Liverpool

Xxmarley - I think it's taking 2-3 days before you can track it, which is all down to demand lately

Jespop30 - Thank you! Royal mail said they'd recieved it on the Thursday lunchtime and it was approved 7am on Saturday morning. So very quick!

LKT1990 - wow really? That is super quick, I would have expected it to take longer with taking up to 8 working days to log the documents

Jespop - He was marked documents received on the 16th after being sent on the 5th, then I got the message on the 26th that they needed a copy of my passport before they printed but his status didn't change. Sent that and that was received on the 3rd and then approved on the 5th. So I think they just needed to double check before approving. But there was never a status change from documents received which is odd really because they were clearly processing it 🤣

LKT1990 - I find it strange they needed a copy of your passport, as usually you put the passport number on their application. For the application to go to approved a couple days after they recieved the documents, bet you didn't send them to Liverpool. When they asked for my marriage certificate before, the application was is Newport and they wanted me to send the documents to belfast

Update on mine 1st Passport Application made 21 Feb Doc Received 5 Match Just had an email to make the appointment for the interview so at least it's progressing. Interview appointment line seems constantly engaged at the moment - any tips on best time to call it?

Jespop30 - they said there was an inconsistency 🤷 I probably put a wrong number or something 🤦 it was the Liverpool address but it had 'Doc' in it. So it probably flags as an extra document rather then the standard birth certificate or passport? I've just rang, and they've said the two renewals aren't even with an examiner yet but it should be really soon because we're 5 weeks on Saturday. She did say the 5 weeks aren't processing times but time from application received which was a a slight relief but the usual 'we are really busy, busier then ever before' was said multiple times.

I also noticed they’ve changed the webpage to say 5 weeks this morning. Maybe some of our complaining has gone through! My application was finally approved that 9am - one day before my holiday. So it’s clearly not going to arrive in time! I got an email and text to say it had been done. Not sure whether to chase the printing and sending so I can potentially fly Saturday. Totally out of faith they have any idea what’s going on.

Progress on first child passport Application approved 4:16am on 9 March 2022 Documents received 10:00am on 4 March 2022 Application received 4:46pm on 20 February 2022 Identity details received 4:46pm on 20 February 2022 Email sent to person confirming your identity 1:57pm on 20 February 2022 Ask someone to confirm your identity 1:39pm on 20 February 2022 Application submitted 1:39pm on 20 February 2022 So far so good it seems. Interesting that the approval time stamp was in the dead of night. Perhaps an automated oddity or they have brought in overtime to clear backlogs?

@lauraf1991 could you please send your timeline of your application please I am still in process since 3rd march when do you think I could get it ? Adult renewal

We have had a phone back, saying it can take upto 10 weeks, couldn't tell me anymore. Been 8 weeks now Timeline is Application submitted 12th January Application recieved 16th January Documents recieved 24th January Application being processed 11th February... Now it's been like that for 26 days now..............

Hi all, wee update Child renewal No.1 - RM signed for on 25 Feb Application received8:25pm on 23 February Identity details received8:25pm on 23 February Application submitted5:08pm on 23 February Still awaiting update to say docs received - this is to Hemel Hempstead office Child renwal No.2 - Documents received2:39pm on 8 March Rm signed for on 28 Feb Application received4:11pm on 23 February Application submitted4:11pm on 23 February Bootle office Question - if my docs have been received can I cancel the whole process and request they be returned and go for a 1 week processing? I'm at the point I don't care what it costs, I just need them, mainly for my own sanity?

My son's has been 6 weeks tomorrow since they recieved the application, and I am getting fed up, does not take this long surely

Kelso - it's taking 8 working days for them to log documents, hopefully they do it today for you

My timeline so far Sana: Application submitted: 7th Feb Application received: 7th Feb Documents received: 18th Feb Application being processed: 21st Feb Application approved:9pm 8th March I have called everyday and I’m not sure it made any difference. The man yesterday said it was more like 6 weeks and there was no specific order so it is just luck of the draw. 8 days for documents to be uploaded 14-21 days for processing 5 days awaiting examination (still shows as in process) 2-5 days in examination (still shows as in process) 3 days print and send So I’ve missed my flight probably by 2/3 days.

