New Passport Upgrade Service!

Brentmeister2k I also called the progress team 0300 105 0850 to ask them to put the lost passport reference number on the comments. I also added it in the email I sent to the upgrade team. We had a travel date on 20th - my first contact via email from upgrade team (Peterborough) was on Monday 16th. If I had attached the travel document rather than screenshot it I would have had the passport processed that day. I sent the info required on the 16th. Next heard from them on 18th via telephone to say it had been processed and was ready to collect (4 hours away!). The lady said she had been allocated our upgrade that morning (18th).

HR22 thank you, I asked the person at the progress team ifni should include the lost passport reference and they said no they don't need it they will know. But I'm paranoid that something like that being missed will mean mine gets passed over. I will call again and get it added to notes and include in my email to be on the safe side. I have sent an attached PDF of flight booking and a screenshot. I can include a picture attachment of "lost" passport if that's likely to have any benefit?

Me again… is anyone travelling on 22/05 and not heard from upgrade team? In full panic mode right now !! Thanks in advance.

I spent all day at the passport office in London yesterday. Still no passport. I’m flying out tonight. Upgrade request sent on the 10th of May. Application sent 28th February. Currently on my way back to the passport office.

No mate I'm 25th.... I really hope you hear today 🤞🏽 My 10 year old has just heard me discussing the passport situation and has gone into full meltdown crying that our holiday won't happen..... heartbreaking 😞

Oh Christ good luck!! Keep us posted x

HI HR 22 what travel document are you supposed to add to the email? as i only have the screen shot of my flights that are booked as obviously without my passport i can't check in and i'm not sure what else i could attach.

xfxrxhx Posts on here yesterday from people travelling on 20/05 and 21/05 where they got the call yesterday and it's being turned around in time. So I reckon for travel on 22/05 your call will be today or tomorrow. I hope I'm right for you and my sake, my travel is on 25/05 and using this logic to keep calm and tell myself my call will come anywhere up to 23/05 as been waiting on call for a week. Keep us posted.

I've got a PDF of my booking x

This is a great thread. My child’s first passport has now been approved (11 weeks later). We travel Monday 23rd so I was wondering how do I contact the upgrade team - I would love to be able to go to Peterborough and collect the printed passport. Yesterday I spent over an hour on phone to advice line and they didn’t answer. Please advise on who to count. Many thanks

PeterboroughUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk Just change the name of the office you want to send it to.... mark it URGENT with flight date. Add your ref numbers, phone number and a pdf attachment of your booking.... good luck x

Thank you Leesa160 By coincidence, I have just had a call back from the passport office. My passport was sent to printing yesterday. The gentleman I spoke to said that I cannot use the upgrade facility now as it is being printed (arghhhhhhhh). I am in another void now with my fingers crossed hoping the passport can be printed and sent and received in the next couple of days. What hope do I have? Should I try upgrade team anyway. I was hoping to pick up the passport from Peterborough. Many thanks

I think once it's printed it has to be delivered?? X

Just for peoples interest. Our upgrade team for 2 of the 3 passports im trying to upgrade is Liverpool and they are printing for collection in London tomorrow. 1 more call and I’ll be able to breathe again!

Was your tracker updated??? I'm obsessed with checking mine 🙈🙈

Ah that's fab news 🙌🏼

Tracker Wasn’t updated until after the call.

Ah ok..... I need to stop bloody checking mine 🙈

Haha I know the feeling.

Hello! Does anyone know if this service is still operating? travelling on the 3rd of June! so stressful! Thank you!

We are travelling on 2 June and literally are stuck in limbo. Passports were stolen on holiday. Came back to the UK on 2 May, applied for replacements on 4 May. Have emailed the upgrade team with the email address someone kindly posted this morning. I've received an auto acknowledgment but now desperately on the hold to try and get someone to take payment for a fast track because we are meant to depart 2 weeks today and I'm afraid they will ignore us as that is all we have experienced so far! Does anyone know the reality of fast tracking at the moment? Sending virtual hugs to everyone in the same boat

Some hope for people still waiting. My daughters passport arrived Tuesday! Once it got to two weeks before my travel date I called asking for an upgrade. I spoke to a numerous helpful people who all said I needed to speak to the progress team and they would then call with the email address. Spoke to them last Tuesday, I emailed everything over as soon as I got off the phone and got the automated response. On the Friday I got another standard email saying they had received my upgrade request then on Saturday it changed to printed! I had not received a call from the Upgrade team to say it had been approved or to collect payment. I called again on Monday as I had been told I would be able to collect from an office but was told by two people this wasn't possible once it's changed to printed. Luckily this was not an issue as the next day it arrived :) Long story short, try be patient, try not clog up the inboxes with numerous emails. It's so frustrating but they seem to be doing everything they can to get them out on time. Before the progress team called I had been on hold for ages and got caught off a few times and the next person put me through to 'Customer service management team' not sure if that helped get them to call back quicker! Application history Passport printed 8:30am on 14 May 2022 Application approved 1:39pm on 12 May 2022 Documents received 8:59am on 25 April 2022 Application received 8:34am on 13 April 2022 Identity details received 8:33am on 13 April 2022 Email sent to person confirming your identity 8:57pm on 12 April 2022 Ask someone to confirm your identity 7:52pm on 12 April 2022 Application submitted 7:52pm on 12 April 2022

Also, we were advised to submit a comprehensive cover letter with what happened to us including documents. We did exactly that only to be told we have compromised our position and should not have sent any documents at all as our passports were stolen. My advice to anyone in this boat (now or in the future) do not send any docs for a stolen passport, just submit your application because we have been told, repeatedly that 'we have compromised our position' to have an upgrade as they need to scan our documents and then deal with our application and time is not on our side. Our thoughts - they can ignore the documents as they are irrelevant. After speaking to some other members of staff on the helpline they said they can process without the assessing the docs but this took a lot of to-ing and fro-ing. Hopefully this helps someone.

Hello! What a shame! Wish I had more info but haven't put in for an upgrade yet I hope this gets sorted for you! Where could I find the email address? Virtual hugs back :)

Hi @Fran98 - thank you. Somebody posted the following earlier: 'PeterboroughUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk - Just change the name of the office you want to send it to... mark it URGENT with flight date. Add you ref numbers, phone number and a pdf attachment of your booking... good luck x' Fingers crossed you have some luck. Does anyone know if the upgrade team can start the fast track before payment, or after payment. It's the payment issue that is worrying me now. Never been so desperate to spend before! Even my husband is willing to give me his debit card and that's a rare thing! ha