Guidance

Expedited service: caseworker guidance (accessible)

Published 4 March 2025

Version 7.0

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office operational staff how to deal with UK and overseas applications using the expedited service.

About: Expedited Service

This guidance tells HM Passport Office operational staff how to deal with UK and overseas passport applications using the expedited service.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the guidance and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the guidance has factual errors then email the Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this guidance (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the guidance then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the guidance was published:

• version 7.0
• published for Home Office staff on 19 February 2024

Changes from last version of this guidance

This guidance has been updated to make minor terminology changes.

UK expedited service

This section tells HM Passport Office operational staff about the expedited (priority) service, including how do deal with applications. It applies to UK applications. A separate service is available for overseas customers.

The expedited service allows us to prioritise and deal with applications that meet all of the following criteria, when operational delays mean we have not started examining the customer’s application:

• the customer is in the UK
• we have had the customer’s application for longer than 10 weeks from the date we receive the documents (online applications) or 10 weeks from the mailbag date (paper applications)
• we are satisfied there are no vulnerability or safeguarding concerns

There are no exceptions to the criteria, as we tell customers not to book travel until they have a valid passport. If the customer does not meet the criteria for this service, they may be eligible for a:

• passport service upgrade (if HM Passport Office are currently offering this service)
• passport for urgent government business or compassionate reasons

The expedited service is not a guaranteed service. As applications are subject to passport examination checks, we cannot guarantee customers will get their passport before the date they need it.

We will not take any upgrade fees for dealing with applications as part of the expedited service.

UK: how a customer applies for the expedited service

Customers who need the expedited service must contact the Passport Advice Line.

UK: expedited service postal application

If a customer wants to apply for the expedited service and they sent their application by post, they must contact our Contact Centres using the Passport Advice Line. Contact Centres will check the customer qualifies for the expedited service.

UK: Contact Centres confirm customer is eligible

If the customer qualifies for the expedited service, Contact Centres will tell the customer:

• HM Passport Office will check their application in the next 2 working days and will try to process it as quickly as possible
• HM Passport Office will contact the customer within 2 working days
• we cannot guarantee they will receive their passport before they need it (as HM Passport Office may need more information or documents)

The Customer Services Management team (CSMT) will manage emails a customer sends to HM Passport Office to expedite their application.

UK: Contact Centres confirm customer is not eligible

If the customer does not qualify for the expedited service, Contact Centres will tell the customer:

• they cannot escalate their application
• to call back 10 weeks from when we received their documents if they applied online or 10 weeks from the mailbag date for paper applications
• to contact the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (if they are overseas and need to travel urgently)

UK: when CSMT send the cases to examination

When you, the examiner, get an application for a customer who qualifies for the expedited service, you must:

1. Check:

   • you have all the information you need to deal with the application
   • Digital Application Processing (DAP) shows we have received all the customer’s documents and they have been successfully scanned and validated

2. Refer to:

   • UK: AMS application, you need more information if you need more information or evidence to deal with the application
   • UK: DAP application, we need more documents, or they have not been validated, if DAP shows we have not received all of the customer’s documents or they have not been successfully scanned and validated

UK: AMS application, you need more information

If you need more information or evidence to deal with the application, you must:

1. Phone the customer when you receive the application from CSMT to ask for any other documents or information you need.
2. Tell the customer where to send it and they must include ‘ECS’ on the envelope, otherwise it may delay their application (unless you can accept the information by email).
3. Tell the customer you cannot guarantee they will receive the passport before they are due to travel.
4. Store the application while you wait for the customer to respond.

UK: DAP application, we need more documents, or they have not been validated

If DAP shows we have not received all the customer’s documents we need, you must:

1. Contact the customer to tell them we cannot process the application as part of the expedited service at this stage, as we have not received all of their documents.
2. Reapply for the expedited service on GOV.UK, 2 working days after they receive notification, we have received their documents.

If DAP shows we received the customer’s documents, but they are waiting to be validated, you must:

1. Contact the customer and tell them we cannot process their Expedited service application at the moment.
2. Monitor the validation of the documents.
3. Continue with the application when the documents are validated and contact the customer to confirm their application is progressing.

If DAP shows, we received the customer’s documents, but they have not been successfully validated you must contact the customer and tell them:

• we cannot progress the application on the Expedited service
• the application must be dealt with as normal

UK: how to process a DAP application

To process an application under the expedited service on Digital Application Processing (DAP), you must view the customer’s documents on screen in DAP, to make sure:

• the customer has sent all the documents we need to process their application
• DAP shows they have been successfully scanned and validated

Providing DAP shows we have received the documents and they have been successfully validated, you must ask a DAP user who has the Customer Service Liaison team (CSLT) role to:

• transfer the application from DAP to AMS in line with the DAP to AMS transfers guidance
• create a Telephone Enquiry Bureau (TEB) sheet when the application is in AMS, and add a note to it to explain:
  • why you transferred the application to AMS
  • where the documents are
• complete the SSL return form, using the AMS application details
• put the TEB sheet and SSL return form in a plastic wallet
• send the plastic wallet to Sopra Steria Ltd (SSL) and tell them to release the application to ‘Awaiting Examination’ for your location (SSL will send the application to your team)

When an application is transferred to AMS, the CSLT in the office where the AMS application is, will automatically receive the customer’s documents from the Document Handling Unit (DHU) or Document Management Service (DMS).

