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Both methods are quicker than the standard three-week service

Realising you need a new passport just before jetting off abroad can cause quite a headache. But fortunately, two surprisingly quick solutions could save your holiday plans.

Both options, available through the HM Passport Office, are ideal for when you’re in a rush for a passport, but believe the standard service, which takes around three weeks, won’t cut it in time. On occasion, the standard process may even take longer than three weeks if additional documents, information, or an interview are required.

Below, the Mirror has delved into two fast-track options available and how much they’ll cost you.

Option 1: One-day premium

The one-day premium service is exclusively for adults renewing their passports. Applicants must apply online and will be required to pay £222 or £235 for a 54-page frequent-traveller passport.

Once the application is submitted, an appointment is arranged, with the earliest available slot coming two days afterwards. Official Government advice adds: “You’ll need to hand in your old passport at your appointment.

“Your new passport will be ready to collect from the passport office four hours after your appointment.”

Option 2: One-week fast track

This second option is similarly open to anyone who needs to renew their passport. However, it is also accessible under the following circumstances:

• You need to get a child’s passport
• You need to change the personal details on a passport (your name, place of birth or gender)
• You need to replace a lost, stolen or damaged passport

The fast-track option comes in cheaper, costing £178 for an adult passport (£191 for a 54-page frequent traveller passport) or £145 for a child passport (or £158 for a 54-page frequent traveller passport). However, you can only secure an appointment the day after submitting your application.

The passport will generally land on your doormat one week afterwards. Neither service is available if you’re presently abroad or seeking your very first adult passport.

The Government’s guidance adds: “If you’ve already applied for a passport and have not received it yet, do not pay for an urgent passport. You will not get your passport sooner and you will be charged a £32 admin fee for each additional application.”

For further details, visit the Government’s website.

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It’s 6 a.m. at Loyola High. Students are supposed to be asleep unless they’re on the swim team doing early morning laps at the pool. So why in the name of beach, surf and sunshine is the volleyball team practicing in the gym?

Welcome to February’s gym crunch time, when winter sports teams such as basketball are busy with playoffs and spring sports teams such as volleyball are gearing up for the start of their season.

“It’s pretty brutal,” said 6-foot-8 volleyball standout Blake Fahlbusch, who would prefer surfing in the morning and practicing volleyball in the afternoon.

Veteran coach Michael Boehle, sipping coffee, understands the routine is only temporary and does his best to get his players focused on their early morning routine.

The Cubs begin their season next week with the motivation that they have “unfinished business.”

Last year at one point they were the best team in Southern California, but there were too many distractions and too many obstacles to overcome. Players lost their home in the Palisades fire. Boehle found out he had prostate cancer. A well-known classmate, Braun Levi, was killed by a suspected drunken driver.

Boehle, feeling refreshed and excited after surgery removed the cancer, thinks the chemistry is better. Fahlbusch, a USC commit, is a candidate for best in the Southland because of his size and athleticism.

JP Wardy, a 6-4 Pepperdine commit, arrived from Newport Harbor to play his final year at Loyola, the school he was set to attend as a freshman until he moved to San Diego for family reasons.

It’s rise and shine for Loyola volleyball players during a 6 a.m. practice session.

(Eric Sondheimer / Los Angeles Times)

“It feels great to be back,” Wardy said. “I missed being at Loyola. I feel growing up, this was supposed to be the school I would go to.”

Loyola’s libero, Matt Kelly, is the brother of UCLA standout Sean Kelly. He’s committed to Loyola Chicago and considering how well his big brother serves, practicing against him has gotten Matt ready for anything. There’s also 6-6 Lucas Posell, a Princeton commit with a 4.7 grade-point average.

The usual title contenders should be the teams to watch with Loyola — Mira Costa, Redondo Union, Huntington Beach, Corona del Mar and Newport Harbor.

Mateo Fuerbringer of Mira Costa is a UCLA commit.

(Mira Costa)

There’s lots of top players, from juniors Teddy Mandelbaum and Mateo Fuerbringer of Mira Costa, both UCLA commits, to Taylor Boice of Redondo Union, a UC Irvine commit. Mira Costa has also added Jake Newman, a transfer from Mater Dei.

Boehle will be coaching in his 28th year, having won seven Southern Section championships. The Cubs have won every Mission League title since sharing the crown with Harvard-Westlake in 2007 and haven’t lost a league match since that season.

Loyola students cheer on the Loyola boys volleyball team during a match against Mira Costa on March 21, 2025.

(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)

The annual Loyola-Mira Costa nonleague match that brings out fans en masse is set for March 20 at Mira Costa.

The Cubs open their season on Feb. 24 at home against Newport Harbor, so Wardy will be waving across the net to his former teammates.

As for his early impressions of his new team, Wardy said, “We’re good. I’m excited. Practices are competitive, which I really like because it helps us getting better.”