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:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-06-21
Date Received:
2022-07-27
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
The overall application process was ok and uneventful. Nevertheless, I am very disappointed by the way in which they sent my original documents back. They were in a regular brown envelope (despite the fact that I paid for secure postage) and they arrived crumpled. Not to mention that they didn’t send any tracking information in advance, I just found them in the mailbox.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-06-30
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Submitted online. Was approved about a month after paying (just over 3 weeks since docs received). Received in the post a few days after. I was worried it would be a palaver but not so far. Still waiting for the return of supporting documents.
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-07-05
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
The wait for approval was 4 weeks with no news. But once approved I had it within 2 days!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-07-30
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Renewed adult passport online using digital photo code. Sent old passport to Hemel Hempstead office. Passport delivered via TNT with tracking code. All sorted in less than a week!
Passport delivered 8:15am on 4 August 2022
Passport printed 1:30am on 4 August 2022
Application approved 4:32am on 3 August 2022
Documents received 5:48pm on 2 August 2022
Application received 3:53pm on 30 July 2022
Application submitted 3:52pm on 30 July 2022
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-07-22
Date Received:
2022-07-29
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Passport printed 7:40am on 28 July 2022
Application approved 3:23pm on 27 July 2022
Documents received 11:40am on 26 July 2022
Application received 12:44pm on 22 July 2022
Application submitted 12:44pm on 22 July 2022
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-07-22
Date Received:
2022-08-01
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very fast and easy – efficient service, delivered promptly. Only delay was due to TNT not being able to find my house, but that’s pretty standard!
Passport printed 6:18am on 29 July 2022
Application approved 12:47pm on 28 July 2022
Documents received 11:39am on 26 July 2022
Application received 3:18pm on 22 July 2022
Application submitted 3:17pm on 22 July 2022
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-07-26
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Online application
Application Submitted 26 July
Documents Received 28 July
Application Approved 3 Aug
Passport Printed 4 Aug
Passport Received 4 Aug
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Glasgow
Submission Date:
2022-07-31
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Brilliant service. Early Sunday morning I decided to complete our boarding details for our flight on the 18th August to discover that my partner’s passport had expired. PANIC ensued! Decided to apply via digital format on Sunday afternoon and take a chance that the turnaround would be quick. Received new passport this morning at 9.15am, one word … WOW!
31st July Application submitted
1st Aug sent old passport to Glasgow
2nd Aug document received
3rd Aug approved and printed
4th Aug through my letterbox!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Glasgow
Submission Date:
2022-07-26
Date Received:
2022-08-03
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
8 days from online submission. Old passport sent same day. Regular updates by email received.
Expected 2 to 3 weeks. Received in 8 days.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-07-24
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
I was expecting it take much longer (mentally I had prepared to wait for up to 30 days – based on the current estimated waiting times), but I was pleasantly surprised that it only took 12 days – from the date of submission (which was on a Sunday May I add), till the date I received my new passport.
It came even quicker than the earliest available appointment slots – for the express option at the passport office.
5 Star service.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
London
Submission Date:
2022-07-25
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
When I realised 8 weeks before my holidays that my passport was not valid by a week, I panicked and looked for an appointment for a 1 week turn around passport, only to find that there were no appointments available. Despite the negative media surrounding a 10+ week wait, I took the risk and applied there and then for the regular renewal, submitted my application and posted my passport within the hour.
So happy that I did, because 11 days later, I received my new passport…what a relief!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-07-30
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Used digital photograph from a photo booth so uploading photo was simple. On line renewal was easy to do too. Took 10 minutes from start to finish. Great service. Thank you
Lost or Stolen Passport Application
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-06-19
Date Received:
No Received
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
To this date still no update.
Tracking stuck on identity received since the 19th June!
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-05-22
Date Received:
2022-08-03
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
After realising I had lost my Passport upon an International Sporting selection I immediately reported my Passport lost and starting the Application process on 22 May. I needed the Passport by 18th August to confirm my placement but the competition wasn’t until 10th September- plenty of time to allow for the 10 week mark. The process itself was simple however it did become stressful as the 10 week time frame came closer and then reading the horror stories.
