Child’s renewal……help!

Hi Sophie, I feel your pain. Realised sons passport is due to expire and would not be valid for travel in two weeks when we are due to go on holiday! So we have delayed flights which allows 17 days for it to come back. Please keep Us updated with the hen you get yours back! Fingers crossed for you.

I applied for my sons first time passport 15th june. He had to attend an interview 21st june. We are still waiting. He applied for a part time job and was successful but they want proof of identity and the passport office is sat with all his proof even his south african passport. They asked him alot of questions, things he didnt even know. He has learning difficulties so he does not retain information like an average 16yr old. Not sure if its possible to fail an interview but im getting worried because it has been a long time. My passport only took a week.

I don’t have it back yet havnt heard anything since the 15th when they received it. We’ve had to push our holiday back two weeks aswell so hopefully we can still go. What office have you sent your old one to?

Hi Sophie any news on your passport ? We feel your pain and are in the same boat

Hi no I havnt heard anything at all :/ when did you send yours off?

Hi Sophie. We sent old passport to Peterborough on Friday. They acknowledged receipt today. Keeping everything crossed.

We received ours yesterday 🎉

Brilliant news stress over !!!

Can i just ask Sophie did you apply online or by post?

I applied online and sent my old one to Durham office

My daughters renewal has been processing since 20th July, we are meant to go abroad on the 14th! So stressful, i have emailed, called and written a letter and nobody can give me an update. I was told yesterday that the application hadn't as yet been assigned to a person?! Application was made on the 14th July and documents received in Durham on the 16th JuLy. Utter nightmare

The delays can be quite lengthy. Had our application in for H since the beginning of July. He lives in Germany but was here in Cornwall when his passport was lost. He is stranded and unable to return home. 7 months old and missing his Dad. Application being processed 12:00pm on 12 July 2021 Identity details received 9:25pm on 10 July 2021 Email sent to person confirming your identity 8:40am on 10 July 2021 Email sent to person confirming your identity 8:40am on 10 July 2021 Ask someone to confirm your identity 3:41pm on 9 July 2021 Application submitted 3:41pm on 9 July 2021

Hi Ali71cats I am in a similar position to you with almost the same time frame - have you heard anything since ‘documents received’? Fingers crossed for us both! And everyone else waiting Suzanne

Hi Suzanne. Heard absolutely nothing. Have messaged the passport people through Twitter and got a standard response although they said they have put a note of our date of travel on the application. But it still requires some examiner to actually open it! I also contacted my MP and was surprised to get a call from his secretary. She called the passport people but they said as it wasn’t medical emergency or similar they wouldn’t prioritise it in any way. If there is no movement by end of tomorrow I’ll be changing the flights out to a later date and shortening the holiday but then no guarantee it will come in time for that either! Hope you get some good news soon

I am still waiting for my sons passport since 30th June. They sent his supporting documents back but no passport. Sent me a text saying he has now reached interview stage yet he had already attended an interview. So confused. Has this happened to anyone else?

So frustrating Ali, I’ve also had a standard Twitter response but they’ve not out date of travel on, not sure if I told them. I’ve cancelled our holiday and looking to rebook as soon as I hear something but as I work in a school I’m restricted on dates. We can hope!

Any news Suzanne? On the Twitter thing quite a few people have had notice of approval 18 days after submission of application.

No Ali, nothing yet but they have put my date of travel on the application now and I’m keeping hopeful. Seems Peterborough is one of the longest processing times

I'm in the same boat now. Booked our flights to visit family and then realised my son's passport had less than 6months on it. Sent it off straight away we are meant to be flying this Sunday but the application isn't even approved yet. Documents received 30 July 2021 Application received 26 July 2021 Identity details received 26 July 2021 Email sent to person confirming your identity 26 July 2021 Ask someone to confirm your identity 26 July 2021 Application submitted 26 July 2021 nail-biting stuff. Hoping for a miracle but not feeling terribly optimistic right now :(

Hi, we are in the same position, desperate to fly to see my wifes father who lives in Lanzarote who we havent seen for 20 months. We have already postponed by two weeks and now due to fly on 13th August. We submitted an application on 12th July for my son and wife. Docs and everything marked as received on both on 14th July. Over the course of 28th July my sons updated to be processed. My wifes however bypassed that to application completed then a few hours later to being posted and received the next day. Nearly 2 weeks on again and my sons is unchanged. I could almost rationalise matters if my wifes was also still outstanding (hers went to peterborough and his to glasgow), I just cannot understand the time lapse on standard renewals. I would have thought that the passport agency must have the ability to have electronic applications dealt with at any office and can turn the tap on and off to ensure that all offices are working to an even flow. It seems bizarre that one can be turned around in 14 days and another get nowhere in 28 days. Hope is beginning to fade now and it maybe my wife and daughter go for a long weekend towards the end of our holiday period.

dt1901 - really feel for you. we are in exactly the same situation (child renewal) where we have had to travel at last minute and the premium service was no good as the first appointment was 2 days after we are due to fly. So we just resorted to using the standard process and hoping it will come in time. It does appear that child renewals and first passport applications take a lot longer to process than adults. We a friend that got her (adult) renewal done in 2 days - 4 days to receive it from Peteborough office. I think it could be because there maybe a few more things to check like the child has mother/father with current passports and the very fact that are probably many more child renewals as they expire every 5 years rather than 10 years. I know this isn't helping and I am sorry you are going through this. I genuinely believe the passport office are working as quickly as they can but I do question the way they prioritise but maybe they just don't prioiritise and they strictly work on a first come first served basis (which, to be honest, probably is the fairest and most efficient way of working otherwise they will be all over the place stopping one application to start another which is deemed more priority). My only advice would be to contact them via twitter and explain the situation - I wouldn't start demanding anything but be kind and explain the urgency and they may be able to help. They said to us that they would put the travel date on the application but just said it could take upto 10 weeks and offer no further timeframes to get this completed. It seems almost all standard renewals are being done within 3-4 weeks but the question is, will it be in time for your travels which is worrying us. Really hope it works out for you.

Hi all. Finally good news. Application moved to approved at 10:01 last night! Hopeful delivery will come tomorrow; we fly on Friday.

Hi Has anyone got around same time frame that’s moved on from processing? -Peterborough office Application history StatusDate Application being processed 8:43am on 30 July 2021 Documents received 6:37pm on 29 July 2021 Application received 9:31pm on 26 July 2021 Application submitted 9:30pm on 26 July 2021

This is my time frame and there is no consistency at all - I’ve now given up as due to travel on Saturday and I have spoken to the office and whilst they have been lovely and understanding there is little they can do Application being processed 8:28am on 11 August 2021 Documents received 1:52pm on 28 July 2021 Application received 3:19pm on 25 July 2021 Identity details received 3:19pm on 25 July 2021 Email sent to person confirming your identity 3:10pm on 25 July 2021 Email sent to person confirming your identity 12:08pm on 25 July 2021 Ask someone to confirm your identity 12:04pm on 25 July 2021 Application submitted 12:04pm on 25 July 2021

Thanks, Nigel, I am sure they are working hard I just find the inconsistency baffling. My wifes and sons sent same time and hers has been back here 2 weeks now. Our timeline is this- 12th july- application submitted 12th july- ask someone to verify 12th july- verified 14th July - doc received 28th July- application processing This is at Glasgow. Looking at the above there's consistency in that it was 2 weeks between docs received and processing. We have bow been processing for 16 days. We are due to fly tomorrow, though have a credit note on flights so nothing actually booked. I have to be back in work by 25th August, so if it comes by 18th/19th August we can still get some sort of trip, however, my hopes are fading!