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Those that are unfortunate enough to reach the 10 week mark – any success stories around this stage?? If so, what was the process? We are 10 weeks today, ‘processing’ seems to have disappeared from tracking, as it has a lot of peoples this afternoon – we have 5 weeks before we travel, I’m I being naive thinking surely this can’t take 15 weeks!😳
Is this 10 weeks from application or documents received? I have been told it’s 10 weeks from documents received. My sister in laws was 9 weeks 5 days from documents received, 13 weeks in total. I am 10 weeks from documents received 2 weeks before we are due to travel so doesn’t really change anything for me unless it comes before then.
Entering 11th week from submission, i spoke to advice line and expressed concerns and anxieties. I managed to get an urgent call back and application was escalated due to it being over 10 weeks. I had passport in my hand less than a week later, uncluding the long bank holiday
I submitted my passport application on 27 March, documents received 19 April and in processing from 5 May. I am due to go on holiday at the end of July.
For the past month I have escalated to the Progress Team on average 1-2 a week and they sent internal emails to Durham to escalate. No updates. I have also been emailing my MP on a weekly basis and he has been raising with the Home Office. Again, no updates. I am aware that you can only escalate if you are within 2 weeks of travel which for me is cutting it very fine.
What I did was to go onto the Ryanair website and book a random flight (to Germany in my case) for the beginning of July. It cost less than £10. I then escalated to the Progress Team and said that a) my application was > 10 weeks and b) I was travelling in less than two weeks. The next day I got a call from a very cheery sounding official at Durham who said that he was approving my request and he was calling to put my mind at ease. My passport should be with me in 3-4 days. In the end they didn’t ask for proof of travel.
Here’s what happened to me… firstly, I don’t want it to seem like I am rubbing peoples’ noses in it, but here is my application.
Passport printed 1:57pm on 16 June 2022
Application approved 11:56am on 16 June 2022
Identity details received 12:35pm on 4 April 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 5:52pm on 3 April 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 5:50pm on 3 April 2022
Application submitted 5:50pm on 3 April 2022I am very fortunate that my application was completed, before I fly mid-next week. Saying that, it has been over 10 weeks and it took some pestering to get completed. Rough timeline…
– So I got to around 7-8 weeks, and my ‘Application Processing’ status had not moved since the 12th of April. I will get back to why it doesn’t show that on my tracking in a moment.
– As most people would, I decided to get in touch with web-‘nohelp’ on the Passport contact page, and spoke to an agent. His response was ‘I can’t tell you anything about your application, wait 10 weeks.’ He ended the chat on me before I could respond.
– I then dropped a little email in to the Passport office complaints inbox, using the on-site form, and it advised me that it would be resolved within 15 days. I wasn’t hopeful, but the Karen in me was a little annoyed at the agent’s behavior.
– I then attempted to all their helpless advice line, and after 3 hours and 3 minutes of waiting to connect to somebody, the line went dead. Alarm bells began ringing.
– When it reached 9 weeks, I decided to try my MP’s office, which you can get off the GOV website for all MPs, using your postcode. THEY HAVE A SPECIAL MP HOTLINE, WHICH THEY CAN USE TO CALL THE HOME OFFICE/PASSPORT OFFICE. A day later the MPs staff got back to me, and confirmed that they had raised my concerns, but I would need to wait until exactly 10 weeks.
– I began exploring this forum, and others, and noticed that some had opted for the upgrade service after 10 weeks, if your flight is within 2 weeks. If I could advise one thing, it’s do this, the day it becomes 2 weeks before your flight.
– I waited until 10 weeks, and contacted web-‘nohelp’ and the advice line. This time they confirmed that I would need to wait until the 9th of June (2 weeks before flight) then I could upgrade for a 7 day fast track, free. I was frustrated, but understood that a lot of us were in the same situation. They advised me that once upgraded, it does work on a nearest flight first system.
– I updated my MP. It’s important that you keep them invested in your issue. Without asking, they then called the special MP line again, and applied a little more pressure.
-However, I didn’t stop there. I emailed these folks, just to spark off a little more internal communication. It may fall on deaf ears, it may get trickled down and dealt with, you just don’t know.
ceo@hmpo.gov.uk
HM Passport Office Feedback feedback@hmpo.gov.uk
abi.tierney@homeoffice.gov.uk
ceo@hmpo.gov.uk
complaints@hmpo.gov.uk
escalatedservices@hmpo.gov.uk
fol@hmpo.gov.uk
southport@hmpo.gov.uk– I then called the upgrade line on the 9th June Thur (2 weeks from flight date), and ratcheted up my assertiveness a little. I called the normal number 0300 222 0000, I pressed 8 ‘everything else option’ and then the same again on the next list of options. I believe I got through to what was customer services. They then passed me to what I think was a more senior customer service team, with more access. They finally passed me to the ‘Progress’ team, who told me how to upgrade. Essentially, I just had to forward proof of my flight, to the upgrade team in Peterborough, and request the upgrade. It’s important to note that upgrades are not free, unless they have gone over 10 weeks with your application.
