New Passport Upgrade Service!

Ahh brilliant thank you, I will try that now, I’ve been on hold now for 1hour 42 mins 😩 I’m sorry if this sound stupid but I don’t want to get this wrong, what does Expedite pec mean? Is that my tracking number? I’m going to write the email out now, I’m preying for an automatic reply 🤞 I’m going to use my other email aswell just incase that works better, thank you again for your help 🙌

Your welcome, I ain’t to sure lol my friend said put it I did and they did reply. Expedite PEX 123 123 123 (your num) hope you get it all sorted x

Omg thank you so much it worked!! I’m just hoping it’s okay I’ve done it from another email address but I’m sure that won’t matter, ahh your a life saver 🙌🙌 I can’t remember giving my email address to the upgrade team or not when I applied, ahh I’m so pleased to have the automated response 🙌 anyone else reading this take the advice it definitely works straight away!!

Ahhh thank you so so much it worked 🙌 ahh I’m over the moon just to no the emails worked!! I used my other email address just incase which I’m sure will be okay as I no they contact by phone anyways, you are a life saver 🙌 I put the phone down at 2 hours of waiting once that email worked, I feel a lot better now. Again thank you so much and anyone else reading this that needs the same please take this advice 🙌

Brilliant well done. Mine was approved after I emailed them so waiting for the printed and sent update. Fly 19/20th (early morning 20th) I'm expecting Thursday I should have a update but if not Friday I will be chasing up. One thing I have noticed is it seems that passport aren't being done in order and for me that is a unfair system open to abuse. Obviously some might need extra documents but surely these go into a separate folder.

That’s brilliant. Did they call you Amber? I sent an email this morning but haven’t heard anything. Might send another one tomorrow with how Daniel has said too

No haven’t had a call but I got an automatic response exactly the same as Daniels. I no it’s not a guarantee upgrade but the relief knowing they have atleast acknowledged it has really made me more at ease 🙌 I’m going to call again tomorrow and just let them no I’ve emailed from a different email address from the one on the passport form not that it should make any difference but just so they no. If you haven’t had an automatic reply definitely send the email exactly how Daniel said, I got an instant reply. It’s so strange how it works, wish I had tried it from my normal email but didn’t want to risk it going wrong again as I don’t want to send to many emails and them get annoyed and not do the upgrade. Just trying to do everything properly so I have more change of getting my daughters passport back in time 🤞

@danielb12345 Where they at all bothered that your application was in Newport? Or where they happy to rpoceed with the upgrade at Durham? Mines at Peterborough but I've not heard a thing and I travel on 12/05 so getting a bit worried and may follow what you done by emailing Durham

Afternoon All, Agreed the whole process is a total shambles with absolutely no ownership. My wife applied for a first passport on 11 March 2022 (latest processing times sat at 5 weeks)-tracker updated on 29 March 2022 as documents received. In the interim did the usual chasers by phone and was told by the progress team it had just been approved on 15th April 2022 and was waiting to go to print. Informed a few days later NOT APPROVED when I chased for an update - in the interim travel had been booked given the apparent good news. Lost count the number of times I've chased for an update - it was only after I contacted my local MP (who emailed the Home Office)on 28th April 2022 that tracker changed to being processed. Passport has since moved from Liverpool to London and is now in Durham! Promised it would be expedited via the upgrade service - heard absolutely nothing - with travel due on 6 May I have no faith whatsoever of it arriving. Friends of my wife in exactly the same situation have applied weeks later and received a passport Time for a new Home Secretary - current incumbent is clueless.

It is so cruel. I hope you get your passports David

Has anyone gone to their local passport office to chase up what is going on? The upgrade is a shambles. No response from glasgow for me. Advice line may as well not employ the robots they do as they can’t do anything useful. Most useful thing they are allowed to do on a day is go home. Seriously considering travelling to glasgow tomorrow

I'd hate to darken the clouds here but I've had those replies from the London office (my local) and Liverpool (where my application is) emails were sent with two weeks notice and I missed my flight today as my sons passport didn't come (he's 4 months old). I had his elder sisters in 4 weeks even with a rejected photo. It was a 5 week wait when I submitted back in February. I'd got through to management teams who hadn't recieved any guidance and been placed on urgent call backs with urgent flags/messages definitely more than 5 times. In my opinion.. Asking once and being patient might be the way forward as panicking and hassling the call lines hasn't worked for me. 0300 222 000 main phone 0300 222 1973 0300 123 1973 0300 105 0850 progress team 01633 285 419 These are all the live numbers that I've collected over the last two weeks of interactions. Good luck all

Andrew that’s awful. Did you get any response from emails or phone calls? Liverpool is where my sons passports are being held too. Applied back in February too!

