Need my supporting docs back!

Are you travelling to the EU? Do you have an identity card? Do you have settled status? If yes to all of the above, update the document in your settled status to be your identity card. You'll get a confirmation near-instantly if it has a machine readable zone, or in a few days if you have an old-style card. If you do this and get the confirmation, you won't have problems at the UK border. You may, depending on where you're flying, have issues entering or exiting the EU/Schengen border or with the airline. Explain the situation, mention both settled status and permanent residency (IME, some border officials still don't understand "settled status"), and carry links to the relevant information. Expect complication, but you'll be OK. If you don't have an identity card, see if you can get an emergency travel document. The Passport Office held my foreign passports for 13 weeks. In that timeframe, I had emergency work travel, and by law I have to enter the US on my US passport (even though I had received the British passport by that point). I went to the embassy and had a document in < 1 hour with no issues. Good luck!

Hi, thanks so much for getting back to me. Unfortunately I don’t think it will apply to me , I travel to the Eu and have an ID card but I didn’t apply for settled status as I have a naturalisation certificate (so I’m a British citizen)

Similar situation. My Italian partner (British citizen due to her mother being born here) is here in the UK (since Jan) and needs to go back for exams in 2 weeks. Her Italian passport is with the Durham passport office as a supporting document (documents signed for by the office on March 25th, application processing since April 13th). She only has an Italian ID card, but isn't sure if this is sufficient to *leave* the UK. The last thing we need is for her to arrive at the airport and Ryanair say "no".

user123, for what it's worth, I flew with an Italian ID card and had no problems leaving the UK with Easyjet or British Airways. I did this five times (as I was without my passport for 13 weeks): to France, Spain, Belgium, and Italy (twice). I am fairly certain EU law requires the airlines to accept ID cards for travel to the EU, and that your partner would be eligible for EU-261 compensation if she were wrongly denied boarding. Your partner's bigger problem could be getting back to the UK if she does not have Settled Status. If she does have Settled Status, follow the steps I listed above. Carry digital and physical copies of the following EU guidance and show it (if needed) to the border officials for the exit check and the airline: https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/faq_travel_with_id_cards_final_for_publication.pdf I had no problems whatsoever entering or leaving Italy, always explaining that I had settled status / permanent residence on exit. No problems with Belgium, though the immigration officers asked if I had a passport so they wouldn't have to key in the ID card data. No problem entering Spain; on the exit, I had to go through a long explanation. France was a mess: at first, they didn't want to let me ENTER, saying I needed a passport to travel from the UK (ignoring that I was presenting an EU ID). Then I was initially rejected on the exit check and by Easyjet, and had to get supervisors both times. The UK border was easy. The officials are trained on the ID card / Settled Status process.

@LAD, thanks for the detailed reply and some gentle reassurance re: getting home to Italy. We had considered the problem of coming back to the UK. She doesn't have settled status (she's essentially an Italian resident having lived there her whole life, studying at an Italian Uni, and visiting the UK when she can). She's a British citizen but without the proof yet (hence the passport application). A member of staff at the Italian Consulate in London advised her against travelling on her Italian ID card, saying that whilst they 'think' it's possible to leave on the ID card, then her Italian passport wouldn't be stamped as having left the UK. This makes us think there is no benefit to getting an Emergency Travel Document to leave on, as the situation would be the same. We may have to take the risk, and hope that either: 1) The British passport and existing Italian passport can be posted out to her home address in Italy (directly or via myself) and that she can then just come/go on the British passport without issue. 2) She declares the Italian passport as lost and gets a new one in Italy at a later date. I don't know if border control would electronically link the new and old, and see a lack of 'exit' on the old one and then grill her / deny her entry the next time she wants to come back. It is surprisingly hard to know things for sure on all these matters! Not even Ryanair support seem to be able to answer whether they'd accept it for leaving the UK. On the upside, after 1.5 hours on the phone to the passport office today and 2 separate calls, we may be getting a call back from the progress team. Whether or not it'll happen, we shall see... fingers crossed! @LILIBLUE, I hope you can get your passport returned!

