Going to passport office only 5 weeks after submission. Any success?

[eugenia-shi]

My partners renewal application was submitted on 21st of may and we are meant to travel on 21st of June so this Tuesday.

The full story is explained here https://www.passportwaitingtime.co.uk/forums/topic/travel-within-2-weeks-not-meeting-deadline-because-of-wring-helpline-advice/

But basically we’ve been wrongly advised by the helpline to try to book fast track, while we already had an active standard application so the fast track service was refused. There are now multiple “urgent” notes in the passport and a request to process faster as an exception after multiple calls to the helpline, but we haven’t had any confirmations or callbacks recently.

Thinking that out last option is going to Peterborough where the application is processed, but it’s only been 5 weeks since submission… has anyone been successful in getting a passport if it hasn’t been 10 weeks waiting yet? Thank you

[assimb]

my timeline is similar to yours, passports submitted for my kids on 15th may, we travel on the 24th June. so been 5 weeks.
I am also thinking of going to the passport office 48 hours before, not sure if they will see us or if we need to make an appointment.

[eugenia-shi]

@assimb

We will go to Peterborough or London on Monday (if not both) and I will update how it goes… would be so frustrating to drive all the way to Peterborough for nothing though

[assimb]

@eugenia-shi
Please do, i wish you luck, we are thinking of going on Wednesday 2 days before our flight on friday

Did you re-submit your application? did you cancel your original application?

[eugenia-shi]

@assimb

My partner made a standard application without checking the processing times, so we called the helpline for advice on how we can get the passport renewed faster. They said to try and book fast track and then cancel the original application. We found a fast track appointment, called back to confirm that having two applications won’t cause any problems, and a different agent assured it will be ok if we post a letter to candle the standard application.

Obviously that was wrong and my partner wasnt allowed ti submit fast track and told that the only thing we can do is send the passport off ti be processed as normal and try to get an upgrade 2 weeks before the trip. Also wrong advice..

So it’s the original application we’re waiting on, after having to cancel the cancellation letter and numerous helpful agents in the helpline being compassionate and trying to escalate the application. Seems like it is all to no avail though

[assimb]

so how long has it been since you submitted your original application?

[eugenia-shi]

Will be 5 weeks next week, technically still 4 when we have to go to the passport office

[assimb]

please update us on your progress, i think this will also be my only hope now

good luck

[hillbillierock]

For those of you saying you spoke to someone at the advice helpline how did you actually manage to speak to someone? I keep getting booted out automatically as our passport has not been in the system for 10 weeks.

[assimb]

@hillbillierock

You need to press 8 & then 3 if i remember correctly

[Nathan]

Just to offer reassurance I’ve searched “5 weeks” in the search bar and have found plenty of people who have had success 48 hours before and only one person saying that someone at the passport office said it needs to be 6 weeks.

I’m also in the same situation and would love to hear back from people who have been successful recently.

[eugenia-shi]

Just wanted to give an update on this. Unfortunately it probably won’t be very helpful as we ended up not going to the passport office.

Got an email from the upgrade team on Thursday confirming that the request has been received at flight date noted. Yesterday my partner got a call from them to say that the upgrade has been approved and the passport will be ready for collection later in the afternoon.

Seems like we’ve been incredibly lucky, as this is rather out of the norm it seems, and we just managed to reach a very helpful and compassionate person from the management team who rushed our application through!

[andytyke76]

How did you get agents to try to speed up the process and put notes on the application

We have found everyone we spoke to very unhelpful

We applied beginning of May, got a new passport the the currier completely ignored the mail box at the side of the door and the sign saying not to use the letter box. and fed the new passport to our dogs via the letterbox.

So we had to apply again. This was May 28th we travel july 8th. Getting a bit worried now

[Author]

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