Overseas Application: Documents still not received?

Nawa, you are certainly not alone in this situation. We are in Spain and my son's passport application was submitted on May 4th, and I am still getting the generic message "Please send your documents" every time I check on the tracking portal, although the old passport was sent and has been delivered on May 9th (according to Royal Mail). I called HMPO last week to enquire and I was quoted a 6 week delay for passports to be scanned before they can be processed by a case worker. We have our flights booked for the UK for July 6th, and I am starting to resign myself to the idea that we will miss our departure.

Ours took 4 weeks (from overseas). We phoned as we had yet another "please send us your documents" message though this one also said if they hadn't arrived by [date] they would cancel the application. Got put through to Processing who made notes on the file and took tracking details and then we got acknowledgement they were received a few days later.

Online Application completed 24 April 2022 Passport sent by registered mail from Singapore on 26 April ( as local courier company sent back passport as they refused to carry passports!) Registered post acknowledged received by HMPO Durham 30 April 2022 Application history StatusDate Now in printing Application approved 6:05am on 28 May 2022 Documents received 8:36am on 24 May 2022 Application received 12:22pm on 24 April 2022 Application submitted 12:22pm on 24 April 2022 Not sure how long it will take to print, send back through DHL and to be delivered to me in Singapore. Hope DHL does not screw up on pick up or delivery delays

Hi, I am in the same situation as yourself, sent old passport from within the EU by DHL, on 5th May signed for in the Durham office on the 6th May still not received by Durham and e-mail asking for old passport to be sent, i called the help line today and was informed no help can be provided until i get mail stating passport received. Crazy situation, I'm lost for words at this stage, you cannot use fast track service when abroad so its only luck that will get us through this nightmare, i will try calling the help line again next Monday.

Richie, You should be front of queue now. 6 May plus 24 days ( give or take a few days for Sundays, as I think they do work on Saturdays) means your envelope/passport will be opened and matched to the online application) very soon. Approval after documentation received normally comes in 2 days, then passport goes to printing. Most people have reported printing done quite fast, but you never know. Return overseas is apparently by DHL ( domestic is by TNT). Hopefully we get DHL tracking number and can chase DHL if we don't get new passport fast

For those overseas stuck waiting for renewal passports and urgent travel coming up soon: Do note that the local Uk High Commission/Embassy can issue an Emergency Travel Document within 2 to 3 working days. But it is for a specified journey only and you have to pay for it, albeit you can claim a refund if you are applying because your renewal has taken longer then HMSO promised ten weeks. Onw warning fo those planning a trip to USA . The ETD comes without a chip, so USA wont issue an ESTA for the UK ETD you get, and then you have to apply for a US Visa at your local US Embassy and the shambles there are worse than what we are facing with HMPO- some Us consulates have 700+ days wait time for a visa!!

Do those who applied from overseas, get a DHL tracking number, and if so, from DHL or HMPO? My email from HMPO just says Your new passport has been printed. What happens next We’ve sent your new passport by secure delivery. Your old passport will arrive separately and could take up to 3 weeks to arrive. It won’t be in the same envelope as your new passport. No tracking number in the email, and no tracking number received from DHL too Alao, does anyone know where the passports are printed? Perhaps a call to DHL in that town might get me the tracking details from recepient name/address

I applied with overseas and got a TNT tracking number. It says that it was signed for at 'Durham, UK' but unfortunately doesn't specify HMPO. And are you sure that those of us whose documents arrived on the 5th will finally pass the dreaded 'Send documents' stage? It seems as if it will never continue....

Thanks very much Singapore Dan, appreciate the warm advice, your have certainly cheered me up and put my mind at ease Appreciate the post 👍

Reply to #Singapore Don, good news, I’m a step closer, old passport received by the passport office 1/6/2022 👍 your calculations were spot on.

Hi everyone. I am also an overseas applicant (EU). I have been following the forums for several weeks now. My timeline is as follows : "Application submitted" online 12:19 28th April 2022 "Application received" 12:19 28th April 2022 (Old passport posted on 29th April and tracked as received by HMPO Durham on 4th May 2022) "Documents received" 15:48 24th May 2022 I was half hoping that once the documents received stage has been reached that everything will be plain sailing however it just seems to be sitting there (I appreciate that there are others who have been or are in a much worse situation). Any advice or reassurance would be very grateful from anyone reading my post. Would anyone know what the next step is likely to be...and roughly how long? Also, if there is any liklihood of going straight to the application acceptance stage from the documents received stage ? It's tough not being eligible for fast track. Also even tougher having to bear the brunt of an extended Bank Holiday weekend.

@Goodlife. In non complicated adult renewal cases approval is 2 days after received - mine was even done on a Saturday at 6:05am

@Richie. Hopefully 2 days to approval then it goes to print almost same day, gets printed in day or 2. Unless case is complicated and they need more information. I think most adult renewals with old passport submitted have no issues In my case. After “ we have dispatched your passport” no news, no tracking number from DHL ( I think they use TNT for within UK, DHL for overseas ( may be TNT for within EU,may be DHL for rest of the world not sure). May be it will show up at my doorstep without any tracking number details

@Singapore Don. Thanks for the reply. I hope you receive your documents very soon. I guess it is still a worry until you actually have it physically in your hand! In my case, I was told by one of the customer services team that my renewal application was uncomplicated...so goodness knows where it is in the queue now!