It’s so unfair 😔 the whole system seems a shambles. They need to put in a proper system of how to deal with applications rather than just accepting people at random and leaving others in limbo for ages! I’m not holding out much hope after seeing how many people have been let down. For those who are still waiting good luck 🤞

Im mesnt to be travelling on 6th may but daughters passport isnt here yet so i tried upgrading. When submitting the upgrade request 8 days ago i had an email and call from the upgrade team, pretty much telling me to sit tight and wait for the call from the upgrade department. Im now supposed to fly in 3 days with no call and no clue whats going on with the upgrade. They received all the documents needed weeks ago so im not sure what the hold up is. Anyone had a similar situation and what was the outcome? Thanks

@danielb12345 I travelled 6 hours total to Newport. I paid £122 for a child's 1 week Fastrack. To cancel my current standard and upgrade that way. I took a paper application and another birth certificate signed photo etc. Turned away and unable to help. By my own admission.. Totally my choice but desperation makes you stupid. The Welsh lads on the door weren't that friendly either! Ha My local MP also sent an email 2 weeks ago with no joy. The public service and health ombudsmans is preparing for a complaints influx. Twitter is also a good source of info. #passportproblems #hmpassport #hmpofails

@jrt654 No sorry my flight isn’t until the 18th May but please keep us posted if you receive your passports 🤞 I was told it can be 2 days before which is crazy. There is no reassurance from them

Applied for 2 first child passports on 11 March when there was a 5 week advised lead time, with documents being sent special next day delivery. Despite this my documents took a shocking 3 weeks to be received, which was on 5 April (also after hours of calls and 6 advised "call backs" which never happened.) They have been in the "processing" queue since 7 April. My daughters are 2 and 6 months, and we are due to have our first family holiday next Tuesday 10/5. I emailed Durham upgrade team last Tuesday, and I did receive an automated reply and a call the next day from a lady saying they are being processed in travel order and not to keep emailing them, however had no further information. Currently stressed out and losing hope, does anyone have any success stories?

Hello all, Just wondering if someone advise me what evidence you need to prove you are travelling in 2 weeks? Is purchase receipt of travel from airline sufficient proof on its own? Thanks

@CJames1702 Yes I believe just proof of flights with dates

It seems to be childrens passports that everyone is waiting on. Mine and my husbands passports took 4 weeks. Still waiting 10weeks for my 2 sons ages 11 and 14

James I believe it’s just proof of flight dates

I'm going to the USA to get married at the end of the month. Application has been in processing for 5 weeks. Starting to panic as i've heard nothing. I have no idea where my application is, I assume it's London as that's my closest office - although i can see from other peoples comments on here that's not always the case. Does anyone have the London office upgrades dept email address? In preparation for if it doesn't arrive before the 2 week mark. Please wish me luck! Absolutely pooing myself

I’ve spoken to someone this morning from the progress team. They have changed the way they are doing the upgrades now, instead of contacting within 1-2days they are now contacting in date order of travel and are contacting people 48-72hours before departure, I leave on Sunday 15th and he said I’m likely to get my daughters passport on Saturday the 14th 😬 it feels way too close for comfort, I asked if I can collect from my local passport office which apparently I can’t as it’s getting printed in Durham, I’m thinking of taking the 10 hour round trip to collect it (if I’m lucky and do get it printed in time) as I’m too worried about leaving it so close in the hands of delivery drivers.

I’m on my way to pick my new passport up now I was dealt with by the Glasgow team but boy was that a horrible ride but plenty emails, complaints and phone calls gets your heard. Make sure what the customer service team are telling you the correct information you can only know that by speaking to someone else. I wouldn’t even bother with no one but progress team. Good luck guys!