New Passport Upgrade Service!

Going away 13th may under 2 weeks :( had no luck at all … can anyone help with an email for the durham office? Getting nowhere on the phone get told a different answer everytime I ring! Stressed to the max :/

The upgrade team emails seem to be generic try emailing DurhamUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk, title it URGENT TRAVEL 13/05/22 put as much info as you can name, DOB, passport app. ref no. & attach your flight details.

Have you got the email for them please?

Just seen your message.. thanks .. they are a nightmare every time I ring I get hold a different answer .. when I spoke to them a few weeks ago they said soon as you hit the two week mark you can upgrade at extra cost then try’s to do it an getting no where.

The emails seem to be similar try DurhamUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk title it [URGENT TRAVEL 13/05/22 passport app. ref. no.] give your name, dob, app. ref no. again, & give proof of your travel details. Worth a shot

Make sure your kind and pleasant in your email. Contrary to what the media say they are working hard including weekends and even bank holiday. Passports aren't going to be printed at WFH staff. What is your online status position ? Is it a first passport ?

My email was very polite mate. It’s a renewal his passport was still in date but we’re going to turkey and need minimum of 6 months on it.

My sons had 5 months .. now I wish I risked it because they don’t need visas for brits anymore and that’s when you fill in the expiry of your passport Flying on 7th and my five year old has no passport.. do I pack for my kids.. do I make arrangements for this holiday to turkey that is looking very unlikely now! So so distraught

You wont get any ack. for upgrade request. Just keep chasing them. good luck

Can anyone tell me what number they got a call from for the Liverpool upgrade? I applied 12 days ago for an upgrade and fly on the 5th May. It is for a child’s renewal. They keep telling me different as to whether I’m eligible or not 🙈

I was told by the lady I spoke to when I applied for my daughters upgrade that they will call off a withheld number 🤦‍♀️ Have you tried resending your email again? It seems to be pot luck when they answer, but don’t loose hope some people have been getting a call the day before they go away to collect there passport. Keep chasing them through the main number and try emailing again. You would definitely be eligible if you are going away so soon and it’s for a renewal. Good luck 🤞

Hello Team, You asked for an update so here I am. We had zero response to each of our online forms requesting contact, our polite emails detailing our situation / travel dates and various telephone calls trying to request an application update. I desperately rang again on Saturday but after holding for over two hours, I was once again cut off. Our holiday ticketing deadline was Saturday and we either had to move our holiday at a cost of thousands of pounds or take a punt our passport would arrive in time using the upgrade lottery process but if not, lose thousands of pounds by gambling its arrival as once ticketed, our holiday became non-refundable / changeable and we travel in a few weeks. Given the shambles of the passport office and their actions to date, we just couldn't take the risk and we therefore rescheduled our holiday at a cost of thousands of pounds, all because we originally applied for a passport based on their processing advice of 3-4 weeks, which they then moved the goalposts of during the processing of our application. Knowing that we've paid for our application to gather dust in the application being processed stage for almost two months because of their system error, is quite frankly unacceptable. Being told that there is an upgrade system in place which is actually like a lottery system for a, rare, allocated winner, is also unacceptable. People are being told that the upgrade team are not working this weekend whilst others are receiving telephone calls from the upgrade team. All systems in place at the passport office have been proven not to work. It is absolutely outrageous that it is us who are suffering because of their incompetence by missing holidays, paying to move them and all whilst paying for the privilege to do so. *RANTS ON* The upgrade system isn't guaranteed but people are gambling on this and still missing holidays. We just couldn't risk this as an option as there was too much money at stake which is why we moved our holiday only a few hours before it was ticketed. If you are able to do this too please do think about this as an option. It is heartbreaking to see so many people miss their holiday and those their money thinking an upgrade is coming when the reality is only a few are given the chance despite promises being made. I wish you all so much luck with your own applications, my nerves could no longer take the gamble!

Does anyone know the email for Peterborough or get a reply? I think I've got it wrong

Dear Customer We have received your upgrade request and noted your travel date is 13/05/2022. Upgrade requests are prioritised by date of travel. Therefore, we will be in touch with you as soon as we can. Please do not send more emails as this may delay your upgrade request. Her Majesty’s Passport Office Hoping they get back to me asap :/ stressed!! This what I had back off them on Sunday.

Is this for Peterborough I've had nothing back. What email did you use?

No this was for durham. Feels like I’m going around in circles with it tho tbh.

@danielb12345 when did you apply for your upgrade? I travel on the 15/05/22 and applied on Sunday and haven’t had any reply back from Durham confirming they have received my upgrade request 🤦‍♀️

It was Sunday I applied. I don’t think there’s a specific upgrade team for each passport office. As when I spoke on the phone this morning they said my application was at Newport lol. I’ve seen people say the Irish upgrade team have rang them etc. all a bit confusing tbh, my email was very polite etc. I’m going on the 13/5/22 so got 10 days. I’ve seen people getting thrrr passport 1 day before travel. I’m debating to drive to Newport branch and see if I can speak to them in any way. It’s only 15 mins up the road.

What email did you use to upgrade? I sent my daughters off to DurhamUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk I’m stressing they haven’t got it as I haven’t had any response from them 😩 I’m on hold now to them but can see it taking a long time to answer 🤦‍♀️

DurhamUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk That’s the one they replied from. The people on the phone can’t do much tbh, they just say they will put you on the call back team as URGENT. It’s so stressful tbh.

It really is so stressful 😩 wish I new about the 10 week wait I would of definitely done the fast track option. Was that the email address you sent yours too aswell? I’m thinking I should maybe send it again from my other email and see if I get an automated response that way 🤔 I’m going to ask the people on the phone line and see what they say 🤞 it’s pot luck who answers the phone, some of them are really helpful others seem like they don’t no what there doing 🙄

So stressful.hope your passports arrive on time. We are currently waiting on our 2 sons passports. Travelling on the 17/05. We sent applications off in February. I’ve Spend hours on the phone. It’s so stressful and have been told I might not hear anything up until 2days before we fly!

It’s crazy how they can expect people to wait until that close to going away! It’s like there’s no system atall, everyone says something different, the order of who’s passports gets done seems to be in a random order. Been on hold over an hour so far just prey they answer soon and can put my mind at rest. I’m really worried where I haven’t had an automatic email back that they haven’t received my daughters upgrade request 😩 has anyone had a successful upgrade without having an automatic reply when they first applied for an upgrade??

They said it was on 5 weeks then after I replied it when to 10 I was fuming. Should of done the fast track myself. Yea that was the email address I sent to, I was shocked when they replied tbh as it was direct email to me not an automated one. Yea you don’t no what your going to get on the phones tbh I’ve all sorts of answers. Some really helpful some not. I had a 3 way call with the advisor and her manger and both were really good and were putting some emails and urgent call backs for me. I’ve seen a few people on here say that ain’t heard nothing back till a few days before etc. I’m going to hope they contact me before the weekend if not going to see if I can change my holiday. If not my partner & son can’t come so I’m 🙏

Yea it is crazy tbh. The back log probs crazy so feel for them tbh. Yea I don’t no how they issue the passports tbh I felt a little relived having a direct reply from them but still stressed lol! I have sent some emails and not had automated reply to tha same email. If you word it like this. Expedite PEX Holiday travel - 13th may 2022 Applicant - D.O.B - Address - Contact number - Email address - Proof of travel - (photos) In subject write Expedite PEX (Your number) urgent with your travel date. I done it tha way and they replied. I had this info off someone else and it worked for them to.