New Passport Upgrade Service!

Just an update that called me Friday AM just gone thank god did not miss call, was asked which office I wanted to collect from and went on Saturday Peterborough. Was many folks turning up but turned away as they were told nobody from upgrades team was available, they had to come back Monday morning and some of those folks was saying they are flying Monday!

Sorry just a reminder for folks

thanks all great info and I know what needs to be done now…. First New Child Passport Submitted 5th May and everything was done within 24hrs, documents sent within 48hrs by recorded post. The flying out date is 15th July. However still waiting, was told about the 2 week process over a call, and got in touch Friday gone, we had the confirmation email of the upgrade request and evidence sent of flight details, now await the phone call, reading this forum chances are will be waiting forever, fingers crossed it is this week or early next! But based on everything said here I will need to travel up to the Newport office on Wed 13th 🙁 Anyone been at newport? was you ok getting a passport printed on day?

I sent my email to the upgrade team last Wednesday and am supposed to be going Sunday. Does people that have gone to the office thinks its worth me going to the office tomorrow with my documents to chase it up?

what number did you all call in order to put your child in the urgent HMPO list?

I called yesterday to ask for my child renewal application to be upgraded as we fly in 11 days and 10 weeks had passed since application. Guy was very helpful, filled in all the information for me and said he would send it and mark it as urgent. He said I will hear from the upgrade team in the next 24-48 hours (although he couldn't guarantee it wouldn't be longer than that). I called the main line again this morning just to check it had all been sent over and the guy this time said their systems were different to the upgrade team and was somehow unable to check if it had actually been sent! Not very reassuring.

Right news for anyone waiting on passport!!!!! I got mine rushed through in 1 day after waiting 9 weeks today I picked it up. I got my travel agent to send me a email stating I need my passport on the 14th. So 2 days ahead of the current date. Then rang up and told the passport office I have received this email and need to be upgraded. Then I emailed the upgrade team with my holiday details ( not until 4th august flight) and the email from my travel agents ( stating I needed to take passport in for the 14th) I was woken up to a no caller Id call this morning asking me to go pick it up free of charge. I had it by 12:15 today. This may work for other people. Worth a try.

Hi, I have been shoved from pillar to post about my passport: 23rd May: application received Then it said it was progressing and now this notification has disappeared! Called up for an upgrade as I am travelling in 8 days and my application was put in over 7 weeks ago. Have spoken to someone on the phone (after having to already wait 48 hours for a callback and then after being called back was put back on hold for 2 hours!) who has requested my upgrade and told me to send an email to Liverpool office and would receive a call within 48 hours. Has now been 3 days! Is it worth going to Liverpool office day before hols if the upgrade doesn't progress do you think? Any advice welcome please I am PANICKING!!!!!

Hi Sazzle However worried you are, I wouldn't panic yet! If you have contacted the office who is dealing with your application they will get back to you providing they know when you are travelling. The Belfast office got back to me three and a half days before I was travelling and I was able to arrange to pick the passport up the next day (make sure you arrange to do this and don't leave it to chance with a courier. It is worth bearing in mind that experience on this forum suggests that if you travel to an office in person you won't be seen at the passport office until 48 hours before your flight.

Hi Sazzle, my situation is similar to yours. I applied on the 21st May, application went to Liverpool office, and am due to travel tomorrow. I just received a call that I can go today to pick up the passport. Hopefully that means they are very close to getting to yours too. In the two weeks since I contacted the upgrade team I had received no updates (sent the email to the team, no reply, no phone call, nothing) so had given up hope and then today out of the blue I got the call that it's ready.

If you go liverpool office a day before travel with all your documents and Identification and stuff you will get it

would you mind telling me the exact day your travelling? also the upgrades team work by the date of travel so they may just contact you 2days or even a day before your flight

I don't want to stress you out but I'm pretty sure you have to send some info off from your side as well also would you mind telling me your date of travel?

yes the 48hour thingy does help however given your circumstances (some info not being verified etc) idk how effective this will be but honestly speaking it is worth a shot you should do it

Thank you Josh that gives me some hope! Hjiki - I am travelling on 22nd July - what do you mean by my info not being verified? My progress is currently: Identity details received 6:36pm on 23 May 2022 Email sent to person confirming your identity 4:40pm on 23 May 2022 Email sent to person confirming your identity 4:32pm on 23 May 2022 Ask someone to confirm your identity 4:28pm on 23 May 2022 Application submitted 4:28pm on 23 May 2022 Would I be able to queue up at Peterborough if my passport is being run through Liverpool? As I live in Peterborough!

NS1972 thank you as well :)

Hi Sazzle No problem . . When you sent over your email to the passport office did you attach evidence of your travel (flight etc) and your accommodation? They use this as the basis to assess how urgent your passport is. They generally ask you to do this when they give you the email details. Nick

I sent them by eurotunnel booking which is for Friday 22nd July so hopefully they get back to me! Do you think I should have sent hotel details too?

Hi Sazzle I think that will be fine - you can't get into the tunnel without a passport! Nick

Sazzle, I asked a similar question on one of my many recent calls as i live in Glasgow but my application is sitting in Belfast. I was told it wasn't an issue and the passport could be printed at Glasgow and collected from there (if it ever bloody gets printed!!!)

How did you send evidence of flight? As an image in the email or as an attachment?

I sent a pdf attachment to my email to the expedite email address

Haha I definitely can't get into the eurotunnel without my passport! Keeping fingers and toes crossed, if not a trip to Peterborough passport office on Friday is on the cards. Thanks everyone for your help!

Hello everyone. I’ve found some great information on this forum so thank you for everyone’s input. I’m wondering what is the closest to the departure date anyone has applied for the upgrade service, and if they received their passport in time? I’m due to fly out on the 24th July which is within the 2week from departure date criteria. However, I don’t tick the second upgrade criteria box which is 6week post application. For me, this will be the 20th July which is only 4days prior to my departure, bearing in mind my departure day is a Sunday so it’s technically 2 and half days to receive my passport from when I can apply for the upgrade. It will be much appreciated if anyone has been in a similar situation or can advise what I can do to guarantee I get my PP on time. Thanks in advance peeps.

to provide some reassurance I applied to the upgrades system late purely because I didn't know an upgrade system existed application was hiting 7weeks date of travel : sunday 3/07/2022 applied to upgrade system (sent the email) on : wednesday 29/06/2022 around 2pm - received an automatic response email 3hours later from belfast team - thursday 30/06 --> heard no response or call - friday 01/07 (48hours before my travel) --> went to my nearest HMPO early at around 6:45 they said to wait for a call back from the belfast team waited anxiously for 3-4hours then they called me on no caller ID and took payment - saturday 02/07 (1 day before travel)--> passport was printed and i collected it - sunday 03/07 --> went on travel all in all it was possible but i think me going in person to my HMPO early 48hours before travel was what allowed me to get my passport lmk if you have more questions

yes my i was on the belfast upgrade team but my passport was printed and collected in victoria so yes it is possible