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Hello.
I managed to get my son’s passport today so I will summarize my experience with the hope that this will help someone.A) submit your application asap.
B) if you are passed the 6 weeks after you submitted your application and within 2 weeks of travelling call 03001050850 and request an upgrade. They are great. Then do write to the upgrades team of your nearest passport office which would be something like name-of-the-cityupgradesteam@hmpo.gov.uk and have the date of the travel in the subject and in the body of the email, name of applicant, application number, address, dob, and a contact number (and your name if you are applying for a child).
C) don’t expect much before you reach 3 days prior to your travel. If you don’t hear call them again. You can try 01633745709 and request to be passed to the upgrades team. They are super helpful, if you are lucky to go through to them. In any case this will get the ball rolling as each call is logged against your application number.
D) if you don’t hear two days before you travel, then make sure you go to the passport office that you wrote to the day before you travel. Be there very early. I got to Peterborough at 7:20 and there was a 100-people queue (no kidding!). But people who travel the following day are moved up the queue so it pays off to be there early as you will be seen faster. Ensure you have proof of travel, your id, and if you have a special reason to travel (ill relative, funeral etc) something to prove it.
E) be ready to spend a lot of time around. I was there for 7 and got the passport at 3 pm.
F) be ready to take a call. Once you have the interview and they send you away, they will give you an indicative pickup time. This will be confirmed at the call. If you don’t pickup the phone they might not send the passport for printing (it happened to one guy today who turned up they time they give him at the interview but didn’t pick up the phone).
G) check your emails. The application will go on fast forward and you will know when it’s printed and ready for pickup.
H) have in mind that the queues are long. But once you are there you will get it.Best of luck to all. I hope this helps someone.
@Eaglel Congratulations!
@paigebates91 I didn’t qualify as I haven’t been waiting for six weeks! But luckily they did it anyway. Can’t relax until we collect the passports today.More stress with news of easyJet cancelling flights. I feel cursed!
How many weeks were you if you don’t mind me asking mine is 6 weeks next Tuesday 🙁 … oh no ! If I manage to get mine we’re also flying with easy jet .. it’s just one thing after another ! It really is.
Quick update on my childrens.
My sons went to Glasgow and my daughters to Peterborough. We applied over 6 weeks ago and travel on the 2nd June. I’ve emailed and called numerous times and a few days ago I spoke to a very grumpy man at the progress team who said I wasn’t eligible to upgrade and he hung up on me. I didn’t give up and called and emailed a few more times.
This morning I received a phone call from Glasgow and she’s upgraded my sons! She took payment of £80 and is posting it and it will arrive by 1pm on Tuesday.
She couldn’t upgrade my daughters as it’s at the Peterborough office so I just need to keep calling and emailing about hers until it’s in hand.
I’m so happy but also nervous at the same time.I went to the London office yesterday got there at 10:30 didn’t get seen till 1:30 and they were not helpful at all, although the First Lady I spoke to had told me she could see my applications for my two children were being worked on from 10am that same day, she sent me upstairs to another lady who was supposed to call the Durham office but she didn’t all she told me was that she had sent the relevant email & all I can do is wait for a phone call, I am supposed to be travelling tomorrow and a few people who are travelling the same day have luckily had their call backs seems like I’m the only unfortunate one, I called up today and the lady said if they don’t call you it’s probably because they haven’t approved the upgrade 🤷🏽♀️ My fiancé and step daughter will still be going on the holiday as it’s for a wedding, I will stay behind because I can’t leave my two children for 7 days lol
A miracle actually happened, I got the call to say my daughters passport is ready and I can come and collect from the London office currently on my way now to collect but my son apparently needs my mothers birth certificate to prove his nationality which is strange, my mum is currently looking for her BC and hopefully scan it over to me so I can give to the London office to send to Durham. So in the end the upgrade service did come through for me but my son may not be able to come on the holiday:(
Anyone had any updates? Flying on 2nd. 2 applications one in durham and other peterborough. Sent multiple emails and another internal request made yesterday. Still no call backs…
We fly the Sunday 5th and still nothing also , passport application with Durham… got told to expect a call as late as 48hours before , however I’ve been told the upgrade team not working the jubilee ? So I really don’t know what to expect!! Going out of my mind 🙁
I fly Tuesday the 7th June, haven’t heard anything either. The Jubilee BH makes me a bit more worried as they are likely not to be working so 2 days of nothing.
I’ve decided to head to the London office tomorrow – May not be successful but I need to try and do something. If unsuccessful
Will send a 3rd email on Wednesday 1st June to the upgrade team saying urgent with the date of travelIf you don’t mind , and are successful or have any information if your heading there tomorrow will you update on here please I’m going out of my mind … not knowing and if they definitely aren’t open on the bank holidays I will head there Tuesday/Wednesday
Quick update from me guys. My daughters passport is due to arrive tomorrow with TNT after just 5 days from upgrade.
I was told repeatedly on the phone how lucky I am to have been given the upgrade and have the passport get to me so quickly as I definitely don’t qualify within the 6 weeks criteria.
My only advice is to call call call, wait until you get someone nice, don’t let it drop and I even rang to double check in between waiting the 48 hours for a phone call. Also when emailing make sure you’re using capitals for each word!
Good luck everyone
Ridiculous this is. I sent mine end of march and paid for check and send at postoffice. Pointless really. Wished i had applied using digital photos.
Please post if anyone had any success going down to the offices.
Wonder if anyone has had any calls today with it being a sunday.
Anyone flying around the 2nd who has had a call?Does anyone know if Glasgow office has an enquiry line/queue? My upgrade is with Durham but I’m north of Scotland so Glasgow is nearest and Durham would be a 600 mile round trip (though will do if needed). I’m 10 weeks in, due to sail Mon 6th but need the passport by Saturday 4th assuming the Sunday a no-go! If I’ve heard nothing by end of week (any update on jubilee working?) then I plan to turn up at Glasgow office on Saturday as a last attempt but can’t establish if it’s actually possible to just turn up…. would still be a 300 mile round trip so long way to go if can’t be seen.
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