I submitted by application on the 24th April, my documents arrived on the 26th. It took them an entire month to acknowledge that, though. Now still waiting for any processing to happen. Still just stuck on documents received...

Reply to: ~ #Singapore Don, just to say thank you for your time in providing calm and detailed posts on this subject, you should be commended, my application should be straight forward as it's only a renewal. I will pf course update this page as I continue my passport journey.....

I keep on getting Emails and now SMS notification stating 'When you get your new passport, you must sign it with a black ballpoint pen. You can’t use it until you do. Go to https://www.passport.service.gov.uk/help/sign to check where you need to sign. Please don’t reply to this email – it’s an automatic message from an unmonitored account." But no tracking number from DHL or the Passport office Did others who got their passports back get a tracking number email from HMPO or directly from TNT or DHL? I understand passports are being sent to Uk addresses by TNT, as well as Europe residents by TNT< and elsewhere overseas by DHL. Anyone know if this is true?

Been sitting on application being processed for 3 weeks. Shouldn’t it be faster than this? Thanks Application being processed 7:53am on 11 May 2022 Documents received 5:56pm on 10 May 2022 Application received 9:23am on 3 May 2022 Application submitted 9:22am on 3 May 2022

Hi everyone. Overseas application of renewal passport for my son. We are I'm the Republic of Ireland. Application submitted 12/04/22 took till 12/05/22 for them to update tracking as documents received. The application tracking has been sitting at this take since, no movement. I've contacted numerous numbers for some call agents to tell me I'm ot eligible for an upgrade as I'm Overseas and some in the last few days tell me that I am. I jave emailed the upgrade team and am awaiting a call from them. We are due to fly on 13/06/22 Is anyone in a similar position? And if so have you managed to upgrade your Overseas application? I am willing to drive 4 hrs to the Belfast office for printing of the passport if it means I get it before our travel. Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi Caz I am in the same position - My passport was still valid but it was over the 10 year validation period for the EU and I renewed expecting to get it back on time for my trip I am scheduled to fly to Germany on 29th June.. I applied 5th May and AnPost confirmed delivery of my documents on 9th May.. I got a SMS / Email today (6 June) saying my documents have been received (finally!) - I am still not confident that I will be getting my passport back intime for my trip Please let me know if you succeed in expediting yours! I am also happy to make the trip from Galway to Belfast if it means getting my passport back in time for my trip

@Singapore Dan, Have you had any luck receiving your new passport yet? Have you received a tracking number yet? We are in a similar situation from Hong Kong - for a first child passport application. Passport now awaiting to be printed and sent.

Update. Never heard anything back from the upgrade team but passport tracking updated as APPROVED 4th June. I'm still waiting in anymore movement. Called this morning to be told it says printed on there side and due to this I can't travel to any passport office to have it updated and printed there and then. So its just a waiting game this week to see will it arrive. They have said it could already be with a courier, but it could also take up to 2 weeks after its been approved to me receiving....absolute nightmare... I'm still holding out that we receive it by the end of the week and don't have to cancel our holiday!!!

@Singapore Dan, did you ever end up getting a tracking number? I’m also in Singapore and my passport was sent on Saturday. Just trying to figure out when I can expect it to arrive and by which courier. Cheers

I too have been monitoring the forum and the expierances blog as like most there is a paucity of information on passport renewal from overseas. I guess the 42 days currently being reported by this site or the timescale for an overseas renewal is made up of a lot less respondents than domestic ones, so I don't how reliable that timescale is. To that end I thought it would be worth telling folk where I'm up to. I'm renewing my passport from the Philippines and my story so far is thus: Documents received 10:32am on 21 June 2022 Application received 5:04am on 9 June 2022 Application submitted 5:04am on 9 June 2022 There was gap from my online application until I could send my passport and supporting back to Liverpool because I wanted an official letter from the local council here in the Philippines (which took a day) in addition to photocopies of my residence card and visa and also Fedex here only offer a weekday service. Therefore, I sent the the docs on June 13, which Fedex confirmed where recieved by HMPO before noon on June. 16 taking an impressive less 48 hours to go halfway around the world. As can be seen above my documents were recorded as recieved on June. 21. I now appear to be in a holding pattern to move to the next stage. Fortunately, I'm not backed up against any travel plans and don't need my new passport until mid Dec to renew my visa hence, why I renewed when I did. But, I it would be nice to have a passport in hand all the same. No major stress at the mo but it would be good to have more transparency and more finite timescale from HMPO rather than the cover my arse 15 weeks.

Also renewing my son's application from the Philippines - documentations were received late May so we're a few weeks ahead of you. No update since. Last time he renewed the passport and old passport were sent back via DHL (separately). If your not in Manila where DHL has it's own livery, it will be passed to WWWexpress - their provincial agent - who are just fine.