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Original poster

Urgent Passport Renewal

13 replies

mum29919 · 27/04/2022 15:01

I need help! I stupidly didn't check my passport until last weekend and it's expired, I have flights booked for 13th May 😱 so I've been desperately trying to book an urgent renewal appointment, managed to get one but booked it at 3am half asleep and it's for 16th May which is obviously no use. So I've been refreshing the website for the last four days trying to change it, managed to change it three times but it keeps reverting back to my original appointment five minutes later. I've spent hours on hold and been cut off, just got a call back and her system crashed so she said to try the website again, that keeps crashing and even if another appointment comes up it changes back. Has anyone got any advice? Does anyone know if I can just turn up at the passport office and they will see me if there's a no show or will I be turned away at the door? I'm going to lose a lot of money and there's only myself and my friend going, she's not going to want to go alone! Tia x

OP posts:
roundedbrush · 27/04/2022 15:08

There is a massive, massive backlog of renewals at the moment largely due to easyJet and the likes giving holiday makers the wrong information about who accepts what in terms of dates on passports.

Is it possible to cancel the appointment you have and just book another slot rather than change it. You may find it easier to fly to somewhere like Belfast for the day to get an appointment.

LetitiaLeghorn · 27/04/2022 15:13

No, you can't just turn up. They won't let you into the building without an appointment. I arrived a bit early for my appointment and they made me queue outside on the street in January when it had just been snowing.

Can you just book a second slot and keep trying to cancel the other? That'd probably work out cheaper than cancelling the holiday anyway.

LetitiaLeghorn · 27/04/2022 15:17

I read that during covid people didn't bother or think to renew their passports and now international holidays are back on the cards, there's a sudden rush for renewals that they can't cope with. At the moment they're saying an 8wk turnaround. However they are recruiting to try and catch up but I doubt that'll be soon enough for the op.

Original poster
mum29919 · 27/04/2022 15:17

I'm trying to change it so I don't have to pay again and am happy to change to any passport office, it gives them all as an option so don't think I'd be better off cancelling unfortunately.
That ends my plans to turn up at Liverpool tomorrow then! At least you've saved me a wasted journey! x

OP posts:
WaterBottle123 · 27/04/2022 15:22

Oh goodness just book a different slot and then figure out the refund for the other later!!

roundedbrush · 27/04/2022 15:33

I'd just book another slot and if necessary treat the first appointment as a write off. It will certainly be cheaper than the loss of your entire holiday if you can't get your PP renewed.

bigbluebus · 27/04/2022 15:36

Simon Calder was on BBC this morning saying it's virtually impossible to get a fast track appointment but that the best chance was the Belfast office as they seem to be slightly quieter.
There's no easy solution I'm afraid.
Hope luck is on your side and you get it sorted.

Original poster
mum29919 · 27/04/2022 15:39

There's no difference between changing or booking a new one, it's done on the same page from the same non existent pool of appointments 😭

OP posts:
LetitiaLeghorn · 27/04/2022 15:41

Yes, @mum29919, it was Liverpool I went to. It was freezing abd there were young kids in the queue outside but you couldn't go in until your time slot. And then you went through security. And then you got into the main office. It was dreadful. That was before covid so it might be even worse now.

Blossomandbee · 27/04/2022 15:44

It's a nightmare at the moment. I've currently been waiting a week for a callback as apparently they can't deal over the phone with something they asked me to call about via letter. They've got all our personal ID documents and have had them since February and we've no way of getting them back. I think you'll be lucky to get anything sorted for May Sad

FatuousJeffrey · 27/04/2022 15:54

Just to let you know my recent experience.

I attended appt at Liverpool office on 16th April and was told I would have passport within a week and it's just been delivered today. We also fly on the 13th May.

Same as previous poster I had to wait outside until the exact time of my appt. No way in hell would you get in without an appointment.

Original poster
mum29919 · 27/04/2022 16:09

Oh god I hadn't even started worrying if it would get here in time if I do get an appointment!

OP posts:
Original poster
mum29919 · 28/04/2022 09:26

Has anyone ever been able to change an appointment from one week premium to one day premium?

OP posts:
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