New Passport Upgrade Service!

That is really good to know. I’ve chased once by email but not called again yet. What number have you been ringing for an update please?

I called the progress team at 8AM today, since we're flying at 8.30PM tonight. The lady said that the upgrade request (which I made last Thursday) was logged by the upgrade team at 9.20PM on Friday night. She said that she would send another message to the upgrade team and emphasise the urgency, and ask that we could pick the passport up at Peterborough (the application was in Durham). Amazingly, they called at about 12.30PM to say it was all sorted and we could pick up at 2PM. Hey presto, we have the passport! Also no additional charge for the upgrade. This was for a first UK adult passport after UK naturalisation. So, don't give up hope, it really is possible to get a last minute upgrade, but I guess you need to give them two full clear working days to log the upgrade and process it. Passport printed 12:55pm on 16 May 2022 Application approved 12:26pm on 16 May 2022 Application being processed 11:14am on 16 May 2022 Documents received 9:16am on 25 April 2022 Application received 9:01pm on 10 April 2022 Identity details received 9:01pm on 10 April 2022 Email sent to person confirming your identity 4:04pm on 10 April 2022 Ask someone to confirm your identity 3:36pm on 10 April 2022 Application submitted 3:36pm on 10 April 2022

@Gemzy I guess its no different to people paying more to get their passport dont the same day at an office. I think at this stage its dog eat dog in the passport application world. We have to do what we have to do, sometimes following protocol gets us nowhere. I really hope we all get sorted asap. Th stress is too much.

Ive followed this forum for a few weeks now and my advice to everyone would be to not waste any time emailing the upgrade teams before 14 days prior to travel. A phone call to find out where your application is, is a good idea so you are confident you are emailing the correct office. If in doubt then maybe try a few or all. Not all offices have an automated reply to let you know that they have received your email in their inbox which is a bit frustrating. I emailed on Sunday lunch time (13 days before travel) and received a reply Monday morning 8:30am saying they have received our upgrade request and noted the travel date is 28 May 2022. From reading the 40 odd pages this thread has got to now, I am confident we will get the call to organise picking them up. However for people that are not fortunate to be able to drive or afford the train upto 200 miles to get to the nearest office / not trust the Postal Service, and the fact it seems to be within 72/42 hours before one actually flies then that also is an added stress :-( Good luck everyone

I'm due to fly next wed 25th.... both my sons renewals are still with Peterborough. I had to sent in parental proof (different surname) and that was signed for by hmpo on the 10th last week. Spoke to a lovely lady this morning that said I am unable to upgrade until my paperwork has been scanned on the system..... it's such a stressful wait.... I feel like our first holiday abroad as a family isn't going to happen :(

Any advice would be EXTREMELY grateful. I have 2 kids new passports that’s status is application being progressed since 4th April. We are due to travel this Sunday (22nd May) so emailed for upgrade last Sunday (8th May). Not had a call as of yet keep chasing and all progress can do is put notes on their files. Do I still have hope?? Thanks in advance.

We are in the same situation but we fly on Sunday if we don’t get a call tomorrow then we are going to the passport office that the applications are at on Wednesday

Hi all, I applied for my sons passport on 14th of march, documents were received 1st April and then on 13th April I was asked for documents for mothers name change from marriage. My wife (His Mother) also had a passport application with marriage certificate with her application. I rang on same day and they said would link the 2 application together, about a week later my wife’s passport arrived. I waited a further week then called again to find out applications had not been linked and was told I’ll receive a call back from progress team within 48 hours. After numerous times ringing it was a further 2 weeks until i received the call which was last week 10th may, I was told that day that they was now linked together. Today on 16th may the marriage certificate came back in post from my wife’s application. Does anyone know if they would still have access to this on file from my wife’s application as would need this document to be able to upgrade my sons as we travel 2 weeks this Sunday. I’m thinking if i have to now resend it passport will never arrive on time. I called today then go transferred to progress team, after 2 hours on the line I was speaking to progress team then about 60 seconds in the line cut out!

