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Did you use any of the expedited eMail addresses? There are number of folk on this forum who are UK expats around the world who have used these avenues and had thier application accelerated after 10 weeks.
The UK Government are obligated to keep you legally compliant in you country of residence in these circumstances. Obviously with out the full details it is hard to comment, was there however a mistake in your application for example? But, on the face it from what you have written, you may have a good case to take the Ombudsman
Totally stressful experience. Applied 10 weeks today by post office check and send- 1st child paper app.
My experience- the advice line were shocking and couldn’t do anything to help until the 2 week until travel mark. They then helped to ask for an upgrade. However never received anything and was starting to worry.
On Friday I requested for the case to be escalated. I travel on weds morning. Advice line helped by putting the request through for me but were quick to tell me it was only a request and not a guarantee (totally unhelpful).
Anyway I was prepared to travel to Liverpool this morning and queue outside. However much to my relief I received a call from a no caller ID number yesterday afternoon to say my case was being processed and as requested I could go and collect from Liverpool office today. I now have my passport in hand.
If it helps anyone I saw a couple of people who had been queueing without an appt who were due to fly in the next 48 hours who managed to get their passports today. I saw them turning others away who weren’t due to travel that soon.
I totally feel for anyone who is still waiting but my advice is to persevere and ask for the upgrade at 2 weeks to travel and or escalate if been over 10 weeks since submission. If all else fails try the 48 hours without appt things as you have nothing to lose by doing this.
Good luck everyone
Have just received my daughter’s renewed passport. Not sure what I did that broke the system.
Application submitted 8/5 and PO confirmed passport received 16/5. Then absolutely nothing. 10 week deadline expired 25/7. Sent email 0n 26/7 to Expedited Service@hmpo.gov.uk with proof of travel 3+ weeks later. Heard absolutely nothing (auto reply).
Rang useless advice line a couple of times. They seemed happy to mis-inform me just to get rid of me. They didn’t seem to have access to any real info about my application. Despite being told on the tracking service that I qualified to apply to have application expedited, the advice line consistently said that application wouldn’t be expedited until less than 2 weeks before travel. So I think that maybe true although why the applicants can’t be told this I don’t know.
I wrote to Thomas Grieg, Director of Passports at the PO, by old fashioned post because I think it’s too easy for PO to ignore emails. I also emailed my MP who contacted the HO using the standard procedure; Kevin Foster, Home Office minister responsible for PO (auto response so quite sure he did nothing) and Diana Johnson, Chair of Home Affairs Select Committee who interviewed Grieg recently (also auto response).
I hand wrote the envelope to Grieg marking it urgent in red and for his personal attention. The PO would have received it yesterday (Southport address as per website). I didn’t hold back in my letter (!). I got a call from them yesterday telling me they were dealing with it and there it was on the doormat first thing this morning. So still more than 2 weeks before travel.
I really think it was my letter to Grieg that worked for me.
Really please that you finally got your daughter’s renewal! I’m in a similar situation ie child renewal 10 weeks tomorrow since receiving online. I have also been emailing various people and departments for the last couple of weeks. I will try the expedite team again tomorrow. Persistence is the key I think….I’m still keeping everything crossed in the meantime….
Not sure how to take this? Just had a response from the expedited team to an email dated 19.7 saying they are going to one of their examination teams to progress asap. It is 10 weeks tomorrow. Is that good do we think? Any one else had the same email? Should I be optimistic?
Hello,
Made a first child passport application online on the 9th April, heard nothing from then till the documents got received on the 4th May. The next contact was on the 23rd July after I requested the expedited service, which then sent the letter asking for the approval and extra payement so it can be swithced from child – adult. This was done quickly, but now got a text saying that a passport interview is needed, with the earliest appointment being on the 27th August. Wondering if I could have any advice, as it is needed for travel within the next two weeks.
Cheers
I can’t believe it. Application approved today. Will arrive at 9 tomorrow so the email from the expedite team (see above) was correct! It has taken blood sweat and tears to get this passport.
It was the email to the expedite team that did it. For info, no proof of travel provided but annual leave booked for next week. It was 10 weeks on Wednesday since application submitted, not documents received as I was constantly told by the call centre. Thank you to everyone on this forum, your experiences helped me so much!
Tips :
1. Don’t bother calling. They can’t help you and can’t access anything but very basic information. As a result they will say anything to get you off the phone,
2. Don’t wait until 10 weeks to chase. I began at 8. Try your MP too. I did and it may have helped.
3. Don’t give up. Keep emailing the expedite/upgrade teams.
4. Try filling in an online complaint form.If I didn’t need a holiday before this experience, I certainly do now. The best of luck to all those still waiting.
