Feedback, experiences, timelines, tips and useful information from people that have recently been through the UK passport application process.
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1st Adult Passport
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-07-06
Date Received:
2022-07-12
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Application history
Status Date
Passport printed 4:50am on 10 August 2022
Application approved 11:17am on 9 August 2022
Documents received 3:16pm on 12 July 2022
Application received 7:40pm on 6 July 2022
Identity details received 7:39pm on 6 July 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 7:32pm on 6 July 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 7:28pm on 6 July 2022
Application submitted 7:28pm on 6 July 2022
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-06-07
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
I applied for my first adult passport at the age of 40+. I had to have an two days ago, interview which was done via Teams. The guy was extremely kind and supportive. I did feel like my passport took forever and a day, but overall I cant grumble. Passport arrived two days after my interview.
I’ve been told my documents will take up to 2 weeks to be returned to me.
Passport printed 11:20pm on 11 August 2022
Application approved 3:28pm on 10 August 2022
Documents received 10:44am on 10 June 2022
Application received 11:22am on 7 June 2022
Identity details received 11:21am on 7 June 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 10:36am on 7 June 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 10:29am on 7 June 2022
Application submitted 10:29am on 7 June 2022
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-06-10
Date Received:
2022-08-10
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied online from South Africa.
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
London
Submission Date:
2022-04-04
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Such a stressful experience, we ended up having to travel to London to collect passport48hrs before we went on holiday. I had to send proof of flights etc to get the passport expedited even though we applied well within the expected 10 week time frame. No contact from anyone until 48 hours prior to flying. The people I spoke to on the helpline were lovely but couldn’t really Offer any help other than telling me to keep my fingers crossed they would process in time. Frustrating they are still offering fast tracking when they have such a huge back log!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-08-09
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied online using a digital photo code (from a photo booth) around 10:30am on the 9th. Returned my old passport the same day (1st class signed for). Was notified that my old passport was received the following day (10th) at 2:30pm. Passport application approved on the 11th with notification that my new passport was being printed. Had a text at 7:20am on the 12th from TNT saying my passport was out for delivery. It arrived around 11:30am the same day. Couldn’t ask for a smoother or faster process!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-08-08
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Daily updates of milestones with my application. Sent the application on Monday, Tuesday I sent my old passport, Wednesday I was told the passport was received, Thursday approved and delivered Friday lunchtime.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-07-31
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Straightforward process and extremely pleased with the quick turn around.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-08-04
Date Received:
2022-08-10
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
I was a bit nervous giving all the recent press coverage and horror stories about 3 months waits. But mine was processed in literally 5 working days, I couldn’t be more happier. Maybe because mine was a straightforward renewal and I applied online using an approved snappy snaps digital photo.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-04-20
Date Received:
2022-07-20
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
The call centre is infuriating, they just fob you off. Thanks to Facebook groups I found the email address for the upgrade team and had to go and pick up the passport two days before travelling. That is not the service I paid for and we were unable to look forward to our holiday which is all part of the fun.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Newport
Submission Date:
2022-05-01
Date Received:
2022-08-10
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
A ridiculous 12 weeks and 2 days from them receiving my old passport to me receiving my new one, no holidays booked yet though so could have been worse!
Application submitted 1/5/2022
Documents received 16/5/2022
Application approved 6/8/2022
Passport printed 8/8/2022
New passport received 10/8/2022
Documents (old passport) received 12/8/2022
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-08-01
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Status Date
Passport printed 12:28am on 11 August 2022
Application approved 3:39pm on 10 August 2022
Documents received 3:38pm on 2 August 2022
Application received 1:10pm on 1 August 2022
Application submitted 1:09pm on 1 August 2022
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-03-17
Date Received:
2022-08-09
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Repeatedly called and used expedited service but only received an update once I got my local MP involved. Apparently they started examining my application on 1 June! But only approved on 7 august!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-06-17
Date Received:
2022-08-01
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Mine has come but I can’t take my holiday as my sons renewal hasn’t turned up .. travel date 15th August.. 9th Aug only just told because he has turned 16 he needs to now send signature in post and do a new pic although I did it online and all was fine 7 weeks it has taken for them to realise his picture wasn’t ok
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-08-09
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Photos taken at local supermarket with ID code. Posted by tracked and signed for Tuesday lunchtime. New passport delivered Friday morning. Unbelievable. Peterborough office on first class form!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-08-01
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
I took my application to the post office to be checked as I didn’t want to risk unnecessary delays.
