Applications whilst locked down

@lukek21 you are likely to receive your passport in 14 days (based on the timeframe that the applications for first passports I submitted since 16th of March - when the process started to slow down). If your application is for the first passport after naturalisation, you are very very unlikely to be called for an interview. None of the dozens applications I submitted since early 2019 needed an interview.

Hi all, I applied for my standard adult renewal and the kids first passports on March 18th from within the U.K. Below is the timeline... 18/3 - application submitted 21/3 - I.D confirmed 25/3 - Doc’s and application received 27/3 - application being processed Since then nothing, still the same. I called HMPO and was told they couldn’t tell Me anything other than I needed to be patient. My passport and one of the child’s ones has gone to Peterborough and the other 2 are with Durham. We have a trip booked to visit my in-laws in Turkey for June, and although I know it’s highly likely it will be cancelled should anything change and the trip go ahead I’m worried we won’t be able to go. Jet2 said the only thing I would be able to do in that circumstance is to pay the amendment fee and change the dates as I’d not be entitled to any money back as the HMPO delay is apparently not due to the covid-19 FCO ban. I have since been sent an email and a text from HMPO asking me not to contact them again to enquire about the delay.

Hi, Below my final timeline. It was a standard adult renewal sent to Liverpool – I live in Germany. New passport received on 18 May 2020. Old passport received on 15 May 2020. Passport printed and sent on 13 May 2020 Application approved on 12 May 2020 Application being processed on 18 March 2020 Documents received on 17 March 2020 Application received on 11 March 2020 Application submitted on 11 March 2020 The bad news is that it's taken a very long time. The good news is that, once the magic "application approved" message is received, both new and old passports were back within a week. All the best and hope you all receive some good news soon.

I am UK based British applicant and I applied for an adult renewal on the 28th of March following getting married at the end of February and needing to get a new passport in my new married name. Documents were confirmed as received on the 6th of April I am still awaiting an update and the status is still 'Your application is being processed'. I am waiting to start a new job but cannot until I receive the passport as I need a photo ID. I also cannot apply for an alternative photo ID (such as driving licence) as the passport office still have my marriage certificate. Only comms I have received is the texts and emails asking me not to contact the passport office so I am just stuck, unable to start my new job on complete clearance. I appreciate the current situation is unprecedented and I know everyone is doing all they can - but I would really appreciate any suggestions on how I can find a way forward. Many thanks

Clazsmiff: to which Passport Office did you mail your application? There's nothing to stop you ringing the Passport Adviceline (0300 000 2222). You will be put through to a human being and then you can explain your problem. They may not be able to offer much assistance but on the other hand you may get a hint of whether there are any signs of normality beginning to resume. rob's application (above) took about 35 working days from the day his application entered the processing queue (taking into account the various bank holidays that have happened). On that basis you might hope yours would reach the same point on 29 May. But who knows? I have learned from some newspaper articles that some passport staff were reallocated to processing universal credit applications in April. I have no idea whether that is still happening and/or whether those involve staff who are working from home.

Hi, it was Peterborough I sent my documents to. I did call the helpline, they couldn’t tell me anything or offer any advice or estimated wait times. Good to see some applications are getting approved from mid March submission, hopefully mine might not be too much longer. I will be sure to update the forum if I see any change in status. Thanks

Mine was sent to Peterborough too and I'm about three weeks behind you with dates of documents being received, except that there was then an 8 working-day lag between my passport being received (29 Aoril) and it entering the processing queue (12 May). It is just possible that since yours involves a name change there may be a need for some sort of additional verification during the processing; but you'd have thought the marriage certificate would be sufficient. I sympathize with your frustration. It is a black hole about which none of us can do anything. I am pretty sure they do have a better idea of processing times at present but have been instructed to give a blanket answer to anyone calling or contacting them in order to prevent any applicant trying to place pressure on their staff. It's worth bearing in mind that the person you speak to can be attached to any one of the UK passport offices and won't have any local knowledge about the office your application is at.

It’s worth noting that a friend of mine applied on the 4th May for a standard renewal and he RECEIVED it the following Friday (8th May). There doesn’t really seem to be any discernible system so one person’s experience isn’t comparable to another’s.

rjo: I couldn't agree more and this forum has really exposed that imbalance. Do you know which passport office that was?

