New Passport Upgrade Service!

[Ennevive]

Hi,

I wanted to reply because I had a very similar situation with a child’s first passport (Bootle office). Here is my timeline:

Application history

StatusDate
Passport printed 2:08pm on 9 June 2022
Application approved 3:58pm on 8 June 2022
Documents received 11:58am on 10 May 2022
Application received 10:12am on 27 April 2022
Identity details received 10:10am on 27 April 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:53am on 27 April 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 9:48am on 27 April 2022
Application submitted 9:48am on 27 April 2022

On 26th of May I was emailed and asked for my own birth certificate. Fortunately I was at home and able to post that day. According to Royal Mail it was received on Friday 27th of May. I heard nothing until it was approved on Wednesday 8th of June and it was in my hand by yesterday lunchtime. Considering there were 2 bank holidays for the jubilee, I think this means you should get your passport in time. Additional documents are fast tracked. They don’t take as long as first time applications to be scanned. I’m therefore certain you will get your passport before your holiday.
Good luck.

[lindsay11uk]

Hiya @andstillwaiting
I’m a similar situation. Have upgraded now want more document and adamant I have to post in to be scanned.
Have you got any further with yours. I really at a lost end now

[lindsay11uk]

@ennevive Sorry I didn’t realise that message was for me thank you for your reply.
I’ve been on web chat every day and still not been scanned although they probably only received on the 9th June, they have told me they have to be posted in which they have but also emailed them to the upgrade team I’ve got to try anything. I have got 11 days till we fly it’s just the stress of waiting for them to be scanned in and that’s if they do within 11 days. It’s took them over 5 weeks to ask for the additional paperwork Ive been ringing them for over 2 weeks and no one said a thing until I got an email requesting them

• This reply was modified 2 years, 5 months ago by lindsay11uk.
• This reply was modified 2 years, 5 months ago by lindsay11uk.

[Ennevive]

Hang tight. The document will be scanned next week and as soon as it is, anyone can approve it, I.e your upgrade can be processed. I’ve read on here that people have received their passports 48 hours before their flight. Child renewals are moving a lot faster than first passports. My older son got his renewal within 2 weeks. I’m confident you’ll get your passport. It is unbelievably stressful and quite frankly it’s ridiculous that so many people are being put through this.

[Sunny60]

Hi all,

Can i just suggest that if you are lucky enough to be near any passport office …and have some time…please turn up without an appoinment ,,,your enquiry will be dealt with …we were at our wits end yesterday and got ours at 4pm xx

[andstillwaiting]

Thanks Ennevive . This gives me hope. I’m flying 22nd. I got confirmation from royal mail on Friday 10th so they do have it. Just hope they open and scan it in time.
Or else I will just have to go to office couple days before flight.

@lindsay. Let me know if u get any progress on yours.

[rexstanley]

Got my passport today and thought i’d share some observations from my experience.

My scenario was:
– Start of April – Applied for renewal via post office check and sign. Told it would take 3-4 weeks.
– I’m due to fly next week
– 2 weeks ago – Called the passport phone number for update. Told i could call for an upgrade if not received and within 2 weeks of flying.
– Monday – Called for upgrade. Had to call multiple times as it was automated service. Finally it asked if i wanted to speak to an operator. Said yes and the lady was very helpful and submitted me for an upgrade.
– Monday (still on call to operator) I received an email which i forwarded with my proof of travel to the upgrade email account as per instructions.
– Wednesday – i got a reply saying they acknowledged my travel date and not to contact any further. Someone would be in touch.
– Thursday, I had already decided to visit the passport office as it was my only day i could spent queuing to ensure there were no issues with my application. I arrived at 9am and was seen by an advisor at 11:30. The advisor was actually going to process my upgrade that day (or day later as it turned out) so i neednt have bothered.
– Friday – Was called to take payment
– Saturday – This morning i was called to be told my passport was ready for collection.

Now, some observations from reading online and time in the queue at the office.

I get everyone is stressed by the situation(i have been too) and it’s very difficult to find out whats going on with your application.
However, i’ve seen people on here :
– advise to call repeatedly even once they have received their update.
– Mail MPs
– Phone the press
– Email ALL the upgrade email addresses.
All these suggestions are doing as far as i can see is take resources away from processing folks applications. I dont think that is helpful.

In fact, someone on this thread was surprised to be contacted multiple times AFTER they received their passport. They previously stated they had emailed night and day for 3 weeks or something like that. Each time they call they prepare by getting the case details. That time could have been spent helping someone else.

DO NOT email ALL upgrade email addresses in particular. The only upgrade team that can help are the ones where you are directed to contact. All you will be doing is having an operator from each of the offices look for an application that isnt with them rather than work on an application they can actually help with.