Lost or Stolen Passport Application
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-06-23
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
7 weeks and 1 day from submission to receipt. I found the lack of updates after “Identity details
received” pretty stressful. Due to travel exactly 10 weeks after submission date and was preparing for requesting Upgrade and/or travelling to my nearest Passport Office 48 hours before travel – thankfully
no longer required! I made contact with the Passport Adviceline (0300 222 0000) twice. 31 days after
submission, I asked for advice about cancelling the application so I could re-apply using Fast Track.
They advised against this due to the amount of time it takes to cancel an existing application (up to 3
weeks) and told me about the Upgrade process instead, which I could request two weeks before
travel. I contacted them again on day 39 to provide an ‘L’ number (lost passport reference). I only did
this as I had seen several other people on here with Lost/Stolen applications suggesting that it can
hurry things up. I didn’t have an ‘L’ reference originally. My previous passport was stolen in Spain and
I had to apply for an Emergency Travel Document to get home. Doing this immediately cancelled the
stolen passport, but I didn’t get an ‘L’ reference until I completed the form at
https://www.gov.uk/report-a-lost-or-stolen-passport. I hesitated about doing this, worried that it
might make things worse/confuse matters. But it was fine and my passport was approved 9 days after
providing the ‘L’ reference.
Passport printed 7:59pm on 10 August 2022
Application approved 1:19pm on 10 August 2022
Identity details received 8:33pm on 23 June 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 8:19pm on 23 June 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 8:11pm on 23 June 2022
Application submitted 8:11pm on 23 June 2022
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-05-18
Date Received:
Not Received
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
In order to write a comment, I have filled in a fictitious date of reception, as I am still waiting for my passport after months!
I have been waiting for three months, with no updates on progress in the process since May!!! Very frustrated that I cannot see my close family in the UK.
1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-07-17
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
First Child Passport
Really good and very quick – the last update was it would be dispatched to the delivery supplier in the next few days and could take up to 2 weeks to arrive. It arrived the next day!
Delivered 11:00am 12 August 2022
Passport printed 6:11am on 11 August 2022
Application approved 12:53pm on 10 August 2022
Documents received 9:39am on 21 July 2022
Application received 9:14am on 18 July 2022
Identity details received 9:14am on 18 July 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:09am on 18 July 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 11:40am on 17 July 2022
Application submitted 11:40am on 17 July 2022
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-07-16
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application submitted 16 July 2022
Documents received 21 July 2022
Application approved 10 August 2022
Passport received 12 August 2022
Amazingly quick turnaround after all the horror stories. Just short of 4 weeks from the application being submitted online to the passport arriving.
Maybe things are improving?
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Belfast
Submission Date:
2022-07-15
Date Received:
2022-08-11
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
If a parent has had a name change in their life, they need to send proof of this, and birth certificate for themselves as well as the child.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-07-05
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
I was applying for two child’s first passports at the same time but only had my own birth certificate to send along with theirs so had to send it in with child 1s birth certificate and, after receiving advice from the service, attached a note to say it needed to be linked to my other child’s application too, and another note with child 2s to say my birth certificate was with child 1s. This was made extra complicated as they were somehow being processed at different offices (Peterborough and Liverpool) .
