Advice on Expedited service

[bd1981]

Hi all

I need some advice

Passports for 2 children applied on 21/4
Documents received 26/5
Heard nothing since (on the online tracker)but we travel to Turkey on the 13th August.

I am at the stage where I have expedited the passports and Sent in my travel conformation so they can see I am actually in very urgent need.

Has anyone got experience of this “two week before travel” service and what happens now.

Needless to say with travel two weeks on Saturday I’m getting twitchy. Any advice greatly received and happy to pass on my story and help others in return…

Ben in Devon

[adamc1983]

I have just done the same today.

Can I ask where they asked you to send your evidence to?

I was advised to email Durham upgrades although the email I received said Liverpool?

Apparently it was a glitch on the system and all email upgrades go through Durham?

[tayls123]

Hi.
I asked for expedited service on Friday for my sons first passport. This was after id sent upgrade request at the 2 weeks to travel mark and god knows how many calls to the jokers on the “advice line”. Wasn’t expecting anything and was preparing to travel to Liverpool this morning without an appt as I travel on weds.

Anyway I received a call yesterday afternoon from a no caller ID number and passport was made available for me to collect this morning from Liverpool (I asked for that rather than post as didn’t trust it wouldn’t go missing).
The process does work but the stress is crazy I’ve spent 10 weeks worrying whether to lose out on a £4k holiday or leave my 12 week old baby at home.
Keep your phone on you at ALL TIMES on loud and vibrate. If you don’t hear with in my case 6 days to travel call up again and ask them to escalate for you (aswell as sending another email with all the info yourself including proof of travel).
FYI I saw people who had no appt and with 48 hours or less til travel and they did get a passport today.they won’t give it you if you go with over 48 hours though.
Hope this helps

[tayls123]

You need to ask the advice line exactly which office your passport is at and then ask for the email address for the upgrades team at the appropriate office. Also note there is a difference between requesting an upgrade and requesting for the expedited service. Expedited is for anyone who have waited over the 10 week mark (their advertised service timescale)

[adamc1983]

Ah ok. Mine is just a request for the upgrade although the advice line told me to contact the Durham office rather than the Peterborough one where the passport is held?

Doesn’t strike me with much hope

[petmthr1]

Been waiting now for coming up to 13 weeks.
Posted 28th April
Received HMPO 5th May
To Durham on 7th May
Wrote to expeditingservice@hmpo.gov.uk and await a reply
Can anyone tell me the upgrade email address for Durham please?
Booked travel in April for 20th August figuring plenty of time but the clock is ticking.
May go to Durham when the 48 our mark is reached
Any other advice appreciated.
Thanks

[bd1981]

Many thanks for all the replies.

My son and daughters passports are at the Liverpool office and as I have two weeks to go I emailed the escalatedservive@hmpo.gov.uk

Just FYI I submitted 21/4
Application recieved 26/4
Documents received 27/5

My applications for both kids have been stuck at the documents received stage since the 27/5 update.

If anyone has the Liverpool office email I’d love that. I was given

LiverpoolUpgradeTeam@hmpo.co.uk can anyone confirm if this is correct?

Thanks and I thought i was in good time but am now worried that my 7.5k dream holiday is going down the pan. Am left a bit more heartened by the fact I only registered for the escalation on Saturday and it’s only Monday and I flyb on the 13th.

Fingers crossed for everyone on here.

B

[tayls123]

You have all the emails I used too. Did you get an automated reply to say the app was received by them?

As it gets closer I’d email them again and ask the progress team (through the advice line) to escalate again for you.

My experience is it’s a waiting game and as much as you think it’s close they just don’t see it as urgent until a few days before.

It’s stressful and trust me I’ve had so many sleepless nights and annoying and pointless and irritating phone calls to the advice line. You will get there just keep at them and don’t take your eye off your phone in the days leading up to your travel date.

Hope all goes well

[bd1981]

@tayls123

Thanks for your message – it is actually very reassuring to have people in the same boat even if we are still waiting – I think at this stage we are quite early on and lower down the list.

Can I ask if you used the escalated service email or the specific office? I seem to have had the Liverpool office one bounced back but had a confirmation email back from the escalated team.

I thought applying at the end of April would be adequate time and I know we should have waited to book a holiday – just trusted in the system which I know works, it just makes people feel anxious!

KR

B ☺️

[tayls123]

I used the generic expedited email address and also got the automated response.you’ve basically done all that you can for now. Won’t do any harm to send another email closer to the time though. I just felt like doing something made me feel better than doing nothing so I probs called up to way more than I should have!!!

You shouldn’t feel guilty for wanting to go on holiday and you applied in good time (way over their published timescales).

I was exactly the same as you thinking it just wouldn’t happen and let’s face it it’s hard to trust the process when you’ve waited much longer than you should have.

Enjoy your hol, you’ll get there

[bd1981]

Just to continue my story and to give myself and others hope that there is a system that works

My daughter’s passport has been approved today 3/8/2022 and is now awaiting printing

Still waiting for my son’s to come through but we have more reason to feel positive today.

Last night I sent another email to the expedited team and included more evidence of travel within two weeks and also added a other two phone numbers. Not sure whether this did any good but made me feel that I was being proactive!

Worth bearing in mind that I didn’t get a call but have received the text that alerts to the online tracking device which now reads “application approved” and awaiting printing…

I’ll keep everyone in the loop and I am thankful to have this good news although no chickens counted yet…

[bd1981]

So as a way of update…

Son and daughters passports now have been printed and awaiting dispatch with courier so all being well should get the passports in time for next Saturday’s flights.

The expedited service has kicked in and worked for me but in my opinion this should have been processed far quicker than my 21st April starting application warranted. It has caused so much stress and out a 7.5k dream holiday in jeopardy…

Will update when passports arrive but Hally to help others where I can with my process…

Good luck and thanks to this forum as it’s been my sanctuary.

[FiMartin]

I used the expedite email link on the passport tracking page as my passport application was received more than 10 weeks ago. I also included holiday booking details as flying on 19 Aug. Any idea how long I might wait before hearing or when I should try contacting them?

[bd1981]

Hello

My advice would be that if you have emailed your supporting evidence to the email address above and are over 10 weeks since application and 2 weeks to travel they will step in and help.

It feels like an eternity and that you are relying on the system but it does work. I received my daughter’s passport on Friday last week’s and my Son’s today. We are due to fly on Saturday and recieved confirmation that they were printed Thursday and Friday last week.

Track the progress on the online app and check your junk email from a receipt from the escalation team as this will confirm they have received your email.

As long as you are over 10 weeks since application and under 2 weeks to travel time then they will work it for you…they are strict about the under two weeks however and they won’t fast track unless both of these thresholds have been met.

Trust in the system even though you may not hear anything and the generic passport enquiry line can do nothing at the stage of escalated applications so don’t waste your time.

Best of luck and it will be fine!

[bd1981]

Just as a way of tying up loose ends, here is my final snapshot of progress…

Submitted 21/4
Ask to confirm identity 21/4
Email to Identity recipient 21/4
Identity details recieved 26/4
Application recieved 26/4
Documents received 26/5
Application approved 4/8
Passport printed 4/8
Passport recieved via DHL with no contact from courier 8/4

Very relieved and thankful to this forum and happy to pay forward any advice (I was given some reassurance and know how awful this feels)

Kind regards

BD

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