Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Holidays

Use our Travel forum for recommendations on everything from day trips to the best family-friendly holiday destinations.

Child Fastrack Passport Renewal

8 replies

Twebb123 · 15/08/2024 15:48

Hi everyone, I just wanted to see whether anyone has any helpful advice on the UK Child Passport 1 week Fastrack application. The process is expected to take 7 days from the date of submission, however we are needing our child's passport back sooner than this (Completely our fault with potential huge consequences due to upcoming holiday). There is a 5 day child safeguarding hold on all child passport applications where nothing can be done with applications, after which the passport gets printed and dispatched. We are hoping to be able to collect the passport from a passport office direct rather than waiting for it to arrive in the post (provided by Royal Mail) as the 7th day lands on a Sunday, we wouldn't get this until the 8th day on the Monday which we are hoping to avoid. Has anyone been able to collect their child's passport direct from the passport office, and if so how did you arrange this? We are contacting HM Passport Control daily for updates, however we are getting massively conflicting information from the individuals we speak with on whether this is possible. Some are advising that it is down to the individual examiner to approve this and others saying it isn't possible at all. Anyone have any advice/ experience with this? Thank you so much for anyone who takes the time to reply

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 15/08/2024 20:20

There's been quite a few child fasttrack passport threads recently. Not sure any of them collected them though

AllThatFancyPaintsAsFair · 15/08/2024 20:26

It seems like this same issue is posted about every other day, if you do a search @Twebb123 you'll find loads of other people's experiences although obviously they won't tell you how long yours will take

I don't know whether it's helpful or not to know what happened to anyone else but this summer you won't be short of threads to read.

YesThatsATurdOnTheRug · 15/08/2024 20:28

I don't think you'd be able to collect because of safeguarding?

I would start looking at options for one parent to stay behind with the child and travel slightly later. Just in case the worst happens then you're prepped.

MooDee12 · 10/09/2024 22:56

Hi, I had exactly this scenario in May. I didn’t realise my daughters had gone out of date until going to check in the week before our holiday. Due to bank holiday we couldn’t get an appt until 2 days before flying.
Im sorry to let you know that it took the exact time it said it would. I went in holiday with my other 2 children and my husband stayed with my daughter hoping they would join us at least mid week but her passport didn’t come until the day before we came home.
I hope you have better luck but I would probably be assuming it will not be there before you go. I have my fingers crossed for you, I will never forget the feeling of realising it was out of date. I cried most of the holiday and wish I hadn’t gone.

You definitely cannot collect the passport, it has to go to the home address you listed on application x

Twebb123 · 11/09/2024 19:27

Thanks for you messages.

@MooDee12 it was the exact same scenario for us unfortunately. I stayed with my daughter whilst my wife went ahead with our son. Sadly, despite every attempt to expedite it we got it on the 8th day after submission. My daughter and I still went out to meet them, but only had 2.5 days there. If it was just me I wouldn't have gone, but my daughter was happy to have a couple of days. The whole thing was such a shame, and an expensive mistake from my side, definitely not one il make again 🤦😞

OP posts:
haveacampaccuccuonme · 24/10/2024 19:43

I started the process 6 weeks ago and 4 passports received but one child's still hasn't even been posted. It's being printed today according to the tracking site.
We've been calling every few days for 3 weeks now. We fly on Monday.
I'm so, so upset.

Anyone know if I have a case to complain or get reimbursed for the holiday if we can't go due to this?

dementedpixie · 24/10/2024 21:03

haveacampaccuccuonme · 24/10/2024 19:43

I started the process 6 weeks ago and 4 passports received but one child's still hasn't even been posted. It's being printed today according to the tracking site.
We've been calling every few days for 3 weeks now. We fly on Monday.
I'm so, so upset.

Anyone know if I have a case to complain or get reimbursed for the holiday if we can't go due to this?

No, because you aren't supposed to book a holiday unless you have valid passports. It could still arrive before Monday

haveacampaccuccuonme · 24/10/2024 21:26

dementedpixie · 24/10/2024 21:03

No, because you aren't supposed to book a holiday unless you have valid passports. It could still arrive before Monday

I thought 2 months was long enough for the passports 😞

New posts on this thread. Refresh page