New Passport Upgrade Service!

[hjiki]

was in the same boat as you but i’m flying the 3rd Sunday, my urgent application was processing in belfast but i turned up 48hours before my flight (friday,today) without an appointment at the London passport office since i genuinely wasn’t going to travel to belfast as it is too far

1. go early to passport office i mean really early passport office openned at 7:45 today ppl started queuing at 6-6:30 ish, i arrived at the area at 7:15 and it took around 4-5 hours to be seen –> therefore being early is crucial as it increases chances of you being seen

keep in mind ppl with appointments are given priority (essentially a fastrack in the que) so i can’t emphasis enough how being early is important

2. come with valid ID, evidence of travelling everything (lmk if you want me to elaborate)

i did my passport application by post so make sure you know your application reference number or alternatively your PEX number if you applied online since they give you a form to fill out once you reach the office
they also ask for the reason you are here so write something like:
URGENT TRAVEL, travelling in less than 48hours and need passport urgently

3. since i did an application by post they sorted me to the ground floor instead of above (idk how this is relevant but the lady told me since i am a person who applied by post is harder to upgrade than online application

4. the lady doesn’t do much (my convo with her was less than 7MINS) but she basically send a small email from london HMPO to belfast HMPO since i am with the belfast upgrade team

this email according to me is crucial (so if someone sends something that in itself boosts your chances) as it kind of brings you up the belfast upgrade team radar

5. she then tells me to wait for a call either today or tommorow but she also told me if they don’t call within ur travelling time frame it’s not gonna happen

6. i had a gut intuition that i had to constantly keep my phone on me making sure i had service and was ready to pick up any call especially a no caller ID call

7. after like 3hours i was loosing hope when i got a call from the upgrades team

regarding your case;

first mistake you should have gone today, this is because you would have been classed as 48hours since sunday the HMPO is closed so you only get friday and sat meaning you would of been given priority

but we can’t change the past so let’s focus on solving the problem tommrow is your last shot, you have to go early to the nearest HMPO (ideally if you are like me upgrade team in belfast i would go to belfast office but if you can’t do that go to your nearest HMPO EARLY — trust me it makes a difference

keep in mind it’s saturday so a bigger rush some people are estimated to be queuing extremely early
saturday HMPO also opens later but also closes earlier –. meaning tommorow earliness is KEY

rather be early and at the front of the queue than sorry

i can provide more details if you want and answer any queries let me know ASAP

also lmk ;
did you apply by post or online?
what time are you travelling on monday?
.

[hjiki]

first when you sent your application did you receive an automatic email confirming that the team has received the email?

if you haven’t had that automatic email it means they haven’t received so i would resent if i haven’t received that

lmk if you have an questions regarding this

[karenclay85]

Thank you so much for your info, very helpful. I am due to travel on 9th, so a week tomorrow. It looks like they are waiting until the eleventh hour before contacting people – total nightmare! I applied by post. Thanks again for all your info!

[karenclay85]

When I called I got an email to say that the upgrade has been applied for. But nothing when I sent the email, so I called the day after to make sure the upgrade request was showing on their records, they checked and confirmed. I am praying they call tomorrow or Monday. If not I’ll show up on Thursday. Glad you got yours sorted eventually 🙂

[hjiki]

yes if you don’t here anything by the 6th, on the 7th (48hours before) you MUST turn up at the HMPO make sure to arrive at around 6:45-7:00 even if the HMPO opens at 7:45 ppl que earlier

lmk if you need anything happy to answer any questions as it feel like this forum made this all possible and supported me alot

[karenclay85]

Thank you so much!! I feel slightly more confident. What an utter mess it all is! I shall keep you posted – wish me luck!!

[connor2597]

URGENT PLEASE HELP

My flight is on the 5th 13:50
Application submitted 20th April
I applied for an Upgrade last Saturday
Received the acknowledgment email
I’ve contacted my local mp and the reply says they’re going to inquire for me

I’ve not received any call backs I’m waiting urgently to process this payment for the upgrade

Can I turn up today at the London office and expect any help if it’s the 2nd and my flight is on the 5th (my reasoning is because the 3rd being a Sunday and a non business day the 48 hour period would start on Saturday?

[hjiki]

yes TURN UP AT THE 2nd they are closed on sunday so you would be classed according to them at 48hours before,

I REPEAT GO TODAY

go asap because ppl que way before the opening times i got seen only 4-5hours after i was in a que and i arrived at 7:15 and it opens at 7:45

please don’t miss this chance go today, if it doesn’t work go on monday this increases ur chances greatly

also bring all evidence flight travel evidence, ID etc

[hjiki]

what i’m saying is if you go today and monday you have a greater chance of getting ur passport since ur 48hours before

do not wait till monday

lmk if you want to know anything else

[hjiki]

good luck i know it’s extremely stressful make sure you follow the steps correctly a lot of ppl get turnt away at the door after waiting 5-6hours and go away crying

[karenclay85]

Good morning all, daft question but are you best to wait 48hrs rather than going any earlier? Just wondering if I should go on Tuesday but don’t want to get turned away as it’s not deemed as urgent – to them at least.

[Eskimo32]

Its so good to read that lots of people are receiving their passports, albeit at the last minute and having to go to a passport office, ridiculous that it comes to this. My problem is that I can’t leave it until 48 hours before I travel, I need my daughter’s renewal passport number to apply for an ESTA and its apparently taking up to 4 days to approve those

[hjiki]

maybe try going earlier and explain why you need it earlier and it may be classed as urgent

[hjiki]

you might get turnt away because they may not deem it as urgent and the HMPO is swamped with work so the only deal with the urgentest for example when i was in the que on friday a lady talked about how she got turnt away on thursday and come on the next day so that she would come under the 48hour mark, she came back on friday when she was within her sunday 48hour of travel and i think she got passport

[Catrex]

Success story.

I fly Monday and today collected my husbands passport.

I applied for an upgrade and heard nothing. The progress team emailed Durham internally to ask for it to be expidited for compassionate reasons…heard nothing.

Yesterday I drove to my local passport office, Newport. They were so helpful and today collected the passport.

Don’t go before 48 hours, they are only helping everyone who is flying in the next two days.

[Author]

Posts