Liverpool

My passport was approved on the 12th but still hasn't been printed. I just got off the phone to HMPO and they advised that after approval, printing is now taking up to 1 week (was previously told 1 working day). They said that it can then take up to 5 working days to be delivered

It seems there are delays creeping into printing now - up to a week for printing and up to 5 days for delivery - potentially adding in effect two weeks to applications - something to bear in mind. Due to demand increasing apparently.

How long after peoples passports were approved were they delivered? Mine has just been approved today( very relieved) but I travel 4 weeks tomorrow and had booked in an emergency appointment next Thursday. So just checking 4 weeks will be enough for them to send and print it, or if I should stick with my emergency appointment

Due to demand increasing apparently.

Ah, where are the good old lockdown days !

You cannot use an emergency appointment once it’s been approved. I had this issue today! Once it’s approved apparently it’s sent to a secret location to be printed so it cannot cancel this transaction once it’s in place

This is ridiculous do they count the week without the weekend for printing times? And we’re they able to give any more detail in regards to stages of yours being printed etc?

@bgm00 They couldn't tell me anything other than that my passport was waiting to be printed and that it can take up to a week to be printed following approval at the moment! I'm unsure whether they count the weekend or not - I know they do work weekends as my passport was approved on a Saturday

a secret location to be printed

Apparently central print is in Durham, a facility operated by Thales.

they do work weekends as my passport was approved on a Saturday

Sunday too - I had my interview last Sunday and the application was approved an hour later

How long after sending a new photo (once it's been rejected) do they usually get back to you?

How long have people waited for call backs? Clock is ticking…

I had a one week wait before the callback even though I was told "24 to 48 hours" In fact I was called twice, again by a different adviser as soon as I put down the phone with the first one!

Disappointing news for me. I applied last week to get the supporting documents back. Email exchange where they asked me to confirm and said it would be 5-7 working days before I get them back. Phone call today (Day 6) to say I needed to send a letter, despite already having the email confirmation. My time line: 20 feb: online application 25 Feb: royal mail signed confirmation of delivery 9 March: rang office based on concern my documents had still not been registered. Advice was unlikely to receive passports by 25 March as timescales had gone up. Asked for supporting documents to be sent back so we could travel. 10 March: email confirmation about supporting documents from HMPO. Told 5 - 7 working days before I could expect documents 16 March: Ring HMPO because documents are still not showing as received and I don't understand how I can get supporting documents back in their stated time frame. Confirmation from HMPO that nothing had been actioned. Agree to upgrade to urgent. 17 March. Phone call from NEWPORT office where my documents are - despite me sending them to Liverpool! Need to send a letter and they cannot guarantee I will have supporting documents back in time to travel. Complete lottery and farce!

Complete lottery and farce!

I have to agree - I don't understand why they don't distribute the work to applicants 'local office' at time of application, for example Peterborough office isn't far from me and I had to send my documents to Liverpool. Surely the online application can look at the post code and shuffle the applications out accordingly instead of as it seems is happening having the majority of documents go to one office, creating issues all round - but it's Government offices, they don't do common sense! Also there is no excuse for them giving poor information - everything they do is governed by a series of guides which tells them how to deal with everything (you can google for them). Information coming out of HMPO should be correct and accurate first time.

I don’t understand why they don’t distribute the work to applicants ‘local office’ at time of application

That would make sense, and government doesn't do things sensibly...

meganmc23 - My wife's passport was approved Monday 14th, printed 16th, arrived 17th. So that art of the process should now run quite quickly

Couple of days after they finally "received" docs for a simple adult renewal, application has been approved. Now the printing and sending phase...

Hi ACRJT , we're you able to track or did it just turn up?

Passport that was approved Monday and printed yesterday, has arrived today. Passport that was approved Friday and printed Monday hasn't arrived yet. The lottery extends to printing, sending and delivering to apparently. No update on my other 2 yet. I'm going to ring tomorrow (30 days processing) and see where we are and if they've been allocated an examiner yet. Stressful!!

Iiiiincomiiiiing!!!

Passport Office: Bootle Online application submitted: 21 February 2022 Identity verified: 22 February 2022 Documents sent: 23 February 2022 Documents delivered: 24 February 2022 Documents confirmed received by HMPO: 5 March 2022 Application approved: 11 March 2022 1:28am Passport printed and sent: 14 March 2022 08:50am [Package + Delivery Time of 18 March 2022 appeared on the TNT tracking today, 17 March 2022. I see this bit is particularly tricky as neither HMPO or TNT can give you an update while the passport changes hands between them - so really glad this is now done!]

The lottery extends to printing, sending and delivering to apparently.

It really does seem like a lottery doesn't it? No pattern to it - just luck of the draw it seems. I can't workout why an application approved a day after mine has arrived yet mine is stuck at the approved stage - clearly they aren't processing these in order they receive the work. I was really chuffed I reached approved in 20 days, so I suppose I have to serve my penance in approved limbo now!

Well just received a call back a week later from Slough 🤷‍♀️ Completely useless - we applied mid February online but your countdown does not start til documents received which for us was 2 March. I asked why some sent to process after ours are approved before ours and its because apparently every one is there for a different reason but the point is they are not being done in order!! If you have a flight or holiday booked less than 5 weeks from date your documents are logged then not much hope! They certainly will not try to help or expedite urgent cases! If I hear you didn’t allow 10 weeks once more I will scream 😡 I asked if they were aware of all the complaints on twitter and other forums and she said they hadn’t had a lot of complaints 🤪🤪🤪🤪 looks like our holiday is ruined so cheer’s HMPO 👍

My son's first passport is still in examination, and has been for 6 days, didn't think it took so long. Woman on phone said it is only a matter if time, but with our flight in 2.5 weeks, I am holding onto the last bit of hope that I have, and that bit of hope is fading fast.

Jespop30 - it shouldn’t do! :( hope they hurry it up with yours!

Anyone know the number for the Bootle office? Assuming it’s different to the Liverpool office?