However this turned out to be handled extremely efficiently and caused no extra delay at all.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-07-18
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application history
StatusDate
Passport printed 2:58am on 11 August 2022
Application approved 11:16am on 10 August 2022
Documents received 3:40pm on 20 July 2022
Application received 5:55pm on 18 July 2022
Identity details received 5:54pm on 18 July 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 12:07pm on 18 July 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 12:00pm on 18 July 2022
Application submitted 12:00pm on 18 July 2022
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-07-11
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Very stressful, no one will help you or give you any idea on when it would arrive, just 10 weeks.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Belfast
Submission Date:
2022-04-15
Date Received:
2022-08-11
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Child passport renewal with change of name. Online.
Send to Belfast
Application made 15/04/22
Documents received 25/04/22
Nothing for 19 weeks
Chased, rang, rang, emailed, rang, rang, emailed, nothing. Please wait. They will contact you.
Nothing nothing nothing.
Got hung up on 3 times, rudeness and incompetence.
Joined Mumsnet and trolled Twitter for advice.
At 2 weeks before travel 28/08/22 expedited by email. Found out it was in ‘examination’ in Durham, please wait to be contact. Waited, chased, waited. Nothing.
72hours before travel 11/08/22 drove to Liverpool passport office as closest, arrived 7.30am. helpful staff prioritising applications 48 hours before travel. All very helpful.
I was told was in Durham and they couldn’t retrieve, wasn’t being examined at all. They emailed ‘all managers at Durham’ saying I was in Liverpool and want to collect today. She chased again at 11am.
12.30pm I got a call from Durham and application was approved. No explanation on delay. Passport would be ready in 1hr at Liverpool.
1.40pm 11/08/22 passport collected. Came home happy
Looked in envelope and had previous old passport, opened and it was for someone else! GDPR breach right there!
If you need a passport and have been waiting 6weeks or more and travel within 48hrs then visit your local passport office. You will very likely leave with one.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-07-29
Date Received:
2022-08-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very easy from start to finish.
Used normal services to receive new and old passport.
Old passport came back this morning (13/08/22).
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Glasgow
Submission Date:
2022-07-23
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application submitted easily online. Kept informed of progress of application. Passport received in under 3 weeks.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-05-29
Date Received:
2022-08-12
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Daughter is dual nationality so we had to send in her French passport also.
As holiday was less then two weeks to go we were told we could expedite – sent email with proof and was answered 10 days later, which would never allow for passport to be printed and sent in that time.
Missed holiday, and passsport still didn’t arrive till a month later – about 10 weeks in total
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-05-05
Date Received:
2022-08-03
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Very stressful experience. Made many calls to the passport office. They were unhelpful. We received the passport 5 days before we travelled. We sent the application more than 10 weeks ago. Poor service.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-06-15
Date Received:
2022-08-08
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
I submitted online applications for two child renewal passports on the 15th June. I sent the old passports signed for delivery on the 18th. My son’s was acknowledged as received on the 30th of June. I never received a notification regarding my daughter’s. After a month of waiting and several phonecalls I decided to book a fast track appointment for my daughter’s, I managed to get one in Liverpool which is my nearest and also where my applications were being processed. I did have to send a letter of withdrawal for the online application. I also reported her old passport lost. You can’t have a fast track appointment if you have an online application in the process, which is why I had to cancel it. Although by the time I arrived for the fast track the cancellation still had not been processed (4th August) three weeks after sending it recorded delivery. Lucky for me they were extremely helpful at Liverpool HMPO and they approved the fast rack for my daughter’s passport there and then. I also enquired about my son’s whilst I was there. It has been in the system for seven weeks. Turns out they had received a damaged and empty envelope, not his old passport, which is what the automated notification tells you. So it was just sat there not being processed whilst I waiting patiently and extremely nervously as our holiday approached! (Flying 21st August). In the end I walked out with both passports approved and received them in the post the following Monday and Wednesday. My advice is to go to your nearest HMPO office if you are struggling. They were a lot more helpful than anyone I spoke to on the phone. Good luck!
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport (Overseas)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-06-10
Date Received:
2022-08-10
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied online from South Africa.