Upgrade Process Eligibility:
Need to have applied more than 6 weeks ago
Need to be travelling within next 2 weeks
Upgrade applications are being dealt with by the travel date. E.g. they will deal with people traveling in the next couple of days as priority.
It worked for me and others i’ve read on here or on twitter so if you are in that situation do not lose hope. It does work and is there to ensure those who are in urgent need of their passport do not miss out on their travel plans.

Positive Stories:
I’ve seen someone get a replacement passport printed same day after queuing without an appointment meaning they made their flight that same afternoon. Their passport had been lost in transit.
I’ve seen multiple people visit the passport office within 48hrs of flying, being processed as priority to ensure they got their passport in time of flying. This seems to be the last resort but if in that situation it does seem to be possible. Its unclear if your nearest passport office can do this or not if your application is at a different office but its worth a try.

Anyway, this is mostly hearsay but may be helpful for someone. Main thing is to try not to stress. If its getting closer to your travel date then DO visit the passport office and they will do what they can to help. However, please understand that the more you bombard the services, the more it slows things down for everyone.

Good luck all.

[Helly87]

Although your points are valid, a trip to the passport office isn’t easy for everyone. Mine nearest one is 3hours away. I applied for my passport in good time for travelling and 10 weeks later nothing. My only options at the minute is to call. Seems to me some people have been pushed to the back of the que, we have all paid the same amount of money for the same service. Should be offered as a first come first serve basis. Any way glad you got yours sorted and makes me a bit more relaxed knowing that I can go down that route in the next few weeks if I can’t get it sorted before then.

[rexstanley]

Yes, its not a great system and i’m not sure how they are ordering the applications. I’ve heard from a lot of friends that they applied and received theirs back in 3 or 4 weeks.

My earlier post was mainly making the point that since its not the most efficient system, its not robust or clever enough to handle so many repeated calls/emails. I’ve observed from so many (even those i met in the queue) doing things that would only serve to slow it all down.
I totally get why people are doing it as the communication back isnt great. Especially if you didnt apply digitally and have no visibility of what is going on. My point is that its probably counter productive and better to give them a chance to get back to you if they said they will.

As your request has been processing for 10 weeks already, then you are likely to get your upgrade for free. I just missed out as there was a long delay between when i did the check and sign and it actually arriving on their system. No idea why that was tho.

If you’ve still not received your passport and are due to travel within 2 weeks, I’d phone for the upgrade and ask the operator if there is any way to expedite it as you have been waiting so long and are less able to travel to the passport office. I think i overheard someone say this might make a difference. e.g if you add how long you’ve been waiting (over 10 weeks) to the subject.

If it helps, remember there are people who are using the fast track process where they have their first meeting to submit their application and are receiving their passport either same day or that week, so even if you reach the upgrade stage, and even if there is an issue with your initial application, you still have a very good chance of getting your passport well in time for your travel.

They do a 1 day delivery as well apparently if that helps. I didnt want to trust TNT and am fortunate enough that going to the office wasnt too hard. The collection took 5 minutes from when i arrived.

Good luck.

[Chloe]

Hi there, I am due to travel on Thursday and have submitted upgrade request but no word back from them so far. I know some folk have posted to say that they did hear but 48 hours prior to departure. I saw that others have gone to the passport office and queued. Can I ask has anyone done that at the Glasgow office and if so did you have an appointment or did you just queue until someone was free? Thanks very much.

[Sunny60]

Hi Chloe,
We were in the same situation for my husbands passport.
We too never heard anything until Thursday night and that was a refusal for an upgrade and we are flying tomorrow.
Please dont listen to people who have been successful and put you off visiting the passport office.
They are organised in such a way that they will see you for an enquiry and help in any way they can.
we were lucky enough to recieve ours on the same day as queuing and the staff were immenseley supportive and helpful . Wishing you good luck and get there early x

[Chloe]

Thank you Sunny60. I am glad you both got yours. Aiming to be there early and will wait as long as I have to. Can I check that your husband got his despite being refused the upgrade initially?

[Sunny60]

Hi Chloe,
Yes he did. He was refused an upgrade from liverpool and glasgow because he was 2 days shore of the required 6 week application. Hope you get it sorted x

[Chloe]

Mine is over 10 weeks so hopefully that goes in my favour. I appreciate the info and I hope you can relax and enjoy your holiday now.

[Sunny60]

Dont think you will have any problems Chloe.
Probably told to wait for a call and return later in the day or next day when your passport will printed for you.
I appreciate your stress , this was me last week xx

[Author]

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