The UK doesn't do exit checks or stamp passports on exit for anyone. Your girlfriend can add her ID card data as advanced passenger information on Ryanair or any other airline, and that is sufficient to leave the UK to go to the EU/EEA. The only risk is that she cannot get back into the UK without a passport. Assuming her British passport is approved, you can receive delivery of it and either bring it to her or post it to her.

Renewed my child's passport. Applied on 26th April, documents are still being processed but I understand that I can't have her foreign passport back before the new British passport is issued. Is this true? How can HO justify hogging foreign travel documents for so long? Is there any way I could get her foreign passport?

Hey! In a similar situation. Not sure if my British passport will come in time so am in the process of getting my EU passport back and British Citizenship (supporting documents) You can ring the advice line 0300 222 0000 (I believe?) The first number you press on the call line will be 8, then 3. You will be put through to an advisor. Explain you need your documents back and they can arrange for a call back from the 'Customer Service Management Team' within 48 hours. I've been told you just need to prove that you need them urgently for travel (not sure how as I am still waiting for call back!) It will pause your British passport application, and they ask to send back your documents within 6 weeks (otherwise they drop your passport application I think?) I hope this helps! I can update when I've got a call back and my own documents if that helps? :)

Nkm24 It’s not that easy. I have called them numerous times on the 0300 number. They can return you the documents only if they no longer need them. I was told that I need to write a letter (not emails, an actual letter) to the passport office that has my passport requesting the documents back. I did that, sent my letter by special delivery and it was received early May. I have not received a response so continued to call to find out a progress of my request. They told me then that it takes at least 2 weeks for them to open my letter. They will need them to find my passport (and it takes at least 3 weeks to retrieve it) and THEN they will return it provided they don’t need it anymore. I have tried to cancel my application in order for the passport to be sent back but I was told that the timescale would be exactly the same as they have a backlog in the mailing centre.

I was feeling hopeful after words from @LAD re: not being checked upon leaving the UK, but having tried to seek clarification from Ryanair over Twitter DM, where they asked about the route and I clearly stated this was *not* about entry to the UK but leaving, they came back with: "For travel from or to the UK will be necessary a valid passport". I am continuing to question this and have provided a link to a PDF (https://ec.europa.eu/info/sites/default/files/faq_travel_with_id_cards_final_for_publication.pdf) but my guess is they'll fall back on 'passport required' again. We had a call back from the progress team but missed the call and the voicemail was indecipherable. Called back the generic helpline number and a disinterested advisor said they'd put in for another call back and it would take 2 days.

user123, Ryanair's own terms and conditions say your girlfriend can travel on her ID card: https://www.ryanair.com/gb/en/useful-info/help-centre/ryanair-uk-terms-and-conditions0 "2.1.2 A valid national identity card issued by the government of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Gibraltar, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Malta, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden or Switzerland" There is verbiage that (correctly) says she cannot travel TO the UK on an identity card, but there is nothing to say she cannot travel FROM the UK. "From 1^st^ October 2021, nationals of the EEA/EU or Switzerland travelling to the United Kingdom must be in possession of a valid passport, as National ID cards issued by the EEA/EU and Switzerland are no longer acceptable to enter the UK (unless you hold a form of residence status in the UK)" I'm sceptical about the response you received, which doesn't sound like it came from a native English speaker. I do not see how Ryanair could possibly deny a passenger with an Italian ID card from boarding a flight to Italy without falling afoul of EU-261 rules. If all else fails, try Easyjet or British Airways. I've travelled with both on an old-style Italian carta d'identita' within the past three months, so I know first-hand it's possible.

Online / automated telephone service states documents are generally returned 2 weeks after your passport is issued. It’s worth baring mind it’s not as simple as the documents been revived, checked and sent back straight away. They will hold onto your documents until the time an examiner looks at your application to process it. As per the website applications can currently take up to 10 weeks to be processed and issued.

Has anyone actually received their documents back within 2 weeks? I need my proof of name change back so I can use it for my sons application. Apparently they can’t link my application to his as mine has been approved so need to send in the document. I’m just hoping it arrives soon. My passport was approved last Tuesday and printed Thursday.

@nkm2004 Many thanks, that's really helpful. I have travel booked for 23rd June, and MP team involved. Hopefully this will work! Let me know how you get on? I'll update on my side too. Many thanks to you all!