On week 6, my application was still showing as Identity Details Received as of 23rd May (1 day after applying) I rang up to chase as I had also had no confirmation that my Lost Passport reference had been linked upon sending it to the HMPO. They confirmed that it hadn’t been updated and did so.
On day 68/70 I emailed my Local MP and explained my situation in detail regarding my International Sporting opertunities with proof of invite etc. In the email I included the following key details;
Application ref, Lost ref, full name and address, DOB, my previous address at which I applied for the Lost passport, mobile contact number.
2 working days later, I had a response from my MPs Assistant who had visited the Westminster Hub to investigate the delay of 10 weeks at the time of his involvement and the Passport was printed that day and I had recieved it the following.
My advice would be to chase around the 6 week mark just to ensure everything is in order in case of misplacement but also consider your urgency to allow those who may need their passport sooner which may cause delays for all.
Just before the 10 week point by letting my MP know of the situation they could then follow up as the 10 week timeframe expires.
I would like to point out that the time I spoke to HMPO, they were helpful and polite and did appear to have a genuine interest. In my case MP office was also amazing and this was what completed my passport process.
1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-07-05
Date Received:
2022-08-02
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Just waiting for it to be posted, processed in 4 weeks.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-04-12
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
I didn’t chase the application until 10 weeks after documents were received. I mainly used webchat who gave me more useful information.
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-05-25
Date Received:
2022-08-05
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Horrendous service and unbelievably frustrating. No updates since 12th June. Got absolutely no information from anyone on the phone and no help. The expedite team got the passport moving in the end at 10 weeks. Good luck to those still waiting. There are some great tips on this forum and it helped me enormously,
Application history
StatusDate
Passport printed 11:54am on 4 August 2022
Application approved 10:14am on 4 August 2022
Identity details received 8:22pm on 12 June 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 10:50am on 10 June 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 9:49am on 10 June 2022
Documents received 11:06am on 3 June 2022
Application received 8:24am on 25 May 2022
Application submitted 8:23am on 25 May 2022
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-04-19
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Shocking dreadful experience! I wanted to go on holiday on 25.06.22 so applied 10 weeks beforehand. Thank goodness I didn’t book anything! I sent my old documents on 20.04.22 next day signed for. This wasn’t acknowledged by the PO until 05.05.22. On 25.05.22 my status changed to “being processed”. On 10.06.22 this status disappeared. I sent countless emails and received nothing but generic answers. I lodged a formal complaint on 13.07.22, to date I have heard nothing. I expedited my application on 20.07.22. I heard nothing. On 01.08.22 I spent the day on hold to the passport office and was told that an email would be sent to the Expedited Service Team and I would have to continue to wait. Whilst all this was going on numerous people were keen to tell me how quickly they had received their passports and indeed a work colleague applied for a child renewal and it was processed and back to her within 7 days. This just infuriated me more than ever! I mean if we were all waiting 16 weeks that would make it a little fairer wouldn’t it?!
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
London
Submission Date:
2022-07-26
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Quick and easy. Took photos myself
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Newport
Submission Date:
2022-04-27
Date Received:
2022-08-02
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Repeated emails to upgrade team. Polite contact on telephone through general line but advice limited and could not be escalated.
Went to Durham Passport office yesterday without an appointment and they couldn’t have been more supportive – we arrived 8am and were seen within 30 mins, had passports at 2.30pm (flight today).
Would suggest if anyone is within that 1 week period before travel to attend the passport office in person despite being told repeatedly I wouldn’t be seen without an appointment. They were more than helpful at Durham but couldn’t speak for other offices. 5 stars to Durham but clear national system has collapsed under the pressure.
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-03-14
Date Received:
2022-07-25
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Took a long while waiting in the backlog to get processed, but once processing started it was quick and efficient.
Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-03-27
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
It took 2 weeks after the supporting documents have been handed over to Durham by UPS until the application tracker updated to say that they have now received my documents. It then took 15 more weeks without any changes or updates. Contacted every email address I could find for HMPO, an MP and also contacted HMPO via their website. The next day application got approved. Not sure this is a coincidence, feels more like they have forgotten about it and only remembered when I started sending emails. After approval it took 4 days to receive my new passport.
