New Passport Upgrade Service!

Did they ever get in touch with you prior to today? Also how long have you been waiting and what office was dealing with your passport please?

Not they did not contact me other than today! So I sent off my passport on the 29th of March 9 weeks ago, rang them after 7 weeks for them to say it hadn’t even been looked at so I got a panick on, then for the last two weeks I have done nothing but call and call just to passed on from one to another! I emailed the upgrade team at Durham where my passport was every single day 3 times a day and heard nothing so I’d given up hope as I fly Saturday the day I go pick it up!! They couldn’t get through to me so sent me an email to call them saying I needed to get in touch with them and state my reference number I did that straight away at 11am today the lady was amazing and said my passport would be ready at 10 am at Peterborough cause that’s my nearest office just keep sending the emails as many times as you can and be polite! And don’t panic

I'm due to travel on the 15th of June but have had my upgrade refused as my application hasn't been in for the 6 weeks minimum: seemed really strict on it which was heartbreaking as I hoped they would have some leniency. My application will meet the 6 week threshold the day before I am due to travel: is there any hope of going to a passport office that day and seeking an upgrade? Really do not want to give up hope but would appreciate some pragmatic advice :((

Your case sounds similar to mine.. we are due to travel of the 17th June and our six weeks was two days before we travel...if I remember right we applied for my 8 year old sons renewal on the 5th May. For us after a two week period where nothing was moving for our digital app and I was getting prepped to either cancel or change our booking altogether as that had to be done within 14days of travel....so literally this week...so a big worry Thankfully sons passport came in the post yesterday. So for us it took less than four weeks altogether and that included sending the birth certificate seperately too.....but it was still stressful after prepping myself from the stories on here I know its not helpful but hope they can progress for you anyway. We may have been very lucky and hope it goes the same for you

Hello! I was wondering how everyone is getting through to the Progress Team, now the 01633745709 number has been discontinued? My son’s documents have been lost at Corby (including the paper form confirming his identity as the link wasn’t working properly when we were applying online) despite being signed for four weeks ago. I spoke to the Progress Team on Tuesday and they helpfully emailed Corby to chase it up, with the tracking number. I was instructed to call back if there had been no change in three days only to discover the number isn’t working anymore! Without a successful confirmation of his identity we can’t move any further forward, let alone be ready to apply for an upgrade two weeks before travel. Our flights are on 5th July. I’d appreciate any and all advice!

If I was you guys I would 100% go to your nearest passport office 2 days before you fly, I have known people to go after only sending there passport 4 weeks prior and they have walked away with it!! The worse thing you can do is ring up it does nothing but stress you out make you upset cause you get passed from pillow to post to the same department, with no one that knows what there doing who tell you different things every time after being on hold for hours and it’s heart sickening xx

I’m thinking that’s where we’ll end up in the end but I feel like most people’s applications are at least at the processing stage when they turn up at the office! I’m so cross that we applied 8 and a half weeks before we fly and now four weeks have been entirely wasted! We’re not a single step further on….

Try 01633285419 or contact your local mp that’s what I did

Thing is mine was there 7 weeks and had t even been looked at!! Not even looked at🙄 and yet I know people that sent there’s off after me and got it back in 3 weeks where is the queue system here please? I shouldn’t moan cause I pick mine up Saturday but I’ve been through so much stress about it!! But deffo just turn up if your like 1-2 days off 6 week mark they are giving them people cause I’ve seen it with my own eyes and they only sent them off 4 weeks prior one was 2 weeks prior and they still got it so cry if you have to x

Hello! We are due to fly on the 12th June and am still waiting for my son’s first passport :( I applied through the post and it arrived with them on the 11th April and payment was taken on the 15th but when I spoke to them last week they said it wasn’t received until 26th! I was told to contact the Durham upgrade team even though I sent the application to Peterborough, does that sound correct? I emailed them on the 29th and still haven’t heard anything.

Thanks so much for the advice! I’ll try anything and everything!

Please go to your nearest passport office saturday take prof of your flight every thing they go on order of travel they will see you and they will help your pass port can get printed any where honestly I was the same emailing texting calling I got so so worried I was going on Saturday myself to queue but lucky they called me today after emailing them 3 times a day every day, I fly Saturday afternoon and I’m going Saturday morning! They didn’t even charge me the upgrade fee! My friend went Wednesday to Peterborough even though his was at Newport they sent it straight over and printed it! They will do it they will see you, don’t make no phone calls cause there useless just go and you will get it!! Only good think you come out of this stress was I couldn’t eat and I’ve lost weight for me bikini

Also, my friend is going away in 3 weeks and she is not due an upgrade as of yet, so she went online and booked cheap flight to Spain with Ryan air for£6.50 for 4 days time and they rang her and upgraded wish I’d have known this it’s worth it to ease your stress levels maybe? Just a thought good luck xx

Well you couldn’t make this up, I fly tomorrow at 5. I pick me passport up tomorrow at 10!! But since a lady called me to sort it another 7 people have called me from upgrade team trying to help I’m like it’s okay it’s sorted now!! So please don’t panic 24 hours before you’ll be getting called by about 10 of them

