I am a UK citizen. I have lost my passport and planned to travel by Eurostar from London to Paris in five days' time. The quoted time for a fast-track replacement passport is "within 1 week" of an appointment.
When can I book the appointment? I.e., could I book one at 9am this morning, for midday? Could I book one for the evening (after 5pm) or would I have to wait until the next working day?
How likely is it that the new passport could arrive within less than a week? If I collect in person rather than it being posted, could I minimise the time to get one?
Is there any other way to minimise the time? E.g. if I have a scan of my old passport, and/or it was found by the police and returned to the passport office and cancelled? If I pay a premium?