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I would assume the latest would be 5pm when the office closes so maybe work from that. Fly out of city airport if possible as much closer than international & generally not as busy!
No they don’t have to go – I picked up my stepson’s passport (age 12) on behalf of my husband who had originally submitted the online application. I just needed a letter from my husband stating I was given permission to discuss the application on his behalf and pick up passport.
Just in case anyone was planning on visiting the Belfast passport office my experience today is that they are very quiet compared to stories of other offices. I was in at 9am to pick up a passport and there was no queue outside and only about 5 people in enquiry line separate to those with appointments!
Long time lurker here and thought would post my experience in case of any benefit to others. Lost application passport for my son, only realised after booking holiday it was lost but thought we would be ok with standard application as we had 12 weeks before holiday.
Online application made on 24th April. Contacted office once to provide lost passport reference number (came a few days after the application). Contacted by phone again to enquire about progress after 9 weeks but were told to sit tight and we could expedite after 10weeks/2weeks prior to travel.
We phoned bang on 8am on 4th july for an upgrade (both 2 weeks before travel and 10weeks since application). I used the number 0300 1050850 which I believe is for their customer services management team, was on hold for all of 3minutes! To their credit within an hour of sending our upgrade email, as advised to Liverpool office, they phoned to enquire if we wanted passport posted or to collect from our local Belfast office. We could choose date and time of collection which we did for 9am 6th July. Passport collection very straightforward from the office (which compared to other offices seemed quiet, maybe only 5 or 6 people in to make enquiries other than people with appointments).
I appreciate from reading a lot of other stories ours has been pretty straightforward. The main stress the whole way along has been the unknown, lack of information regarding tracking and inconsistencies when compared to other peoples applications!
Long time lurker here and thought would post my experience in case of any benefit to others. Lost application passport for my son, only realised after booking holiday it was lost but thought we would be ok with standard application as we had 12 weeks before holiday.
Online application made on 24th April. Contacted office once to provide lost passport reference number (came a few days after the application). Contacted by phone again to enquire about progress after 9 weeks but were told to sit tight and we could expedite after 10weeks/2weeks prior to travel.
We phoned bang on 8am on 4th july for an upgrade (both 2 weeks before travel and 10weeks since application). I used the number 0300 1050850 which I believe is for their customer services management team, was on hold for all of 3minutes! To their credit within an hour of sending our upgrade email, as advised to Liverpool office, they phoned to enquire if we wanted passport posted or to collect from our local Belfast office. We could choose date and time of collection which we did for 9am 6th July. Passport collection very straightforward from the office (which compared to other offices seemed quiet, maybe only 5 or 6 people in to make enquiries other than people with appointments).
I appreciate from reading a lot of other stories ours has been pretty straightforward. The main stress the whole way along has been the unknown, lack of information regarding tracking and inconsistencies when compared to other peoples applications!
@passportstress1 worst comes to worst I’ll prob end up having to go to the Belfast office – were the queues bad? Staff ok to deal with? Don’t really want to have to go but if needs must we will have to! 9weeks into application and travel in just under 3, so can only kick off expedite/upgrade next Monday.
We are at exactly same timeline for our son’s passport application – done online for a both lost and expired passport. Sadly only realised after booking holiday. Next monday will be our date to request upgrade as meant to fly on 18th July, also at that stage will be 10weeks in (application submitted on 24th April and processing started on 29th April, although processing since disappeared from tracking).
Will watch what happens with yours with interest, good luck!
