Applications whilst locked down

Travelling in Mid August. 2 renewals for kids although one is 16 so one is an adult renewal. Application submitted and received July 9th Passports returned the 10th and the tracker is saying send your old passports they were sent separately and neither are recorded as received. At what point should I worry that the systems haven’t been updated or if they have not arrived it’s been 9 days since they were posted and I’m concerned...appreciate it’s busy and with Covid etc but I’m concerned if i leave it much longer we will have serious problems closer to the time. So bloody stressful!

For whatever its worth, we sent the documents for our application first class and they showed as received in the system 2 weeks later. I believe they say if you get to within 2 weeks of travelling, they can escalate

Hi Also travelling mid August. Child renewal submitted 28th June Acknowledged receipt on the 10th July (however I tracked that it was signed for on the 1st July) Went to processing on the 14th July Adult Renewal submitted 28th June Acknowledged receipt on the 8th July (however I tracked that it was signed for on the 2nd July) Went to processing on the 8th July No other updates for both, so today 20th July, both passports are still at processing. If they dont move by next Monday I will call them to escalate as it would have been 4 weeks from the point of submitting my application. Ive been told that you have to wait 4 weeks or 16 days before you travel (which ever is sooner)to escalate your application. I was quite stressed out at first but everyone on the forum has been really helpful and set my mind at ease that I will hopefully get my passports on time so not stressing as much. Some people have applied after me and received theres and some before me are still waiting. Again, luck of the draw. Having patience is hard but certainly trying. Hope this helps.

Hi all, it seems as if Durham is speeding up with processes! Application approved a week after being processed, just waiting for the sent notification now Application approved 11:49am on 20 July 2020 Application being processed 11:40am on 13 July 2020 Documents received 10:34am on 9 July 2020 Application received 8:13pm on 25 June 2020 Identity details received 8:13pm on 25 June 2020 Email sent to person confirming your identity 7:50pm on 25 June 2020 Ask someone to confirm your identity 11:23am on 25 June 2020 Application submitted 11:23am on 25 June 2020

For any first time adult applicants, I can confirm that the HM Passport office has replied to my twitter DM confirming that the interview team will be arranging a Skype interview with me sometime soon. They do however stipulate that this might not mean a passport will be issued and are still not giving a time frame as to when all this will happen.

I have messaged the twitter help folk and had a response after trying many times without any luck to call them (still waiting on a call back). They have said the passports are marked as received although still not showing as such on the tracker page. Both applications sent within 20 minutes but two different offices to send the expired passports. Anyway, have to wait until next Wednesday to escalate as that’s when the two weeks from travel bit kicks in fingers firmly crossed! In my minds eye 5 weeks was tight but not stressful very last minute to book to go away this year for obvious reasons just hope we get this over the line or one almighty disappointed family and a very expensive mistake to leave it so late to renew two of the kids passports!

After calling repeatedly to escalate my adult renewal and speaking to 6 different people who all gave me different information, I got through the Complaints on Friday 17th and was allowed to submit my documentary evidence via email. I am sure that this helped as my application was approved today and the passport was printed and sent. Here is the timeline: Passport printed and sent 1:58pm on 20 July 2020 Application approved 1:13pm on 20 July 2020 Application being processed 11:11am on 20 July 2020 Documents received 9:49am on 17 July 2020 Application received 3:22pm on 6 July 2020 Application submitted 3:22pm on 6 July 2020 I just wanted to ask if any of you know when you can track the delivery on the TNT website and what code should you put into Consignment Number/PAN number, presumably the code issued by the HMPO when submitting online application? Thanks in advance for all help!

Ams2020 you will be lucky if they escalate it if you have only just booked a last minute holiday without passports I know someone who has done that and they are still waiting 2 odd weeks later where as I booked mine last year and they sorted mine in a couple of days after escalating it

I submitted my application on 29 June and has been at processing stage since receipt of document on 30 June. I called the passport office on Friday and received a call back today. They have said it is at “examination stage” but no timescales can be given. Anyone been told this and any idea how long will it take to receive from this stage?

Hi all, Wife applied for a renewal yesterday 20/07, what do you think the chances are of her recieving her new passport in time to go away on the 29th August? We haven't booked anything yet but it will be our only chance to go away that week so I've got everything crossed that it comes back in time and there's still availability left for where we want to go. Did it via the post office digital check and send as we didn't want to take any chances. Just one thing I'm not sure about, does paying extra for the courier (TNT?) delivery of the new passport slow things down at all? I was kind of hoping it would speed things up but actually I've seen mention of it taking TNT up to a week to deliver a passport after it's been printed? Got everything crossed it goes through smoothly, hoping it's here by mid August , perhaps slightly optimistic but let's see what happens... Ta

You don’t pay extra for passport delivery the extra fee is for any other docs or old passport return delivery fee All new passports are delivered by tnt

Hey @zandy1 - you might be lucky and have your passport in a week / two weeks but like most of us, its been a waiting game, just over 3 weeks now since I applied and I'm still waiting...