When CSLT receive the documents, they must check the application is still ongoing (this means it has not been passed for issue, withdrawn, failed or, refused). If the application is:

• ongoing, CSLT must send the documents to the examiner processing the application on AMS
• not ongoing, CSLT must:
  • physically cancel the customer’s old passport
  • print an address label and return documents and old passport to the customer

When the application has been transferred from DAP to AMS

When the application has been transferred from DAP to AMS, you must:

1. Update the Expedited Service Tracker throughout the examination process to show the progress of the application.
2. Not process the application and instead wait for CSLT to send you the customer’s documents if any of the following apply:
   • you have concerns with the application and need to see the physical documents
   • you could not clearly view the documents on screen in DAP
3. View the customer’s documents on screen in DAP to help you process the application (unless you need the physical documents and are waiting for CSLT to give you them). You must:
   • not save or email documents from the DAP screen
   • only print documents from the DAP screen if they are documents you need to scan on to AMS
4. Examine the application in full, for example, to:
   • carry out the correct checks
   • add the correct observations to the passport
   • check who has parental responsibility
5. Compare the customer’s photo on the current application with the one on the old passport (shown in the Photo & sig tab) to help confirm the customer’s identity. This is because you will not be able to view the customer’s old passport on the DAP screen.
6. Compare the customer’s details on their old passport using passport records with the details on the current guidance. This is because you will not be able to view the customer’s old passport on the DAP screen.
7. Refer the application to the Counter Fraud team if you have fraud, vulnerability or safeguarding (for example, child protection) concerns. When you do, you must make it clear the application is part of the expedited service (see: AMS – referring to CFT).
8. Add case notes to show:
   • all the actions and decisions you made and why (in line with current guidance)
   • if you needed to wait for CSLT to send you the documents rather than viewing them in DAP (for example, when you have concerns with the application or could not clearly view the documents on screen in DAP)
   • what documents you have seen that have been validated in DAP
9. Check what documents you need to scan on to AMS (that we need to keep a permanent record of) and print them from the DAP screen. Ask SSL to scan them on to AMS.
10. Check if the customer needs to attend an interview as part of the application process.

If the customer does not need to attend an interview as part of the application process, you must:

1. Issue the passport by central print (it usually takes 2 days to print a passport and another 2 days to deliver it if it is centrally printed). In exceptional cases, you may consider using local print (for example, if the customer’s date of travel means they need the passport sooner). If you consider using local print, you must:
   • check you can locally print the passport
   • get agreement from a higher executive officer (HEO), or someone senior than a HEO
2. Phone the customer to tell them we will send their passport by secure delivery and when they can expect it.
3. Update the Expedited Service Tracker to show you issued the passport.

If the customer needs to attend an interview as part of the application process, you must refer to UK: customer needs an interview.

UK: customer needs an interview

If the customer needs to attend an interview as part of the application process, you must phone them to explain:

• you will deal with their application and try to get their passport to them before their date of travel
• you cannot guarantee they will receive their passport before their date of travel as applications are subject to processing checks and they will need to attend an interview by Microsoft Teams (which they must arrange by calling the interview booking line 0300 222 1000)
• they can use a family member or friends’ device to do the Microsoft Teams interview (if the customer does not have a Microsoft Teams enabled device)

Customer cannot do a Microsoft Teams interview

If the customer mentions they cannot do a Microsoft Teams interview, you must:

1. Tell the customer:
   • you will not be able to issue a passport before their date of travel
   • they will be invited to a face to face interview
2. Add a case notes to explain the actions and decisions you made.
3. Click Exam Complete (the customer will be invited to a face to face interview).
4. Update the Expedited Service Tracker to show the customer could not do an interview by Microsoft Teams.
5. Send an email to the  Customer Service Office Interview network mailbox to book a face to face interview for the Expedited Service and include in the email:
   • the application number
   • the customer’s name
   • an urgent face to face interview is required due to travel
   • the customer qualifies for the Expedited Service

They will send the request to the office closest to the customer and the interview office will then contact the customer to arrange the face to face interview as soon as possible.

Customer can do a Microsoft Teams interview

If the customer confirms they can do a Microsoft Teams interview, you must:

1. Add a case note to show the actions and decisions you made.

2. Pass the application for interview.

3. Send the application to interview and provide the customer with the number for the interview booking line, 0300 222 1000.

4. Add a case note if a local print is required to ask the interview officer to make a pass with eligibility (PWEI) decision.

UK: Expedited Service Tracker

We need to keep a record of applications we deal with as part of the expedited service.

You must update the Expedited Service Tracker to show the details of each case you deal with. If you need to update the tracker (or view the information on it) but do not have access, you must ask someone who does.

Overseas expedited case service

This section tells HM Passport Office operational staff about the expedited (priority) case service for overseas customers, including how do deal with applications. A separate service is available for UK customers.