Hi all Child's first passport currently at "processing" stage in Liverpool. Docs received April 2nd. I spoke to the upgrade/progress team on Sunday AM. They told me they had applied for an upgrade and I would hear from the upgrade team (to request confirmation of travel) within 48 hours via email. No communication as yet - 5 hours from now until the 48 hour target. I fly on Saturday. Does anyone have any advice on what I can do? I live in the south of england and could travel to Liverpool/London/Belfast if anyone thinks it would be helpful. The team said they don't accept walk-ins without appointments. Please help - I am trying to go on a very special family holiday and stand to lose a fortune.

Huzi67 I'm sure they will ring you. Try webchat at 8.01. Just first name and click. See if they can help. I would suggest nearest passport office if within 48 hours with your travel docs. Good luck

Huzi67 I'm on another FB site called passport chaos2022. Advice on their is Peterborough 48 hours before. Be there at 5 in morning.

I am flying on Thursday the 19th of May - I have sent an email to the upgrades team, I have been phoning everyday, I have been repeatedly told to NOT go to the London office as they will not help me without an appointment but I cant make an appointment. My accommodation ends today, I am taking a train from Devon today - staying with a family member until the 19th. Its a one way ticket back home to South Africa. I don't know what to do!!

webchat are telling me they can't deal with any upgrade questions and that it's two working days from upgrade request, which is not what I was told by the agent I spoke to on Sunday. I have been given a CSM number but it sounds like they are simply routing those calls to the standard number.

I would ask for it to be printed locally so you can get it, it seems most people are getting a call day or two before travel date, good luck! I’m waiting on same, we travel a week on Thurs

I think you’ll have to go through mainline, ask to speak to Processing Team who should hopefully escalate it, I think you’ll get a call one or two days before, it looks like they’re working to a tight schedule. Keep ringing each morning! 😬

Just when I had lost all faith in my passport arriving before my flight tomorrow..... It turned up at 9am this morning!!!! Buzzing. Didn't pay for the upgrade either. My advice would be to keep pushing and pushing them on the phone to speed it up. Good luck guys.

I’ve posted on here a few times as I was so stressed with the whole situation. We are due to travel on the 25th May my hubby sent passport off for a simple renewal by post 6 weeks ago as couldn’t get appointments for the day service. I’ve continued to chase it up, sent email to Durham upgrade team last Wednesday as advised as it was 14 days before we travel, no response so I sent it from my email on Sunday and got a automated response. No call back or response. My hubby decided as a last resort he would travel to Durham (4 hour trip), he left at 5am this morning. When he arrived he said there was a queue for people with appointments and another for non appointments. He was 7th in the queue of non appointments, was seen within 30 minutes. His passport is being printed, he’s collecting at 1pm!!! Can’t believe it. It’s definitely worth going to the passport office.

Hi all. An update following my posts this morning: Childs first passport submitted March 12th Application processing 27th April I've called them maybe 40 times over the past 3 weeks. On Sunday I was told that the team had applied for an upgrade (get through general enquiries and get to the progress team is my advice). Webchat this morning told me they couldn't deal with any upgrade focused questions. I called, got angry, the woman hung up on me. By chance a private number rang me at 0851 - it was the Liverpool office telling me the passport would be printed today and delivered by courier tomorrow before 9am. Further, my wifes passport was included in the supporting documentation which will also be delivered tomorrow morning. Stick with it - it works. Remain resilient. I can now travel to the US for a family holiday which has been planned for a long time.

Great news! Enjoy your holiday! I'm waiting for them to acknowledge my extra documents I've sent in

Fantastic. So pleased for you

Great news!

I’ve been processing since April 7th, only emailed them the once and got a reply saying my upgrade details were noted. So you’ve called them 40 times and I go in 2 weeks… Should I be messaging them more?

Thanks all to you for advice. Goodluck everyone.

I'm gonna call again now.... best number anyone pls?

@leesa160 0300 105 0850 keep trying x