@LAD Could you give a bit of detail on your US embassy appointment / experience? I'm in the exact same situation as you were in - I've received my UK passport back, but have been waiting on my supporting docs (US passport + naturalisation cert) for a few weeks now with no word, no update and I'm travelling to the US in 4 weeks for my brother's wedding so am very nervous! To be safe, I have an appt at the embassy in a couple weeks in the expectation I still won't have my passport back. So I'm curious as to your experience, how easy/difficult it was, did they seem pretty used to these requests, were they nice/helpful, what docs you provided, etc. In 10+ years of living in the UK I've actually never once been to the embassy! My plan is to follow the guidelines for a second passport, so DS-11 form and signed statement explaining the situation, plus bringing photocopies of my US passport, proof of flight booking, proof of passport submission to UKVI, US birth cert & drivers license and a couple printed passport photos. Also, when did you eventually get your US passport back? How many weeks after your UK passport? Thanks!

I'm still waiting on my supporting documents - I received my first British passport back at the start of May - don't hold your breath - who knows what they've done with my other documents... calling them they've said they sent them - which they haven't (no tracking number) - i think they're sitting in a huge mailroom probably somewhere at the bottom of the pile.

@timber321 my experience with the US Embassy was super easy. London is one of the best and most coveted international assignments, so you tend to get the best government workers. I've had to deal with the Embassy a few times and always felt like I was in a weird governmental utopia, where things work and workers were friendly. The new building is modern and gorgeous, and there's even a coffee bar in the waiting area. I've actually never seen a nicer government building. It's a nice change from the other US embassies, which tend to look and feel like maximum security prisons... Like you, I booked an appointment at the Embassy a couple of weeks in advance "just in case." You will need to fill out DS-11, AND also fill out DS-64 (lost/stolen passport). I wasn't sure about DS-64, but the embassy staff told me I needed to fill it out. I explained the situation that it was missing v. definitively lost, and they said it was correct to report it lost at HMPO Peterborough. Your appointment will go faster if you fill out this form in advance. It's also better to get a US-sized passport photo in advance, though there is a photo booth there. I brought a whole host of documents, but they just asked to see another US government-issued photo ID. I showed my US driver's license, which I keep renewing (using a US address). They didn't ask to see proof of flight or anything that backed up my story of submitting the passport to HMPO. By reporting the passport lost/stolen, your existing passport will be cancelled/invalidated. There's no way around this (I asked). The embassy officers were extremely understanding, far more than I thought they'd be. The two officers I dealt with both said "the British lose passports all the time." One was familiar enough with the process to know that they mail the documents back separately (and he offered his opinion that it was silly). I was apparently the second person that day in this situation, at 7:45 a.m.... I got a temporary passport valid for one year on the same day, in less than an hour actually (and less than 15 minutes after I filled out the DS-64 form). After hounding the passport office almost daily and getting my MP involved, I got my US (and Italian) passport back 9 weeks after I received my British passport and 13 weeks after submitting it to HMPO. I now need to return this passport to the embassy for cancellation, along with the temporary passport, which the US Embassy will replace with a full validity 10-year passport (for free as long as I do within a year). You can use the same photo if you replace it within six months. The process of exchanging temporary for permanent allegedly takes three weeks. I need to go to the US again this month, and I decided to wait to be safe even though I had six weeks between trips. I've had enough passport drama this year! The temporary passport has no chip, but I was (surprisingly) able to use it at a Global Entry kiosk. I had updated my details online in advance. Hope this helps!