The overseas expedited case service allows us to prioritise and deal with overseas applications that meet all the following criteria:

• we already have an application for the customer
• the customer needs a passport to:
  • prove their identity or for residence or visa reasons, in order to meet local laws in their country (as they may otherwise be at risk, for example, fines or imprisonment)
  • register for health care, social care or school
  • register a birth, death or marriage
• we are satisfied there are no vulnerability or safeguarding concerns

The expedited case service is not a guaranteed service as applications are subject to our usual passport examination checks. We will not charge any additional fees for this service.

If a customer urgently needs a document for travel (including travel for compassionate reasons), they must contact the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO).

Evidence why an overseas customer needs a passport urgently

Customers must provide us with evidence to show why they urgently need a passport. We cannot provide a complete list of what evidence they must provide, as it may be different depending on their circumstances and the country they are in.

Examples of evidence may include:

• an emailed picture of a recently expired residency visa
• confirmation from an official authority or official website that shows they need a passport:
  • for residency or visa reasons
  • to register a birth, death or marriage
  • to access health or social care
  • to register for school

You may accept the evidence by email.

How the overseas expedited case service works

Customers may check the progress of their application, by contacting:

• Contact Centres
• the Customer Services Management team (CSMT)

Contact Centres (or CSMT) will check if the customer meets the criteria for the Overseas expedited case service.

Customer does not meet criteria for expedited case service

If the customer does not meet the criteria for the overseas expedited case service, Contact Centres (or CSMT) will tell them:

• they cannot escalate the application
• HM Passport Office will deal with their application, but we cannot say when they will receive their passport
• if they urgently need a passport for travel, they must contact the FCDO

Customer meets the criteria for the expedited case service

If the customer meets the criteria for the overseas expedited case service, Contact Centres (or CSMT) will tell the customer:

• they will escalate their case to HM Passport Office, and someone will contact them as soon as possible, to discuss their request
• the person that contacts them will ask for evidence that shows why they urgently need the passport
• HM Passport Office will consider the request for an urgent passport based on the evidence they provide
• HM Passport Office cannot guarantee when they will receive their passport

If the customer contacted our Contact Centres, Contact Centres will pass details of the customer’s request and application to CSMT. CSMT will pass the details to the Customer Services Liaison team (CSLT) in:

• Belfast (if the application is in Belfast)
• Liverpool (if the application is in Liverpool)
• Durham (if the application is in Durham)

When you, the CSLT, get details of the request and application from CSMT, you must:

1. Get the application from file holding (if it’s in file holding).
2. Pass the application to the team in your office, who will deal with the application.

When CSLT pass the request to examination

When you, the examiner, get details of the request and the application from the CSLT, you must:

1. Email the customer on the same day you receive the request, to:
   • ask them why the need their passport urgently
   • tell them to email you evidence that shows why they need their passport urgently, to your teams mailbox (see examples of evidence you may accept)
   • ask them for any other evidence you need to deal with their application (in line with current guidance)
   • tell them if they send you documents by post, they must mark it for the attention of your team and clearly mark the envelope with ‘ECS’
   • tell them as every application is subject to processing checks and an interview (if their application needs an interview), you cannot guarantee when they will get their passport
2. Add a case note to explain you emailed the customer.
3. Allow 48 hours for the customer to respond.

Examiners must regularly check the team mailbox for customer responses.

Customer does not respond

If the customer does not respond to the email after 48 hours, you must:

1. Check the email address and send another email to the customer.
2. Add a case note to explain you emailed the customer.
3. Allow 48 hours for the customer to respond to the second email.

If the customer does not respond after 48 hours, you must try to contact them by phone (if there’s a phone number on the application), to explain what you need.

If the customer still does not respond, you must:

1. Add a case note to:
   • show when you tried to contact the customer
   • explain you cannot deal with the request for an urgent passport, as the customer did not respond
2. Keep the application in the electronic store.

No evidence to show a customer needs a passport urgently

If the customer cannot provide evidence to show why they urgently need a passport, you must:

1. Tell the customer:
   • you cannot deal with their application at this time
   • we will deal with their application in due course but you cannot give them a timescale when they will receive their passport
2. Add a case note to the application to explain the actions and decisions you made.
3. Keep the application in the electronic store.

Evidence shows customer urgently needs a passport

When you have everything you need to deal with the application, including the evidence that shows the customer urgently needs a passport, you must:

1. Deal with the application as a priority and in line with current guidance, for example, to:
   • carry out all of the checks you need to
   • ask for any other evidence you need to deal with the application
2. Check if the customer needs an interview. If they do, you must:
   • add the case to the OCMT (also known as ‘the tracker’)
   • email the Central Booking Team with the application reference number and put ‘Expedited International Case’ in the subject line
3. Refer the application to your local Counter Fraud team, if you have fraud, vulnerability or safeguarding (protection) concerns. When you do, you must make it clear the application is part of the Expedited Case Service.
4. Add a case note to show the actions and decisions you made, including the evidence you received to show why the customer needs their passport urgently.
5. Issue the passport (in line with current guidance).