@lauraf1991

8 days for documents to be uploaded

Is that 8 working days or calendar days? Bootle signed for my Special Delivery on 28/02, making today 8th working day or 10th day total and the tracking status still shows "Send your documents". Reading everyone's posts makes me so frustrated - I really feel for all of you/us. And I am super annoyed that they also need other countries' passports for the renewal - leaving me without any travel document whatsoever...

I have called again this morning and spoke to a very helpful lady. Mine has been showing documents received (child renewal) since 15th February. She checked for me and has confirmed its with an examiner now. Feeling slightly more optimistic as judging be everyone else on here I may get approved next week. I'm just hoping no queries are raised as we need it mid April. Hope you all hear soon

Magnic - the lady I spoke to yesterday has emailed the examiner asking what the hold up is, so I'm hoping that means it with an examiner too

Called the passport advice line today. The lady seemed to think I might get my passport before 4th April given the wait time was 4 weeks when I applied on 2nd march. I asked if I could cancel and fast track and she said waiting for the old passport to be returned would take too long. Understandably she didn’t have anything to say about reporting it as lost. My documents aren’t even marked as received yet so I’m doubtful but I guess all I can do is wait

Lauraf1991- so glad it's finally been approved even if you have sadly not been able to get your flights. Pavillion 89- I applied for my son's first passport on 27th January and I am still waiting, it's been 6 weeks on Thursday, so people who have applied after me have got their passports back whether it's a first child passport or a renewal, so will keep my fingers crossed for you.

An update that will hopefully help those still waiting: Received email today that I needed to submit a new photo and also provided details of where my supporting documents should be returned. Emails were exchanged, new photo uploaded and application approved in the space of an hour. I was impressed by the speed and the service once the application gets out of the processing queue so this does seem to be the bottleneck. Full timeline for me so far is therefore as follows: Documents received (Royal Mail): 2 February Documents received (Tracker): 10 February Application being processed: 22 February Photo rejected: 9 March New Photo sent: 9 March Application approved: 9 March Common sense about responding to emails promptly and being polite in your communications obviously go a long way. I do not know if my email to my MP yesterday made a difference; the processing time of two weeks is not out of line with what others have reported so perhaps it was just coincidence. However, for those still waiting with an urgent reason for travel it probably doesn't hurt to request their help.

Finally some good news today. Application approved after 3 weeks in processing stage. Panic over for travelling beginning of April. Timeline Below; Submitted: 28th January Docs Received: 8th Feb Processing: 17th Feb Approved: 9th March Good luck to all others waiting

Pavilion89 - the new time for a renewal is 5 weeks. When I applied on 9th Feb the turn around time was 3 weeks and that hasn't been close to what I've had so I don't think it's necessarily about when you applied. I was always told that returned documents took 3 weeks so I'd ring and check again. And I really would consider declaring it lost if your turnaround time is a month. I called them again today to see if my passport was being printed and sent today and they couldn't tell me. All they said was it takes 24 hours to be printed after it's approved. But if your passport is approved at a strange hour (mine was 9pm) it most likely is the day after - so for me that's tomorrow not today. And then they advise 48 hours for delivery which means most likely mine will turn up Saturday. I don't think calling them helps really - they just tell you what stage it's at. I spoke with complaints and management today after waiting 10 days for them to call and they basically said once it's in the system they lose sight of it and unless it's an emergency they won't speed it up. Depressing but sadly I think most people on here who've moved faster have done so by coincidence.

Lauraf1991- its a very strange process of how some get approved straight away and others waiting weeks. Mine has changed from approved at 2.30 this afternoon to printed and sent at 3.04pm so just half an hour.

I wouldn't be so bothered if they can't link my application and needed to see my marriage certificate, but would be nice for an update. 21 days in processing and counting. Does it do anyone elses head in that you get told different things? One agent has said as my application has been approved they might not be able to link my application to my son's, but then a few agents have said that the passport office keep the documents that are scanned into the system for a while even if I can't access my application anymore