Hi everyone. Overseas application of renewal passport for my son. We are I'm the Republic of Ireland. Application submitted 12/04/22 took till 12/05/22 for them to update tracking as documents received. The application tracking has been sitting at this take since, no movement. I've contacted numerous numbers for some call agents to tell me I'm ot eligible for an upgrade as I'm Overseas and some in the last few days tell me that I am. I jave emailed the upgrade team and am awaiting a call from them. We are due to fly on 13/06/22 Is anyone in a similar position? And if so have you managed to upgrade your Overseas application? I am willing to drive 4 hrs to the Belfast office for printing of the passport if it means I get it before our travel. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi just wondered if anybody can confirm, we fly out Tuesday 7th June, early AM. A standard adult renewal is now approaching 6 weeks on Sunday therefore can not upgrade yet. If I turn up at Peterborough Monday early would this go through as a day case? We are midland based so Peterborough not quite as close as Liverpool but not too far.

Just to give people some hope..I applied for my passport renewal at the end of March and up until today it was still processing. I was told to contact the passport office 14 days before I travel (which I did) they then advised me that they had notified the upgrade team of my travel date and I had to send over an email to that team with all my travel info etc. and I would receive a call (although they are dealing in date order and I could be waiting until 48hrs before I travel) I travel on the 8th June and received my phone call this afternoon to say my passport was ready for collection and I have arranged to pick up on Monday morning! They are working through them so stay positive!

Hey guys quick question - I need to drive around 2 hours to collect passports. I will be collecting (hopefully) mine and my wife's. Question: Will I be able to pick up my wife's passport or will she need to be there? I can bring marriage cert/her ID if needed. Hopefully someone has had experience with this

Hi #Caz86 I don’t think you can upgrade if you reside outside of the UK even though Belfast is on the island of Ireland..! If your Son is a UK citizen then you can contact the British embassy in Dublin and they can issue an emergency travel document to enable your Son to travel alternatively contact the passport progress team and explain you need your Son’s passport urgently but cannot avail of the upgrade option as you are outside the UK, I have heard operators will push this request.

Hi J238192 you should be able to get you passport if travelling on Tuesday if you turn up at Peterborough Passport Office. Went today without an appointment after a long wait for my passport to delivered since printed on 16/05/22. There was a long queue but people where being seen in priority order and everyone gets attended to no matter what you issue is. Got there by 0800hrs and by 0915hrs I had been seen and came back home with my passport as I am also travelling on Tuesday.

Hi @Tindo24 I am in a right state now and After different messages from different advisors I really don’t know if they will give me my sons passport as it will not have hit the 6 week mark till we fly. Did you come across anyone at the office who was given there passport having not hit the 6 week mark yet? TIA

@adz93 - I was there Wednesday, I fly tomorrow… my application hadnt been 6 weeks quite it was 5 for a replacement passport as I lost mine … after a phone call as it was in Durham my application- Peterborough were able to print it for me whilst I was there , they help regardless if your travel date is soon , it’s whether you’ll have to pay the fee or not the 6 week mark I was told.

Hi adz93 there where people who had not hit the 6 week mark and where told to wait until the 6 weeks and if not received anything then to come back.They we’re assisting those flying within 2 days or less more than people who had not reached the 6 week deadline or not flying within a week. To be honest calling or emailing HMPO it’s a waste of time as I was in the same predicament you don’t get the same answer that u end up confused. Wait for the 6 weeks then if nothing changes then make your way to the Peterborough Passport Office you do not need an appointment and guarantee you that you will be seen and have answers as they can check straight away you application. They will take your reference number and will tell you that someone will call you later once they check your application.

Thanks for the response guys. If I do not hear anything by Wednesday will be visiting the office as we are due to fly early Sunday morning

Here’s my experience hopefully this helps someone: Applied for first child passport over 11 weeks ago. Reached out to upgrade service a week and half ago. MP has contacted to. Application stuck on process since 13th April. Only got approval 03 June. But no update on printing or dispatch. I travel 10th June. Went to london office, early (4am). They will put signs up to dissuade you not queue ignore them. They will let people with appointments in first and then give you a form to fill in. So the impression I got from london is they are very frosty and cold. Regardless if your flight is today or tomorrow or 48 hours their response to nearly everyone we can’t do anything. Also found out that upgrade team hasn’t even looked at my request to Expediate the approval was done by the standard process. As mine went to central print it was considered “issued” and all I can do is wait for tnt to deliver and no option to collect and that even if I come back 24/48 hours before the flight they won’t do anything. People in london not only didn’t get their passports but those flying out that day lost their flights too. In that same day I made the journey to Peterborough hopefully finding someone helpful there and they are a lot more receptive and attentive. Found out if my application hadn’t been approved by the standard process, Peterborough could have processed it, have it approved and printed on that day. However as mine has be sent to central print and “issued” all I can do is wait for delivery. They gave me tnt number with the hope if I call them Monday they can expediate my passport, which I don’t have a lot of faith in. I did see somewhere in this form of people who had their application approved but not delivered and flying out within 48 hours going to Peterborough to get their passports. Will try again on Wednesday if there is no progress with delivery. Staff there did mention I’ve got time for it to arrive before 10th but I don’t have a lot of faith in the system.