Applications whilst locked down

[rob]

@Sulemanm: yes I sent mine to Liverpool. Hopefully yours should come through the next week or so!

[Bb1212]

First passport after naturalisation
Submitted online: 18/03/2020
Being processed: 24/03/2020
Approved: 14/05/2020.

[shazzalats]

Well at last I’ve had an email from the passport office saying my request for boys passports to be speeded up has been sent to Liverpool.
My post is further up the thread. Basically renewals of 2 kids passports since March 19th we are overseas and need passports for emergency repatriation and onward relocation overseas. A messy and incredibly stressful situation.
Hoping someone will reply with positive news.
Also had the automated message AGAIN saying do not contact them.
Will keep you updated

Thanks
Sharon

[foreverwaiting]

Just thought I’d add our waiting time…child’s 1st passport. I’m not British (EU citizen) but my husband is British, and our daughter was born in the UK in Feb. Our sons first passport took about 10 days a couple years ago….!

We sent our documents before lockdown was announced ans they took about a week to arrive despite being sent first class tracked delivery…

Application being processed 1 May 2020
Documents received 27 March 2020
Application received 18 March 2020
Identity details received 18 March 2020
Application submitted 18 March 2020

I was really hopeful when I logged in to see my application was being processed but not sure why it took over a month from being received to being processed. 🤷‍♀️🤦‍♀️

[rob]

Hi,

Below an update to my timeline. It’s a standard adult renewal sent to Liverpool – I live in Germany.

*Got a nice text from DHL today (14 May 2020) with a tracking number. They’re expecting to deliver the passport to me in Germany tomorrow.*
Passport printed and sent 2:47pm on 13 May 2020
Application approved 11:57am on 12 May 2020
Application being processed 8:31am on 18 March 2020
Documents received 3:45pm on 17 March 2020
Application received 1:01pm on 11 March 2020
Application submitted 1:01pm on 11 March 2020

Will notify when it arrives.

Best,
Robert

[shazzalats]

Just had a reply from Liverpool passport office….
 

Thank you for contacting regarding the passport applications for your children.

At this present time, we can only prioritise urgent compassionate applications (usually where there has been a death or serious illness and need to travel has arose).

I can give no timescale at present as we have no idea of this ourselves as the situation is constantly changing.

They go on to suggest that we use emergency travel documents for repatriation flight next month and to provide evidence of our relocation from Oman to Malaysia and the urgency of the boys passports for immigration purposes.

At least I’ve had a human reply and not an automated one!

 

[sjm]

Hi,

Where did you get the email address from for Liverpool passport office ? We are waiting for our sons since applying on the 16th March we are having to leave Australia as we are only on a temporary visa.

Thanks

[volk1189]

My passport application in stuck in Belfast, “being processed” since the 20th of March. Has anyone else assigned to HMPO Belfast received any update (or any change in the application status)?

[superman]

Mine went to Glasgow. Renewal.

Submitted Online 2nd May
Documents sent 4th May
Acknowledged documents 6th May
Paperwork Approved 12th
Received back 14th May.

Incredible turn around. Amazing work.

[kaystar89]

Application being processed on 27 March 2020
Documents received on 26 March 2020
Application received on 21 March 2020
Identity details receiveon 21 March 2020
Application submitted 7:50pm on 21 March 2020

I’m applying for my babies 1st passport from USA, waiting patiently like you guys glad to see a bit of movement the last couple of days at least. I just want the passport as awaiting for borders to open so we can come back and visit family with our not so newborn anymore:( figured the uk passport would be a quicker option than here but now I’m not so sure!

[Grantham Traveller]

What we’re gradually building up here is a picture that is completely haphazard and it’s been very useful to see this detail. Some people’s applications have been processed extremely quickly, even having only been sent off very recently. Others appear to be taking as much as seven weeks from the point at which ‘application being processed’ started.

This may well be down to the individual passport offices so it would be good to know in all cases which PO is involved. The high-speed Glasgow turn-round is particularly interesting since Scotland is still locked down and therefore the PO ought to be on minimum staffing. I don’t think anyone apart from me has mentioned Peterborough. That’s where mine is. England is supposed to be seeing people returning to work if they cannot work from home – and passport processing cannot take place outside the PO. My documents were received at Peterborough on 29 April, but processing did not start until 12 May (two days ago). That’s a gap of 13 days which of course included the VE Day holiday, so it’s actually 8 working days. None of that surprises me hugely but I am astonished that a couple of ordinary renewals (as mine is) have been received, processed, approved, printed and sent out, all

within

that period. I might add that I put in a covering letter (which I was told to by the Adviceline) explaining that I need the passport renewed so that we can help extract our son and his family from Vietnam later this year (Vietnam requiring 6 months + validity remaining). My old passport also had a torn page (thank you Bangkok transit people) so I couldn’t use it even if we were able to get to Vietnam sooner. I don’t know if they take any notice of that sort of thing.

It must be the case that the circumstances in each PO are very different. Only a speculative observation but I imagine that the POs must have received far fewer applications after the lockdown commenced in late March, so this might help speed up a return to normal-turnaround rates in the weeks to come.

I have every sympathy with the enormous frustration felt by some of the applicants who have been posting here. One is completely powerless to do anything about a passport application, and you rapidly reach the point where you feel you’d pay anything just to get the wretched thing back and be able to stop worrying about it. I freely admit it is preying on my mind all day, every day and my need is not even especially urgent.

[rjo]

Mine was sent to London. Processing since 6th April. They sent the email that they are still working with fewer staff, despite the PM’s announcement that those who cannot work from home should go to work. Does anyone else find it interesting to see that the PM is willing to allow construction workers etc. to risk their lives while those under their control (civil servants) are still practicing the same level of under-staffing as before the announcement?

[rea.5515]

I applied to Glasgow on the 2nd April. Still processing!!! I need it for my registration.

[kaystar89]

Ours was sent to Durham, I wasn’t sure how it would work as they requested birth certificate from both sets of grandparents as well as my own too. Seems a ridiculous system particularly as the application was coming from overseas. I did notice that the overseas application forms have been updated since I submitted so I’m hoping this doesn’t cause any further delays…

[lottiebritt]

1 adult renewal and 2 child renewals sent 21/3

Adult renewal sent to Durham – approved 27/3
Child renewal sent to Peterborough – approved 12/5
Child renewal sent to Newport – still waiting

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