Has anybody any experience of using either of the fast track or premium services recently? My passport is all but done and I have a chance of a free holiday in 5 weeks. There are no appointments for the fast track and the premium ones went really quickly this morning. Do you get your local office? (Glasgow and 100 miles for me)

My colleague lost his and spent a week trying to get a fast track appointment about 2 weeks ago, even staying up till midnight to log in; but had no luck.

Not directly answering your question, but I recently used the standard service and got it back in 2 weeks.

Same as @spacey – use the online renewals service and get the photo done at a place where they give you a code to add rather than upload. Oh and remember to send your old one in straight away.

I submitted my passport via the standard route on 9th May and only got notification yesterday the new one had been printed (Durham office).  Yet to receive it; but hopefully this week. 5+ weeks.

Thanks folks, the problem is that if you submit the traditional one then you can’t use the fast track. Decisions, decisions.

Is the fast track service currently running? I thought I’d heard it wasn’t, but I could be wrong.

Edit – it is running but struggling to keep up with demand apparently.

I spent a couple of weeks refreshing my browser trying to get an appointment but to no avail. Then discovered “tweets when UK passport service is online”, followed tye account on Twitter and enabled notifications. Had an appointment booked the same day.

Last summer my wife had to go to Belfast to get an appointment. We live near Cambridge.

Appointments tend to be released around 4pm’ish.

I’ve no idea why there isn’t a zero-appointment fast track service? no need to schlep to the office (where they don’t check anything), just paying a fee to go to the front of the line

Just renewed our kids passports. 1 took 9 days, 1 took 16 days. Both standard service. Tracking on the PP office website was poor at best.

Forgot to add both sent by 24 hour tracked.

Not exactly answering your question but I completed by sons application online on the 26th May and we received the new passport on the 10th June. This included at least a day delay as they rejected the initial photo I submitted (this was rejected on the 6th June).

We did fast track for my 7 year old daughter. Let’s refreshing the browser to get an appointment, got for for a couple of weeks time. We did a Monday morning appointment and the new passport was with us by the Thursday (so 4 days). This was London about three weeks ago.

I’d say if you can get an appointment within 2 weeks of departure you should be ok. 1 week probably ok but would be tight.

Did mine via the Post office service £91 on 24th May received a dirty black new passport in the post 2 days ago. I make it 17/18 days