– I then updated my MP’s office, again. To keep them in the loop in case I needed some last minute help from them.
– It got to Monday (10 days before flight) and my bum started twitching, so I got on the phone. This time I got a little more… lets say firm with the young call handler. I know it’s not their fault.. but they all sounded like they were laying in bed talking to me, and urgency is not something they apparently know much about. I requested a call back, which I was told would be 72 hours. I wasn’t happy with that wait, but again, it’s not just about winning every battle, it’s about keeping the pressure on them and getting as many eyes on your application as you can. She also told me that she sent a ‘urgent’ message on this call back, due to the time I had left. Anyone that has gone through this situation will tell you the same thing… They’re very process driven, lack empathy, and thinking outside of the box… so I had my own job to do, and left it at that.
-Then a day later (tue) something weird happened. The ‘Processing’ status completely went from my tracking. I could have just left it… but I thought it would be a good opportunity just to make a little more noise about what’s going on. So I called and asked. I’ll say one thing, the lad that took that call was the most helpful person I have spoken to. Granted, he sounded stoned and in bed, but he gave me process details and expectations that nobody dared to tell me before. He told me that when the ‘Processing’ status is removed from your tracking during an upgrade it means they have picked it up, and reset the process. Finally… the first sign that someone was actually reviewing my application.
‘I left it on the 15th, as I knew it was a 7 day fast track (and I’m not a total Karen). Thursday morning.. i receive a ‘No Caller ID’ call.I’ll be honest, I had my phone set to silent No call ID and didn’t know, but to this workers credit, she called me 5 times in an hour. Whilst I was trying to figure out how to turn it off… If you have an iphone, it’s under settings>phone… turn it off, please. Otherwise their calls will go straight to voicemail, and you’ll be pulling your hair out. Thankfully mine fell out a while ago.
– Lovely lady, told me application approved. No additional cost. Once approved it took a couple of hours to print, and she told me that they generally go out the same day, with next day delivery. Whether that is true or not, I couldn’t say because I don’t have it in my hand yet.
All in all, bloody awful service at the moment. I’ve heard some bad experiences with Upgrades, but right now it looks to be helping those with flights soon. I genuinely believe that the ones not being processed in 10 weeks, have simply been lost/overlooked. I don’t believe my application went anywhere in them first 10 weeks, but we would never know that, because their staff are very tight lipped. I hope you get your passport and my rant at least gives you a few ideas. I always find that departments are more likely to pay attention if other eyes are on your case, so get the MP, get the emails i suggested sent, get on Twitter. At the same time though, don’t lose your cool, and keep your chin up.
Thanks for sharing your experience. We are 17 weeks from application submission but only 9 weeks 2 days from receipt of documents. Like everyone else we were “Processing” but have now gone back to “documents received”. Hopefully will see some movement soon.
@turner83
I have taken your advise and emailed all the emailed you provided thankyou.I am due to fly 25th june and still waiting for my daughters passport re newal. Application was sent 26th march.
Its been a week since i emailed the upgrade team, only a day since someone provided me the escalation email but iv emailed that again too.Hope i get a call today but i wont hold my breath
Hi Amy, what does it say on your tracking information? You’ve still got time, don’t lose hope. Have you contacted your MP?
Its did say processing from 16th may but now its gone back a stage like everyone else. It has been like that for like 4 days now.
Yes i did contact my mp and his reply was that mps cannot expidite passport applications which is obvs a lie and that the best thing to do was to contact the passport helpline which i have done so 100s times. Yesterday morning i spoke to the progress team who sent it to the escalation team and asked me to email proof of flight which i did straight away, still not heard anything from them keep hopeing i might todayDoes anyone know if we can do anything when it’s got to 10 weeks of doccuments been received? I am sure they told my sister that they could try investigate if it got to that point, then hers was processed 9 weeks and 5 days after doccuments received.
My 10 weeks will be 16 days before flying don’t know if it’s even worth a call just to be told wait till 14 days before?Definitely ring and keep getting onto them! I left it thinking all would be and and im 7 days till holiday and no passport
I am now at 10 weeks on my 2nd application- first one was August but HM Passport office failed and I went through complaints procedure. They instructed me to re-send new pictures which I duly did. This morning I have received an email asking for new photos!! I have spoken to the passport people over a dozen times in the last 6 weeks. Each staff member saying new and different information. At no point in the last 3 weeks has any staff member stated new photos need to be sent!! This is disgraceful, disgusting and extremely stressful as I have already missed 1 holiday
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