Application history
StatusDate
Passport printed 11:54am on 4 August 2022
Application approved 10:14am on 4 August 2022
Identity details received 8:22pm on 12 June 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 10:50am on 10 June 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 9:49am on 10 June 2022
Documents received 11:06am on 3 June 2022
Application received 8:24am on 25 May 2022
Application submitted 8:23am on 25 May 2022I received my kids passports on Monday! I didn’t even bother waiting 6/10 weeks to start chasing it up. I started chasing it at 2 weeks. I rang my MP at 3 weeks and she contacted HMPO then after a few days a got a call from HMPO to tell me they received a call in regards to my passport. Then a week later o got the passports!
Please guys DO NOT WAIT 6 weeks to start getting in contact with MP. Do it as soon as it in two weeks of applying for your passport and just tell them you need to ASAP! They didn’t ask for proof of travel they asked me when I was traveling which is 31st august but I told them I need it by the 6th of August. So they got them printed within a day and posted the next day! So just keep chasing your MP and the HMPO email them with whatever email address you have for them. Ringing them is pointless because the staff have no clue what to say.I collected my passport today from Newport.
I had been waiting 15 weeks and my application was stuck at Durham (sounds like many are stuck there). I’m due to travel next Tuesday.
My advice is don’t bother ringing / texting / web chat – I gave that up weeks ago; the system is broken. They can’t tell you anymore than what the online update progress checker can.
Email to get your applications expedited / escalated / upgraded within the time frames given, i.e after 10 weeks, withing 2 weeks of travel and email them daily, and don’t just email the address you know your passport is. I emailed durham and newport (docs were at durham) Newport were the only one that replied. Ignore the warning to not keep emailing them, I emailed daily and after each email without reply I put 2nd request, 3rd request, 4th request etc.
I got MP intervention too, but I’m not sure if this got anywhere to be honest but don’t rule it out – it’s worth a shot.
I managed to get a phone call from Liverpool 8 days prior to travel saying she could approve the passport and if I’d like it posted or collected. Opted for collection this morning at 9am as no way was I going to rely on couriers etc. It was a breeze at the passport office, not much of a queue either when I arrived at 8.15. I felt for the people outside, fingers crossed they all get their wish today.
I was prepared to go to the PO 3/2/1 day before, but I got lucky. Persevere guys.I wish everyone of you good luck in getting your passport.
Hello everyone,
Just wondering if anyone has any experience of this, already emailed the expedited and upgrade team (Belfast) as travel is booked for tomorrow. As it’s a first adult passport (changed from first child), it needs an interview what’s booked for 3pm today. But received a message from royal mail saying a package from HM Passport (from Northern Ireland) is due for delivery tomorrow as the passport is needed for travel tomorrow. Wondering if this is a good sign, or is it just documents being returned?
CheersSo when does the 10 weeks start, application received or documents received?
I sent my old passport off at the same time as my adult renewal application and it was signed for by the passport office the next working day. They didn’t acknowledge receipt until 8 week later and that’s reflected in the date alongside documents received on the tracker.
The part that concerns me is where the tracker says:
“You are not eligible yet to ask for your application to be processed faster. This is because we received your old passport less than 10 weeks ago.
We’ll update this page when you are eligible to get your passport sooner, with details of how to ask for it”.
If that is indeed the case I won’t be able to speed anything up until 18 weeks after I submitted my application, which will be far too late for a holiday I booked at the beginning of the year.
“So when does the 10 weeks start, application received or documents received?”
This appears to be a bone of contention. I hit the 10 week mark on Thursday from applying on-line and paying by debit card on June. 9. My docs were not recorded as recieved on HMPO’s tracker until June. 21. (strictly speaking I’m only just past the 8 week mark) This Friday gone Aug. 19 I thought it was worth a punt and I rang the 0300 line the call handler straight away said you are at 10 weeks and put me through to the HMPO proper (again unpromted the lady said I was at 10 weeks) and 24 hours later my passport was approved – just waiting for it to be printed and sent. I always thought the clock started at when the HMPO recorded the documents onto thier system, but it appears not, or perhaps now they are on top of the backlog they have changed?
I would however caveat the above, by saying I’m overseas applicant with extenating circumstances and that would have come into play. But, in both instances unprompted both people I spoke to, said I was at 10 weeks.
I would give it a go and call them and see what they say, you don’t have anything to lose and a lot to gain.
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