Standard adult renewal application Application submitted and received: 8 July Old passport signed for via first class recorded delivery: 11 July No further movement on application history site on government website. Due to go on holiday on 26 August; should I be concerned? Any recommendations on what to do?

Hi all! Another update: my passport has been printed and sent via secure delivery to Germany. Now, it just remains to be seen how fast delivery is. I do not care which colour it is... I cannot tell you how relieved I will be to have it in my hand. I am not travelling but NEED to be able to identify myself at all times in Germany (where I am a resident). I'll update again with all the application dates once I have received my passport. Rob

I think we got lucky. Probably the twitter DMs helped. Our application was approved this morning and hopefully it will be delivered this week. Application approved 9:09am on 21 July 2020 Application being processed 10:44am on 10 July 2020 Documents received 2:35pm on 4 July 2020 Application received 11:19am on 22 June 2020 Identity details received 11:18am on 22 June 2020 Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:55am on 22 June 2020 Ask someone to confirm your identity 5:43pm on 20 June 2020 Application submitted 5:43pm on 20 June 2020

Hi @greaz90 - So you have applied in the same timescales as I have (7 weeks before your travel date), Im in my 3rd week of waiting now, so you could be lucky and your application processed in that time, however, if like me you are still waiting after that time, you can call them in the 4th week to escalate your application. Im hoping mine will move this week, however, if not, next week, I shall be calling complaints to escalate my application as I travel on the 17th August and Im waiting for a child renewal and an adult renewal.

They won’t escalate it till there is only 14 days before your travel only way to get it sooner is to say u need to add api information 7 days before then you can escalate it 21 days before that’s how I done it and got mine back in under 2-half weeks 4 of them

@jamescd1974 Apologies- what do you mean by api information?

Advance Passenger Information

ah I undestand now James, I do need to enter API as im travelling easyjet..my 21 days before travel will be next monday and also that 4 weeks over too...so either way i will call to try and escalate!! Boy will I deserve a holiday to get over this passport stress!!! :-)

Hi everyone, such a mixture of timescales still ongoing, but I wanted to update you on my process and experience. Having spoken to the complaints team today (for the second time), it all seemed to start happening, which is great as we travel on Saturday. I am just praying that TNT don't mess up the final stage and that they deliver it within the next 2/3 days. Has anyone had a TNT tracking number to track the delivery. From reading previous posts I haven't seen anything, but it would be comforting to get. Application history Passport printed and sent 3:43pm on 21 July 2020 Application approved 2:58pm on 21 July 2020 Application being processed 2:12pm on 21 July 2020 Documents received 8:49am on 20 July 2020 (but they were actually delivered on 7th July!) Application received 9:23pm on 6 July 2020 Application submitted 9:23pm on 6 July 2020 I really do wish everyone the best of luck whatever stage they are at. I know how awfully stressful it all is! Bonne chance!

If they post them Today you will get them Either Thursday or Friday they always take 48-72 hours and I couldn’t track mine apart from a message from tnt on the day they were being delivered

Applied for an adult passport renewal from Hong Kong, processed by Liverpool with timeline below: Passport printed and sent 8:05am on 21 July 2020 Application approved 12:00pm on 19 July 2020 Application being processed 9:32am on 29 May 2020 Documents received 11:22am on 28 May 2020 Application received 1:46pm on 12 May 2020 Application submitted 1:46pm on 12 May 2020

After a couple of DMs on twitter, our application was approved and apparently the application was sent. Should i be worried about not being able to track it on the tnt website? I tried our postcode and the passport reference without the PEX, but nothing. Passport printed and sent 9:23pm on 21 July 2020 Application approved 9:09am on 21 July 2020 Application being processed 10:44am on 10 July 2020 Documents received 2:35pm on 4 July 2020 Application received 11:19am on 22 June 2020 Identity details received 11:18am on 22 June 2020 Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:55am on 22 June 2020 Ask someone to confirm your identity 5:43pm on 20 June 2020 Application submitted 5:43pm on 20 June 2020

I wouldn’t worrie about it o couldn’t track mine either but arrived 2 days later