How long does it take to get a passport?
If you are looking to find out how long it takes to get a passport you are in the right place. We provide daily updates of the average UK Passport wait time. We provide averages for first passports, renewals, child passports, lost and stolen, overseas and fast track applications.
Below you will be able to view all the latest passport processing times. We calculate the average from recent applicants timelines that we crowd sourced via this website and social media.
UK Passport Waiting Time
We tell you how many days it is likely to take to get your UK Passport. How do we do this?
We ask recent passport applicants how many days their application took. Our website uses this information and calculates an average which is updated daily. Whilst it is not a precise indication of when you will get your passport it will certainly give you some idea of how long you may need to wait.
We calculate an average of the last 31 days of user tweets and website submissions to display a figure in days. We display an average for 1st Adult, Adult Renewal, 1 Week Fast Track, 1st Child, Child Renewal and Overseas applications.
Waiting for you passport, especially if you have already booked your holiday, can be very stressful so we hope our site can go some way to give you an idea. If you have used this site to find out the current passport processing time then please do come back when you receive your passport and submit how long it took to arrive. The average we provide is only possible from user submissions and the more we receive the more accurate our figure is.
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“Official website still saying ‘up to 10 weeks’, but for straightforward applications, like simple renewals, it’s much quicker: passportwaitingtime.co.uk average was spot-on as a prediction.”
Recent UK Passport Applicant
How do our times differ from HMPO guidelines?
HMPO provide a guideline of 3 weeks, which has recently been reduced from 10 weeks. In the past this has not always been the case due to external factors (such as the pandemic) along with certain times of the year when demand is very high. We calculate an average of how long it is actually currently taking using real applicant timeline data.
Our real time average gives you a much better indication of how long you are likely to wait for your passport. It can also help you to save money in deciding whether its better to pay the extra fee to Fast Track or to submit a standard application.
Win the cost of your Passport fee in Amazon Vouchers!
Submit how many days it took your passport took to arrive and you will be entered into a bi-monthly draw to win the equivalent cost of your passport application in Amazon vouchers.
To keep our average as accurate as possible we really need your help to submit how many days your passport took once you have received it. When you submit how many days it took via the form below you will gain entry to our free draw. Furthermore we have created lots of interest with our concept in the travel industry. By submitting your wait time will be in line for some exclusive travel discounts on car hire, airport lounges, travel insurance and much more.
How long does it take to get a Passport?
Current average UK Passport processing times:
(Calculated from UK passport applicant data over past 30 days)
To avoid any delays with your passport photo use a Photo Me booth which is linked to the HMPO system.
1st Adult Application:
Average wait time: 17 days
View Graph
View recent applicant timelines
Adult Passport Renewal
Average wait time: 12 days
View Graph
View recent applicant timelines
1st Child Passport
Average wait time: 14 days
View Graph
View recent applicant timelines
Child Renewal Passport
Average wait time: 14 days
View Graph
View recent applicant timelines
View average wait times for lost/stolen, fast track and overseas applications
All of the times shown are averages that have been crowd sourced from other users via this website and also Twitter. We are are an independent website and have no association with Her Majesty’s Passport Office.
Are you unsure about UK Passport validity rules when travelling to Europe? Do you know how many months you require on your passport? Our handy guide answers everything you need to know about how long you need left on your passport.
How long does it take to renew a passport?
It is currently taking 12 days to renew a passport. (Updated daily)
When considering the process of renewing a UK passport, one often wonders, How long does it take to renew a passport? We display data for UK adult passport renewal and also child renewal processing times. The renewal time is calculated from submitting application to the date that you actually receive it back. Our data shows that passport renewal times are slightly quicker than first passport applications.
Why is my passport taking longer than the average?
The figure shown is an average so does take in to account some people receive theirs in a matter of days whilst others have to wait weeks. We do not have any information as to why some take longer than the stated average. If you have are waiting longer than you expected then you may be able to find help on our forum where other users share their experiences and individual circumstances as to why they have had to wait longer.
Our forum is a real community and is a great place to share your passport experience and read posts from other people in the same situation as you. It can provide lots of answers to passport relates questions such as “How long to get supporting documents back?”
Methods of Passport Application
Our passport waiting time calculation is based on times people have waited for passports that are applied for online and at the Post Office. It does not include visiting the Passport Office and completing a same day application which is often done in emergency situations. If you do require a passport urgently you can view our guide on how to get an appointment for both the 1 week fast track service and the premium service.
Types of Passport Application
We provide average passport processing times for Adult Renewals, First Adult Passport and First Child Passport. Generally these times are not too far apart but by crowd sourcing we can provide a fairly accurate passport turnaround time for each type of application. Her Majesty’s Passport Office do offer guidelines for each of these passport applications but this does not reflect busy times of the year whereas our average is updated every day.
Passport Expiration Rules
There are much uncertainty about passport expiration rules and how many months you need to have on your passport when visiting popular destinations such as Spain, France, Italy along with other EU countries. Common questions are, can I travel to Spain with less than 3 months on my passport? or What is the 10 year passport rule? To assist we have created a comprehensive guide explaining everything you need to know about passport validity rules help you when travelling to countries within the EU and further afield.
What is the current UK Passport waiting time?
The current UK passport waiting time is updated daily and can be found via the link below. This is updated on a daily basis after a calculation of the last 30 days of user data. We provide latest UK Passport waiting times for all types of application including adult, child and fast track.
How long do you need left on your passport?
Is this website just for UK Passports?
This website focuses on UK passports but we also provide this service for Passport waiting time USA, Passport waiting time Canada, and Passport waiting time Ireland. If you have Irish ancestry, you can follow our guide how to obtain an Irish Passport as a UK Citizen.
Our news section posts regular updates of the latest passport waiting times, passport information, travel news and offers.