Not sure which office and haven't spoken to him since. I believe their system must be incredibly disorganised and inefficient. Has anyone managed to get anything out of them regarding whether more staff will be returning to work?

Hi everyone, I’ve just received an update from HMP office that my application has been approved and that the passport is being printed. Below is my timeline: Application submitted: 28 March Documents received: 6 April Application being processed: 27 April Application approved: 19 May

This makes me hopeful as I submitted mine the same day on the 28th March - do you know which office was dealing with it - where did you have to send your documents? Thanks for updating everyone

My documents were sent to Durham office. Hopefully you’ll receive an update soon too. Good luck everyone!

Hey guys... Glad to hear some of you are a bit further down the lane. My post is further back on the forum. 2 kids renewals from OVERSEAS were received on 19 March and processed 20 March. I've sent emails, made phone calls and also emailed Liverpool passport office direct stating the urgency of requiring passports due to repatriation under lockdown. We are also relocating overseas and need passports for onward immigration. We are not wanting them for a holiday. It's urgent! Been 8 weeks and still waiting on a response...amazingly, the Foreign Office in London which is closed has provisionally certified documents we required within 2 hours! But passport office just don't respond! I've been advised to get local MP back home involved.

Applied 03/03/2020 Being processed 09/03/2020. Child first passport Application submitted in Uk (online) My application is wel before Lockdown Received couple of E mails saying due to covid less staff and will take longer than usual. STILL WAITING.....

dan, which office did you send it to?

Iv sent my documents to Liverpool. But application made online

Can't believe you're still waiting dan! My application was online but documents sent to Liverpool...also for child first passport. Cant believe how long it's taking.

Shazzalats I'm in a similar situation. I submitted renewal applications for my daughter and I from Dubai. It was to Liverpool also. It was being "processed" one working day after yours on 23rd March. I submitted before the lockdown Rob who also submitted to Liverpool from Germany a couple of days before us received his. So I am hoping that we will receive some good news soon. @Rob I don't know what the lockdown rules are in Germany but you must be celebrating!! I'm really hoping if the wait goes into June the lockdown rules have been relaxed more and things start to get processed faster. I have to express my disappointment NOT at the waiting, because we are in an unprecedented situation. However they (passport office) have to taken no accountability for the approximate waiting times and how things are progressing. If they sent a periodic reminder such as: "your application is X out of XXX anticipated waiting time XXX." That would be really helpful. I need my passport mainly to present to the banks for ID purpose, due to the current financial situation but I am not able to do so. All is on hold until they see original ID. A copy of old passport in not sufficient.

I applied for 2 passports to renew my children’s passports for adult passports (so basically a standard renewal) Online applications received 14/4/20 one to Durham and one to Peterborough. Durham: 22/4/20 old passport received : 15/5/20 approved : 19/5/20 new passport received Peterborough: 17/4/20 old passport received : Still awaiting approval I guess there is a time difference depending on which office is doing it - some perhaps have more staff than others.

Daughters renewal approved, printed and posted yesterday 18/05/2020 and we applied 21/03/2020

It seems increasingly obvious that which office you send documents to is a big contributing factor in wait times. It would be helpful if we all share this information when giving updates to assess any patterns or likely processing times. My details:- Type of application: Adult renewal with name change due to marriage Nationality: British And UK based Office Documents sent to: Peterborough Application submitted and received date: 28/03/20 Documents received: 06/04/20 Application being processed: 07/04/20 No further update received since that date Days since application: 52 Days since status changed to ‘being processed’ = 42 Anyone else submitted to Peterborough and been approved since lockdown started?

I mistakenly said mine was sent to London. It was actually also Peterborough. Days since status changed to approved: 43, so we are on a similar timeline. But mine is to replace a damaged passport, so may not be being checked by the same department in the office.

Above post was meant to say since changing to processing.

From what I'm hearing the Liverpool office (where I sent my documents to) is an absolute mess it's been since the 14th of March now. I understand that its a pandemic but considering the government has sent everyone else off to work the fact that the passport office has got barely anyone is ridiculous.