New Passport Upgrade Service!

@kjr194 What passport office was this please where they turned you away due to when the holiday was booked? I wasn’t aware we had to take all travel documents with us when we went. What evidence did they ask for? This is a new question as far as I’m aware. Thanks

I believe it was Liverpool. If you apply for an upgrade you have to prove that you are travelling within two weeks so evidence of flight, accommodation is expected. I think if you are travelling to an office it would make sense to take any proof you think might be useful.

Long time lurker here and thought would post my experience in case of any benefit to others. Lost application passport for my son, only realised after booking holiday it was lost but thought we would be ok with standard application as we had 12 weeks before holiday. Online application made on 24th April. Contacted office once to provide lost passport reference number (came a few days after the application). Contacted by phone again to enquire about progress after 9 weeks but were told to sit tight and we could expedite after 10weeks/2weeks prior to travel. We phoned bang on 8am on 4th july for an upgrade (both 2 weeks before travel and 10weeks since application). I used the number 0300 1050850 which I believe is for their customer services management team, was on hold for all of 3minutes! To their credit within an hour of sending our upgrade email, as advised to Liverpool office, they phoned to enquire if we wanted passport posted or to collect from our local Belfast office. We could choose date and time of collection which we did for 9am 6th July. Passport collection very straightforward from the office (which compared to other offices seemed quiet, maybe only 5 or 6 people in to make enquiries other than people with appointments). I appreciate from reading a lot of other stories ours has been pretty straightforward. The main stress the whole way along has been the unknown, lack of information regarding tracking and inconsistencies when compared to other peoples applications!

@ns1972 I was referring to the comment made by kjr194 "Meant to be flying today but turned away as my travel was booked after my passport application" My question was related to the fact that they were turned away from getting a passport due to when the holiday booking was made not that they needed proof of the booking. I did not know there were strict dates when you were allowed to have booked your holiday - does anyone else understand this please? Thanks

I’ve read of people who have booked cheap tickets just so they can speed their application up. Unless they have now changed the rules to stop people trying to get ahead of the queue it seems a little strange. Maybe they didn’t meet the other requirement of having the application in at least 6 weeks. I would have thought there would have been many people who book holidays after applying for their passport so definitely worth checking if you must have booked travel before applying.

Just wondered if anyone has a number I can phone to actually speak to someone? I tried 0300 1050850 but it says that the number is out of service. I’ve emailed the Belfast upgrade team and heard nothing back. Applied for my son’s passport over 9 weeks ago and we fly on Monday. My plan is to go to our nearest office on Saturday and hope for the best, but would be much less stressful if I could just pay for the upgrade and then go and collect his passport at an allotted time. Thanks in advance. This forum has been a life saver so far!

Try calling 0300 330 0901. I rang as soon as they opened and got through very quickly. It can be hit and miss how much help you get depending on who you talk to though. Second time I rang they put in for the progress team to call me and they did 24 hours later.

Hi all regarding being turned away yesterday. I originally applied for my passport in may as mine expired in June, so last week I was asked to attention and funeral overseas, obviously this was last minute so I booked a flight and stuff got a letter from my MP indicating I needed my passport on the day. When I arrived they asked straight away was anyone flying today, I was so I told them I was. Then they checked my documents and because my flights were booked AFTER my passport application they said they was unable to do it, I explained that I applied in may as my passport was expiring in June and this had been an emergency booking last minute. They told me to get a letter from the coroners office and funeral director in Spain to confirm the funeral time date and place. They said too many people were booking flights to try and get passport quicker and because my flight was booked after my passport was ordered they would not be able to do it. Absolute joke. Missed the funeral now I had to fly yesterday. This was the Liverpool Office

@kjr194 So they would not accept the letter that the MP gave you stating that you needed the passport on the day? What on earth is going on

I told them about it asked if they wanted to see it she just said no. Wasn’t interested at all

Hi, just one quick question for people on here with more experience: If you're visiting a passport office within 48 hours of travel to expedite it 1) can you do it without an appointment and 2) does it have to be the office that is processing the application, or can it be any passport office? (mine was sent to Belfast!) Thanks in advance!

I've just got off the phone to the number posted above 0300 330 0901. We travel first thing next Tuesday. I was put through to the very helpful upgrade team, who told me to do the following things (after many weeks of going round and round in circles). 1. They will tell you to email the office that is dealing with your request. The online portal might tell you this - phoning the above certainly will. This is in the form of 'belfastupgradeteam@hmpo.org.uk. 2. Provide the following information: SUBJECT - Date of Travel [but if you are travelling early in the morning put the previous days date]. Do not put any more information in the subject line. 3. In the body write: Full name of person applying for passport PEX number Your name and contact details(if it is for your child etc - this will only work if you are mentioned on the application) IMPORTANT NOTE - write a sentence to explain why you have put a different date in the subject line IF you are travelling in the early morning. I wrote - PLEASE NOTE - Date of travel is 12 July 2022 BUT travel is at 7am on that date so passport must be received by 11 July 2022 at the latest. GOOD LUCK

How do you ask to pick up a passport in person? I've just been told by nice lady on the Advice Line 0300 222 0000 (less than 5 mins on hold) that my passport went to print yesterday. I fly Tues. She said it might take a week to receive, and I just had to wait. Adult Renewal Application (Post office check and send) - sent 25/4 Text from HMPO saying received application - 13/5 No other communication from HMPO - I emailed the Peterborough Upgrade Team twice with flight evidence (no response), chased on phone lines, and via MP (who said they'd also contacted HMPO for me) to get the above news.

