[dubba2005]

Hi

We sent a first child application by post on 22 April. We were unable to use the online system as it was for a newborn so eyes were closed in the photo. Passport office did not acknowledge receipt until 13 May (3 weeks later). There was no fast track / upgrade option available when we submitted for a first child passport (apart from an in person appointment of which our nearest was 500 miles away!)

We tried twice to get a status update using the online form with no reply so I called them this morning. Things I learned on this call.

– processing time is now 10-13 weeks not the 10 weeks they state
– the 10 weeks start from when they acknowledge receipt of documents not from when you send them (and this could be any length of time!)
– you can only access the upgrade service once the docs have been in the system 6 weeks.

This means we cannot access the upgrade service despite sending over 6 weeks ago. We fly 2 weeks tomorrow but because of how long it took them to acknowledge receipt, we won’t hit six weeks until the day after we fly. Is anyone aware of -anything else we can do to speed up the application? Very frustrated as we wouldn’t be in this position if there was an option to submit online and we got the application in when baby was a week old!

Thanks!

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