[BBoyd]

hi, hope this helps,

you can send an email to your MP for assistance
(Go to http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/ to get your current MP of your area and thier contact information)
you can also email
DurhamUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk
and all necessary tracking information , send my proof of travel as an attachment. send your wedding invitation as well.

make sure your email Subject goes like this “14 weeks delay to travel in xxx, full name of applicant, Reference Number”

iv been on this for 13 weeks had to move my ticket 2ce. finally got a call last week friday it was approved after help from my MPs office also got notified my passport was printed today. now just hoping DHL picks up intime as i travel on Monday the 1st.

Good luck

[BBoyd]

Hope this helps someone.

I applied from Abroad.

Sent in 22nd April
Documents officially recieved 26th April
Payment taken 28th April.

Sent countless emails
Made countless calls.
Was on hold 2hours at a time.
Such a horrible experience.

Sent in paper application so didn’t get a PEX number. Never got an email confirming receipt of documents. Nothing. Sent emails almost everyday to
hmpowebform@omni.eckoh.uk
Finally was given a reference number at 8weeks

At 10weeks i had 2weeks on the 20th July to travel. Applied via expedited services email

ExpeditedService@hmpo.gov.uk

Got a reply after 1 week stating that i did not qualify for thier services because i applied from abroad.
Which was not far at all.

2 days before 18th travel i emailed my MP
(Go to http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/ to get your current MP of your area and thier contact information)

In the email you need your full application information including Name, date of birth, reference or Pex number, proof of travel and all correspondence you can remember, email dates , screen shots, phone calls etc.

You must have been waiting at least 10weeks and be booked to travel within 14days.

Sent them am email and got a call back on the day of my travel 20th day of travel unfortunately.
However luckily i had changed my travel date to the 1st of August (cost me a whopping £380 for i and my 2 kids 🙁 )

Very nice gentleman called and told me he would call the hmpo and put my information forward and ask for expedition since i had missed initial booked travel and iv moved my date to within 14 days. He said they get about 30 requests every week and are trying thier best to assist.
He called me back within an hour and i was told that the hmpo office said they would look into it and that i should get feedback at least 48hours to my date of travel.

I believe the people at Durham office are extremely overwhelmed amd they dont actually know what they are doing.

How does it make sense to give feedback to someone in another country 2 days b4 travel. How was i going to get the passport if approved via DHL in another county in 2 days. Both i and the MP rep were confused, he sounded deflated. But i was hopeful. At least hes put my case out there.

I didnt just accept the eariler reply from expedited services that they couldn’t help me and i replied to them that it was not fair. That i was a UK citizen even though i was outside the country and i should be awarded the same services as everyone else. Also iv heard that they have decided to start giving people who send in thier applications this july – thier passports back within 8days! 8days!
Thats not fair at all. They should be sorting people who have been waiting for Months and Weeks!

Anyway lucky i got a reply stating that i should email
DurhamUpgradeTeam@hmpo.gov.uk
and send my proof of travel as an attachment.

So i did that.

Its been 2 days, i cant say if its the help from MPs office or my email to the durhamup grade team. May be a combination of both.

But i just got a call about 2 hours ago and was told my passport has been approved and was going to be printed today and ready for DHL Pickup. They cant tell me exactly when it will be picked up. May be tomorrow, might be Monday. But it all depends on DHL.

Hopefully i will get it here before im ment to travel. I have 9days. I really hope so.

Iv been reading this forum and i promised that when i get any helpful information i would share it.

Sorry for the long write up. This isnt even half of what i went thru.
I also sent emails every sincle morning from 10weeks btw 8am and 8.30am . I noticed i would get a response if i sent emails during that time.

I will come back to update when i have my passport in my hands.

[Author]

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