Good Morning, I had a call yesterday from the upgrade team to say my passport will be printed on the 7th and sent first class and will arrive on Friday 8th she did give me the option of collecting today at london Victoria. My intention was to turn up on Saturday as I leave on 13/7. I did actually ask about delivery time scales she said passports are always sent 1st class.

Thanks - I called the Advice Line 3x this morning. The last person said that as my passport is being printed in a secret/centralised location, the only way to now receive it is via TNT, as it won't be at any passport office. I've emailed the Peterborough Upgrade Team again asking to pick it up in person. I think I'll go tomorrow to Peterborough, as I haven't (yet) had any official text/email from HMPO saying my passport is being printed.

@JenLJ Would you mind keeping us advised of how you get on if/when you go to Peterborough please? Thank you

Still no joy here and no call back from the Progress Team after Advice Line couldn't find details of my daughter's application on their system - was posted on 27th April and documents received 4th May but no update on the tracker since then. But - good news in that because I'm in Belfast we can have dual nationality as born on the island of Ireland so the new Irish passport is on its way after just 6 weeks, compared to 10+ weeks for British renewal! Takes pressure off for our upcoming holiday but still furious at this total shambles with HMPO and still out of pocket.

@dibdob59 - I've just had a confirmation email and text from HMPO (55 days after their receipt of my application text; 73 days since I sent it hard copy via PO Check&Send) that my passport is being printed and should be with me "within a few working days". I think a trip to Peterborough would now be a waste of time and I'm worried TNT might try to deliver when I'm not there. I think I just have to sit tight and hope it arrives tomorrow or Sat - some people on tis forum seem to receive them next day, others in 4+ days - just hoping its the former.

Somethings is happening at last… Phone call this morning to say 2 passports are being looked at now and should be printed today and sent out Yay!!!! (Travel next Thursday). Was advised other passport at different office so need to try and contact them. called the main line straight after and got attempted to be put through, then told they too busy at moment so call back at 12:00. 10 mins later got confirmation emails that the two passports have been approved and awaiting delivery. So 1 week left till travel, should get 2/3 next 2 days. Just the last one to keep chasing now so fingers crossed!!!

i would suggest going on friday and then saturday this is because all HMPO's are closed on sunday thus if you are travelling on monday once you hit friday according to HMPO you hit the 48hour window, bring flight evidence i'm also telling you to go on friday early because sometimes some passports take a day to print so if you go on friday you have a higher chance of getting a passport on saturday (in time) PS: i did the same thing last week and it worked went on ; friday told me i couldn't collect till sat, so collected on sat flew out on sunday also, was your passport application by post or online?

1, did you get an automatic response email from the upgrade team stating they received it? 2. it would be best if they come with you but worst case scenario write a letter that clearly states that your wife etc has given permission to collect passport 3. if you still haven't received passport and it's within 48hours of travel go to HMPO and they can 'speed it up would you mind telling me the exact date you travel?

my documents was in the belfast team but closest was victoria, i knew i couldn't travel to belfast so i had to settle for victoria and hoped something happened i also applied by post the lady told me i had to wait longer to receive a call since there was discrepency between my doc location (belfast) basically belfast team had to look and agree for victoria to do anything waited over 4 houts for the belfast team to give the go ahead and then received my passport a day later so i say ideally go where document is located but you are still able to receive passport from any H MPO even if doc is different

my documents was in the belfast team but closest was victoria, i knew i couldn't travel to belfast so i had to settle for victoria and hoped something happened i also applied by post the lady told me i had to wait longer to receive a call since there was discrepency between my doc location (belfast) basically belfast team had to look and agree for victoria to do anything waited over 4 houts for the belfast team to give the go ahead and then received my passport a day later so i say ideally go where document is located but you are still able to receive passport from any HMPO even if doc is different

call back ASAP and ask for collection then go to nearest HMPO and collect it call ASAP because once a passport has been sent for delivery i'm pretty sure they don't allow collection, since that means they will have to print 2 copies

How long did everyone have to wait for their callback from the upgrade team to take payment? Spoke to the upgrade team on Friday who said I would get a call back to take payment but had nothing since then. I fly a week tomorrow. Also, anyone not had the call back at all? What was the next step for you? Turn up at the passport office? My worst fear is they print the passport and we miss our flights while it is in transit. Thanks, and good luck everyone.