe my passport application is in Liverpool. My application is a change of name and although I submitted my online application early May, I was told my the progress team that my application has been removed from the digital system. I’m not sure and would appreciate some advice as to when to attend the passport office. Thanks in advance!

[red5standingby]

Hi folks,

I’m heading abroad on Monday (6 days time), I applied for my passport about 9 weeks ago, and last week managed to get through to a human who sent me the instructional email to send to to the Durham upgrade team. That was last Tuesday. It’s been a week and no word from Durham.

I understand people are saying they focus on people who are travelling 24-72 hours, but that doesn’t make me feel any better! Especially since they’ll be closed on the Sunday and closing early on the Saturday beforehand…

I saw a few people mention that they’re travelling to the passport office – I thought you couldn’t do this without an appointment? Durham is 3 hours away but if it helps me I’d go at a moments notice. I don’t have my old passport, but it was cancelled and I was given a reference number for this.

Any hints on how to get through to either the upgrades team directly or the customer service management team? I only got through to a human by ignoring the ‘press 1 for x’ options.

Thanks 🙂

[Rachy40]

@red5standingby

This is the number for Customer Services Management: 0300 1050850

In my experience, very understanding and helpful, and super professional!

Call bang on 8am and you shouldn’t have to wait longer than half an hour, usually a lot less. I’m not sure they realise there’s a direct number out here doing the rounds so when they say “we understand you’ve been put through so you may have to repeat yourself” just nod and smile 🙂

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