Mine was a postal application posted just over 10 weeks ago and I got this text message a week and a half later:
We’ve received your passport application. Please allow 10 weeks for it be processed. Do not call for updates; we’ll contact you if more information is needed.
Does the 10 weeks start from when I posted it or when they sent me the text message?
My Daughters 1st child passport is being a nightmare they have managed to destroy me mentally, applied 22nd April identity details received same day documents received 5th May.
We were getting bombarded with need to confirm identity with different solutions from different call agents even call back agents. (When they did call). 1 call back agent suggested we contact our friend to proveide identity confirmation again on 1/6 another call back a day later said to get someone else we were advised it’s ok to do so as the email will just cancel out the previous one. Also to send a paper form with covering letter explaining why it was sent. After following advice from call back agents online application is now crashed nobody can do anything with it. They received my paper part 10 form on 5 June and recently told me that they received the paper part on 23 June and 10 weeks start from then. I can guess our Lang awaited family holiday is now lost. (2nd August) the agent I spoke to yesterday seemed to enjoy giving this information stating there can be no expidite as I had been misinformed all along. Nor would I be able to Upgrade. I am currently at 12 weeks as online but only 2 weeks in their eyes. Gutted
Derek, you should seek help from your MP immediately on this matter. Also you should be able to escalate when you have only 2 weeks before you travel. Which office is your application at? This forum has email addresses for all of the UK passport offices. Don’t give up yet!!
Just off the phone to them and got a helpful guy who has referred my case to the upgrade team and marked it as urgent as we travel on the 23rd July. He said the 10 weeks actually started from when my online application was received and not when they received the old passport in the post. Hopefully going in the right direction now.
“He said the 10 weeks actually started from when my online application was received and not when they received the old passport “
When I contacted them to seek clarifiction on this point, I was told it is was from when documents are recieved – which kinda makes sense, if frustrating.