Durham

Ah I see, thank you. I have been waiting since 31/5, but for us progress has been so very slow!

@OwBrH I am now on hold hoping to speak to someone, to just check on the documents as they were received 9 days ago. Some people seem to be getting through great. It's very confusing. I will update here once I have spoken to someone and let you know what they say. **Edit** I was listening to the lovely hold music, and was content with the waiting time, opted to stay on the line rather than do a callback, however, as I posted this, I was automatically put through to the callback option... Magic!!! anyway, now I just sit and wait for the call, so again, I will update once I have spoken with someone. Though I am not holding my breath.

@colinm Is there any way you can change the flights and explain it's a covid-19 issue? They may cooperate then? The only reason I have applied now for a passport is because the virus changed a wedding date for my mum and the airlines wouldn't change the flights or cancel them, as the flight is still going ahead. So, she got me cheap flights with her and we are having a holiday together. I have never been abroad so I am praying it goes ahead!! Please keep us posted on your progress. I thought my documents may have shown up by now. @Yasmine applied a day before me and has been successful up to this point so I am hopeful! Although, I am wondering if first child passports are being dealt with quicker? Who knows, there doesn't seem to be any specific rhyme or reason to their working practices at the moment.

@Gemski91 Mine were received today (actually received and signed for on (23/7) - a couple of hours ago. I had that exact same issue when I called in! Hopefully you will be updated soon.

Child renewal Application received 14th June Old passport received 24th June Application approved 30th June Received 3rd July We feel very lucky as we have flights booked on Sunday so were cutting it very fine!

First Child Passport Application being processed - 12 June 2020 Documents received - 11 June 2020 Application received - 4 June 2020 Identity details received - 4 June 2020 Email sent to person confirming your identity - 3 June 2020 Ask someone to confirm your identity - 3 June 2020 Application submitted - 3 June 2020 We've not booked anything yet but we've found somewhere for 23rd August, not sure whether to take the risk and book it hoping it's plenty of time for the passport to arrive.

Thank you Durham, fabulous work. Child’s first passport, blue received. Passport delivered: 03 July 2020 Passport printed and sent: 01 July 2020 Application approved: 29 June 2020 Application being processed: 10 June 2020 Documents received: 09 June 2020 Application received: 31 May 2020 Identity details received: 31 May 2020 Email sent to person confirming your identity: 30 May 2020 Ask someone to confirm your identity: 30 May 2020 Application submitted: 30 May 2020

Thank you Durham, fabulous work. Adult Renewal with name change, blue received. Passport delivered: 03 July 2020 Passport printed and sent: 1 July 2020 Application approved: 29 June 2020 Application being processed: 15 June 2020 Documents received: 15 June 2020 Documents posted: 01 June 2020 Application received: 31 May 2020 Identity details received: 31 May 2020 Email sent to person confirming your identity: 30 May 2020 Ask someone to confirm your identity: 30 May 2020 Application submitted: 30 May 2020

I would like to know why my application appears to be ignored by the Passport Office? Applied on line 3rd June. Photo and form all accepted. They requested Old Passport be returned and took Payment on 3rd June. Returned old Passport by Recorded Delivery 4th June. Passport Office acknowledged receipt 10th June. 11th June Passport being processed. 19th June sent a request via online for information, they say they reply in 24 hours. 23rd June no reply so called them. Were told exactly what we could see on screen, Passport being processed! Received an answer to online form on 24th June saying exactly the same, Passport being processed. Today 3rd July, still nothing! Called 3 times and each time after holding for several minutes automatically put through to call back system. We could not speak to them! So filled out yet another on line information form. How do you get your Passport? Do they think because I am Scottish that I don't need it? I have been in lockdown with my partner in Oxford since 20th March, staying safe to ensure we could travel asap. We are waiting to travel and have already had to cancel one ferry.

@OwBrH I got a call back today from the Newport office however, not much in the way of info, the gentleman just said their systems are slow on update and it can take 1-2weeks to update so he expects it to update Tuesday for me. I’ll report back Tuesday. @iain I know it’s so frustrating, however I recommend (if you haven’t already) popping your number into the callback system. I think they’re automating this because of high call volumes. I had to wait 24 hours but they did respond. It might well be worth a try. Good luck to you!

Just thought I'd update on how long I've been waiting. I applied for an adult renewal and 2 children's renewals on the 23rd June. Adults went to Durham, children's went to Peterborough. The old adult passport was received by them on the 25th June but wasn't updated until today 3rd July and 3 hours later it has also been approved. I'm still waiting for them to confirm they have received the 2 children's passports which were signed for on 25th June.