Like many others on this forum I too applied from overseas (USA) and have been anxiously reading this forum whilst I waited for both my new passport and old passport (with my US work visa) to be returned. My application was submitted online on 20 March 2022 and was finally processed on 27 April 2022. It was processed by the Durham office and it took about 3 weeks for them register they had received my old passport even though I sent it by courier immediately after I applied. After that and once it started processing, it was about 2 days before it was completed and sent via DHL (28 April). I received it on 2 May. I received a text from DHL to say it was on its way on 28 April and continued to get tracking updates via text. My big issue was getting my old passport with my US work visa as a) I could not leave the counry and re-enter without it. US passport control were adamant about this in spite of having Global Entry and copies of my visa which US immigration also has on their system and b) I needed it for employment verification. Like many of you, I made repeated calls to the progress team 0300 105 0850, waiting for hours on end, getting cut off and starting the process again. The progress team did send emails to the Durham office to expedite my old passport’s return but these were not replied to. I also tried the UK consulate in New York for help (they declined), emailed Durham office directly (Durham@hmpo.gov.uk) and my local MP (based on where I used to live). For the latter two, I did this around 31 May once I had been waiting four weeks for my passport to be returned. I did not receive a reply from either Durham or my local MP but it soon did not matter because miraculously on 6 June I received a text from DHL informing me my supporting documents were being returned. I also received an email from HMPO advising the same. I received my old passport on 7 June (6 weeks after I received my new passport) with regular text updates from DHL. Thank goodness they did not clip the visa page when they clipped the corner of the old passport! I wish you all luck in receiving your new passports and your supporting documents. This has been a ridiculously stressful process and I appreciate all the advice I read on here so sharing this in case it helps others.

@LAD Thank you so much for all the information. Hugely helpful in managing my stress levels! I'll bring both DS-11 and DS-64 as you advise when I go next week so thanks for that tip! Plus all the other documentation that they probably won't ask for and I already have some printed US-sized passport photos ready to go. Like you, I keep my US drivers license up to date with a US address for just these situations. Shame about my current passport automatically being cancelled, mainly for extremely vain reasons - it's far and away the most flattering passport photo I've ever had or ever will have and I regularly get compliments on it (LOLs, oh well...). I'm not even sure it's worth the hassle of the daily hounding the HMPO for my original back. Sounds like it has has never actually helped expedite anyone's situation?! Such a shambles. I'm already dreading renewing the dang thing 10 years from now, although I've vowed to never give them my US passport again and only send photocopies which I saw in asterisked small print somewhere that they will accept in extenuating circumstances if you explain why absolutely necessary. Probably unlikely for 1st adult passport, but hopefully ok for renewals, worth a shot anyways if applying WELL (like 6+ months) in advance. I'll update on this forum if/when I ever do get my original US passport and naturalisation certificate back as I know the info is very useful to all of us in this ridiculous situation. Thanks all!

Thanks for helping me out so far to track the current timelines. I too applied from overseas [US] and got my Adult passport renewal approved within 4 weeks from sending my passport to HMPO. New passport approved on 20th May and arrived on 31st May via DHL. Got text with tracking number on 26th May for the same. Old passport has my work visa and I need it for re-entry into US. No updates on it until today but got a text from DHL with delivery due on 15th June. So overall, it took another 3 weeks for them to process old passport for return. DHL tracker with PEX number [without PEX] is useful. It got updated with new waybill number for the old passport on 11th June [information sent to DHL] which gave me hope that they are sending it shortly. Then that information disappeared from DHL website later but got the text on shipment from DHL anyway with same waybill number, if it helps anyone from overseas to track the DHL. https://mydhl.express.dhl/us/en/tracking.html#/track-by-reference

Update on my timings... I feel very lucky. I've just received my supporting documents back, exactly 2 weeks after receiving my UK passport. So I've been able to cancel my US embassy appointment and finally stop stressing. I've listed the timings, as noted in the HMPO system, for my experience below. All in it was 7 weeks - 5 weeks from submission / mailing docs to receipt of UK passport and 2 further weeks till I received supporting docs back. I never did have an update that my application was being processed - it jumped straight from docs received to application approved. This was through the Liverpool office for a 1st UK passport based on naturalisation. 25 April: Application submitted 25 April: Ask someone to confirm identity 25 April: Email sent to person confirming identity 27 April: Identity details received 27 April: Application received >> (27 April: Documents sent via Royal Mail, 2 day guaranteed delivery) >> (29 April: Documents confirmed received by Royal Mail tracking) 11 May: Documents received (updated in system) 28 May: Application approved 31 May: Passport printed 1 June: Passport delivered 15 June: Supporting documents delivered Thanks everyone. This forum was hugely helpful to me so hopefully this info can help others. Good luck all!