Attending Urgent Appointments

Today we are going to look at how you can make the most of your urgent passport appointment and the do's and don'ts upon your arrival. Also, how to avoid missing your appointment and what you will need to do if you do miss it.

What is an urgent passport appointment?

An urgent passport appointment is what you will need to attend if you are using either the Fast-Track 1 week service or the Premium 1 day service. These appointments are most often used by customers who are travelling within the next 4 weeks.

We always advise our customers not to book any travel plans until you have your passport but if you find that you need an urgent passport appointment, you can see more if you need a passport quickly

What can I use an urgent passport appointment for?

These urgent services are not available for all passport applications, so please ensure you check below to make sure you are eligible to attend one of these appointments.

Please note:
You are unable to use either of these services if you are applying for a first-time adult passport. You will need to apply by post by collecting an application form from one of the larger Post Offices, see more guidance for passport applications by post.

Fast-Track 1 week service

You can use this service if you want to apply for one of the following:

• Renew a standard adult 32-page passport

• Renew an adult 48-page passport

• Name change - marriage, civil partnership certificate or dell poll

• Replace a lost, stolen or damaged adult passport

• First child passport

• Renew or change a child passport

• Replace a lost, stolen or damaged child passport


You cannot use this service if you want to apply for:

• First time passport (and you are over the age of 15)

Premium 1 day service

You can use this service if you want to apply for one of the following:

• Renew a standard adult 32-page passport

• Renew an adult 48-page passport

• Name change - marriage or civil partnership certificate (only) not deed poll

• Renewal for a British national born on or before 2 September 1929


You cannot use this service if you want to apply for:

• First time passports (adult or child)

• Replace a lost, stolen or damaged adult passport

• Renew or change a child passport

• Replace a lost, stolen or damaged child passport

What do I need to bring to my appointment?

When attending your urgent passport appointment, it is important to remember that you will be arriving at a government building and will go through airport style security, including metal detectors x-ray machines and searches to your personal items.

With this in mind please arrive 10-15 minutes before your appointment and do not bring any weapons, sharp objects, like scissors or metal nail files, knives or bottled liquids as these will not be permitted inside the building.

You will need to ensure you have bought with you your full complete and correct application, with 2 passport sized photos as well as and supporting documents you may need. If you do not have any or all of these The Passport Office will not be able to process your application and you will loose not only your appointment slot but also the fee you have paid. You will then need to rebook and pay again for a second appointment.

Please do not wait until you are at your appointment to complete your application, ensure you have completed this prior to your appointment. Your paper application form can be found at larger Post Offices - smaller branches may not hold passport application forms.

Please note: Do not attempt to download or print your application form at home, the paper used is specifically designed and unique to The Passport Office.

Your appointment and how long it will take

Each passport applicant has a 15 minute appointment, these appointments are back to back and this is why it is so important to allow plenty of travel time prior to your appointment. You will be asked to wait in their waiting area, there will be several passport officers in this area that will be happy to help with any questions you might have or any assistance you may require - If you require extra assistance with wheelchair access please advise the office when booking your appointment.

Upon your arrival you will be given a ticket with your appointment number on, there are big screens within the waiting area will show ticket numbers and which area you are to go to.

If you are attending for a 1 week Fast-Track appointment you supporting documents and new passport will be sent out within 7 days, if you are attending for the 1 day Premium service you will be given a receipt after your appointment and will be asked to return in a minimum of 4 hours to collect your new passport.

Can I make changes to my appointment once I've booked it?

You can make changes to your passport appointment by calling Contact the Passport Office any appointments requiring changes must contact The Passport Office 2 clear days prior to your appointment, this means if you book your appointment on a Thursday you have until close of office hours on the following Monday to make these changes.

If you are trying to make changes nearer to your appointment you will not be able to do so and you may need to rebook your appointment, however, this may result in you having to pay again for another appointment as the fee charged is for your passport application to be considered and not for your passport document.

To make changes to your urgent passport appointment:
Passport Office Contact Tel
Mon-Fri 8:00-20:00
Sat-Sun 9:00-17:30

What happens if I miss my appointment?

Unfortunately, if you are late for your appointment or miss your appointment all together you will not be able to attend and you will lose your appointment slot and your passport application fee.

Due to the extremely tight schedule that The Passport Office are on they have little to no leeway in appointment times, so being late due to traffic or any other reason just won't cut it, and all passport fees are non-refundable.

Planning ahead

With these strict guidelines on appointments it is vital that you plan your application, appointment and journey in advance, all of these things could lead to you missing your appointment and losing money, as well as missing any possible travel plans you may have made.

Applications

If you are applying by post ensure you collect your paper application in advance from one of The Post Office's larger stores as smaller ones no longer carry the applications, always get 2 applications in case of mistakes or errors. Online applicants must ensure they allow plenty of time for their forms to be sent to them.

Check and recheck your details however you apply as 3 or mistakes will result in your application being rejected and always use black ink and capital letters. Make sure you have all of your supporting documents, this includes any birth certificates or marriage certificates you may need. These must be original documents, photocopies will not be accepted.

Journey

Once you know which Passport Office you will be attending we advise that you use journey planners to get to your destinations. Whether you're travelling by train, car or bus knowing your route and journey time is very important to avoid missing your appointment.

There are many sites available that will give you accurate journey times such as Google Maps, National Rail Journey Planner or your local bus time tables which are available online.

Parking

Most Passport Offices will have parking onsite, however this is not always the case. You can enquire about parking when making your appointment, if there isn't parking onsite we advise looking for parking prior to leaving as many car parks will fill up quickly.

Websites are available to find parking in your area and many have features that allow you to pay online. If you are paying when you arrive remember to have change with you, some paying machine require you to phone and pay by card, if this is the case you may need to register your vehicle prior to paying.


All of these things may seem like small parts of the puzzle, but any one of these things could lead you to being late and or missing your appointment. Being prepared is an essential part of the appointment process and hopefully you now have all of the information to help you get your passport quickly and hassle free.

For more information or to book an urgent passport appointment, use the advice line link below or find a local passport office near you.