@MotherofPearl another poster shared this from Facebook a few weeks ago earlier on in this thread. I hope it might be of use to you:
seen this all over Facebook past couple of weeks, could be worth a try
I GOT MY PASSPORT.
(EDITING THE STATUS TO ADD THIS INFO IN AGAIN AT THE TOP - DO NOT CONTACT THE EMAILS BELOW UNLESS IT IS LESS THAN 2 WEEKS TIL YOU FLY) this is for those that need it urgently.
It’s been a nightmare… so this is a status about how I’ve managed to expedite my passport application and get it in time for my holiday, I’m hoping it’ll help others to get theirs in time too because I know how stressful the process is. Sorry this is long winded. ❤️
Firstly, don’t call them because it’s completely a waste of your time. Whatever office you try to call, it’s the same number, the same contact centre. They are not civil servants, they have no communication with the passport office themselves and their job is to essentially blag us that they’ve helped. All that they see is exactly the same as what we see when we put our PEX number in to get the status of our application. They will tell you they’ve put a “mark” on your file and the upgrade team will call you if your holiday is soon, except they won’t actually call because there’s no such thing as a mark on your file. The people on the phone literally do nothing to help us.
If your holiday is within two weeks and you’ve not got your passport, you need to email the upgrade team as this is the ONLY way to actually contact them. You need to put URGENT and your travel date in the subject. In the email you need to put your name, address, PEX number, contact number for them to call you and attach proof of travel to the email (flight booking). This means they wont have to contact you trying to chase up what they need and delaying the process further. No matter what office your documents are at, it’s worth emailing them all because they are all working through them in travel date order and it’ll just be whichever office gets to your application quicker that’ll call you.
The emails are -
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
If you haven’t heard back from the upgrade team within 2 days of emailing, email them again. The upgrade team are the ONLY ones that can help you get it quickly. When they do call you it can be NO CALLER ID, so make sure you pick up any call incase it’s them. They will usually approve your application there and then on the phone and they’ll print it at your local office so you can go and collect it from the closest one.
If your travel is not in the next 2 weeks there is no point contacting the upgrade team yet as they will not help you. The upgrade teams are helping people in priority order.
If you’ve already got an application in process, do not book a fast track appt at an office as well because they won’t see you if you’ve already got a passport application in process and you’re essentially just paying for your passport twice for no reason and they won’t refund you for the appt you’ve booked (I learnt this lesson the hard way). If you want to do a fast track appt you’d have to cancel the current application, wait for your documents to be returned to you which can take 2 weeks and then make an appointment.
If you haven’t got an application in process yet but want an appointment they are being released few and far between at all offices at random times throughout the day via this link so you’ve just got to keep refreshing…
www.passportappointment.service.gov.uk
If your holiday is in the next week and the upgrade team haven’t contacted still then you should also email these as well as continuing to email the upgrade team …
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
It’s also worth emailing your local MP who should be happy to send an email to the passport office on your behalf to help expedite your application further.
Also I do know of people who have shown up at passport offices and been helped and their passports printed there and then but this really depends on if you’re lucky and manage to speak to a nice person at the door.
Hope this helps others ❤️