Child renewal. No chasing at any point in the process. All things considered not too bad! Passport received - 3 July 2020 Passport printed and sent - 3:36pm on 1 July 2020 Application approved - 6:32pm on 30 June 2020 Application being processed - 7:18am on 9 June 2020 Documents received - 8:32am on 8 June 2020 Application received - 3:05pm on 29 May 2020 Old passport posted - 29 May 2020 Identity details received - 3:04pm on 29 May 2020 Email sent to person confirming your identity - 2:56pm on 29 May 2020 Ask someone to confirm your identity - 2:32pm on 29 May 2020 Application submitted - 2:32pm on 29 May 2020

So it seems miraculously after I spoke to someone, my documents have now been received! Documents received 3 July 2020 Application received 19 June 2020 Identity details received 19 June 2020 Email sent to person confirming your identity 19 June 2020 Ask someone to confirm your identity 19 June 2020 Application submitted 19 June 2020

**feeling edgy** So we booked a last-minute family holiday to Spain on the proviso that travel there was to be imminently possible without quarantine issues. My passport expired last year and there was no impetus to renew. After booking holiday, started to panic on seeing this website and applied immediately online for a renewal, Friday 26th June. Expired passport was signed for Special Delivery on Monday 29th June 2020 at Durham Office. Online tracker to-date, still saying "Send us your passport." Flying 1st August 2020. All I can do is pray (and I'm an atheist, so don't think God would even want to help!)

@claireldavis Did you chase HMPO at. Your application has flown through in comparison to others. We are on a tight deadline too!

@charlie2566 we are flying to Spain on 1 August and are a few days behind you with our daughters renewal, docs received 2 July so please let me know how you progress. Think adult renewals are a bit quicker but would be good to know

@charlie2566 It took 8 days for the system to update with me. My documents were signed for on the 23rd June but they didn’t appear on the system tracking until last night at 6pm. Strangely I had spoken to someone in the passport office just 6 hours prior to that, and although they hadn’t taken any of my information, they explained the system is being slow to update with it taking 1-2weeks. Hang in there and fingers crossed for you! Also, from what I’ve seen the children passports seemed to be quicker but I’m not certain on this. Seems to vary massively from person to person.

Sharing my experience: Two child renewals submitted at the same time, one to Durham and one to Newport. Newport quick to acknowledge documents bit stuck on Processing Application since 15th June. Durham new passport received 3rd July (no chasing) see history below... Application history (Received 3rd July) Passport printed and sent 1:23pm on 1 July 2020 Application approved 11:38am on 30 June 2020 Application being processed 10:22am on 24 June 2020 Documents received 9:29am on 19 June 2020 Application received 12:15am on 10 June 2020 Identity details received 12:15am on 10 June 2020 Email sent to person confirming your identity 10:50am on 9 June 2020 Ask someone to confirm your identity 9:37pm on 8 June 2020 Application submitted 9:37pm on 8 June 2020

We booked a long haul holiday last November for this coming November / December and the destination requires six months passport validity at the end our stay. We were unable to submit renewals until we knew for sure an earlier trip scheduled for June / July had been cancelled. So our experience so far: 2 X renewals submitted online Sunday 28th June 2 X old passports posted 29th June (mine to Durham and my wife's to Glasgow) Both were signed for before 09:00 at the respective offices the following morning. Since then, my wife's has been acknowledged, approved and confirmed as posted back, whereas Durham have yet to acknowledge receipt of my old passport! Strange to have such a discrepancy. I see from these boards that many have waited far longer so I am not unduly concerned yet.

@dr_hamish Did you get a text when they had started processing the application? I presume we are notified of every update on the tracking?

@Gemski91 My wife has had text at every stage this week. I've had none :(

@gemski91 just emails notifying at each stage /change

Thought I'd provide my progress considering how worried I've been and how much I've been checking this forum! Im an overseas applicant, had to renew my passport to renew my resident visa abroad. Passport printed and sent 9:33pm on 29 June 2020 Application approved 8:52am on 29 June 2020 Application being processed 10:03am on 27 May 2020 Documents received 9:14am on 26 May 2020 Application received 3:34am on 18 May 2020 Application submitted 3:33am on 18 May 2020 Worth noting that i contacted them om twitter on 2 separate occasions and sent extra info via dm about why i needed it returned asap. Received yesterday from DHL overseas

Child renewal Durham - They received (signed delivery) on 1st June but didn’t Receive on to system until 3rd June. 26 days since they received on to system or 25 days it took from day it updated to processing to approved. Received passport 3rd July. Total process was 41 days (was bank holiday) Passport printed and sent 9:13am on 1 July 2020 Application approved 7:21pm on 29 June 2020 Application being processed 7:14am on 4 June 2020 Documents received 12:15pm on 3 June 2020 Application received 10:00am on 26 May 2020 Identity details received 10:00am on 26 May 2020 Email sent to person confirming your identity 5:53pm on 23 May 2020 Ask someone to confirm your identity 5:50pm on 23 May 2020 Application submitted 5:50pm on 23 May 2020 I have four applications including the above. I have posted more details in relevant threads. Child renewal - Peterborough - Still no update 30 days later since they received/ 25days since started processing Child renewal - Newport - Still no update 31 days since received/started processing Adult renewal - Glasgow - Total process applying and receiving new passport was 13 days (was bank holiday)

Forgot to add passport was blue.