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:
2022-05-27
Date Received:
2022-08-08
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
They asked for info in wrong name, had to contact them and write a covering letter with the correct info.
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-07-13
Date Received:
2022-08-08
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Submitted application 13/07 and arrived 8am on 08/08. Only delay was me sending back my old passport. Sent old one by recorded delivery and it was received 29/07. So just over a week between my old passport being received and new one delivered.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-05-10
Date Received:
2022-08-03
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Adult renewal, lost passport but I had already reported this month’s ago. All online application – no documents needed to be sent.
Applied on the 10th, status changed on the 16th to ‘We’re checking references.’
Status changed to ‘Application being processed’ on the 18th.
Late June the status reverted back to we’re checking references.
I called up after 8 weeks and was told I could upgrade to urgent for 99, told them I’d wait, rang up after 10 weeks and an outsourced call center agent told me it was printed last Friday! Fantastic! I queried why the status hadn’t changed and she told me it wouldn’t till it was sent. (Unusual from what other applications I’ve seen on this site.)
Called up on the 12th week to be told nothings been printed and the agent must been confused (looking back it just seemed like she wanted me off the phone asap, probably the 1000th call she’s had that day)
Requested an upgrade (for free now) sent proof of flight – received a call 3 days later and the passport was approved printed in an hour and sent next day before 9am.
Stressful is beyond words.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-05-02
Date Received:
2022-08-20
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Applied for 2 child-to-adult renewals on 2nd May. Requested updates on applications several times, and after being told that they were still ‘waiting to be examined’ after 9 weeks, we decided to cancel our holiday. We lost £1500 in flight money, but couldn’t wait any longer because we would lose £4500 if we didn’t get the passports in time. They arrived together on 20th August – the day after we were due to travel (11 weeks and 1 day after submitting the applications). The whole process was extremely stressful and made me feel ill.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-05-10
Date Received:
2022-08-01
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
It was my son’s replacement – only because the front cover was damaged. Very stressful not getting answers. Unsure why it was sent to Liverpool as we live near Peterborough but my son did it online so not sure. Website constantly said ‘in progress’. Unable to book an in person interview at any office – why are they always booked up yet nobody is able to go to them??
Answer machine says to press a button if it has been over 10 weeks. When you do this it is confirmed by a real person that it is over 10 weeks and my number was passed on and I received a call back within minutes. Was given email address escalatedservice@hmpo.gov.uk
Which apparently escalated it. Who knows??? It arrived days after however I never received an email in response. I was really offended by the lady’s tone “you will need to provide evidence that your son is travelling in August” in such an officious manner. I should not have to do this. But of course I did whatever it took. I was ready to rant at every level but did not as I feared the lazy bunch of them hanging up on me and tearing up any paperwork!!!. Good luck everyone just keep pestering them after 10 weeks. And send email to escalated services it may have helped us. X
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-07-25
Date Received:
2022-08-05
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
My application was online including taking new picture using iPhone. Only had to send old passport which has also been returned.
I think you should track online applications versus paper applications as I suspect the latter is impacted by working from home and not having access to documents.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Newport
Submission Date:
2022-05-09
Date Received:
2022-08-08
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Like many others. Applied in may. No update until about 4 days ago 04th August where it suddenly went to approved. Had to use the escalation after 10 weeks. Then suddenly all gets approved within a couple of days.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-07-15
Date Received:
2022-08-03
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Lost my passport abroad in Spain. Applied for an emergency travel document which was agreed in 24 hours and was able to pick up during my holiday , allowing me to return to UK.
Applied for renewal on line which was received in 3 weeks . A very easy and smooth process.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-07-17
Date Received:
2022-07-25
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Paid for extra postage (guaranteed next day 1pm signed for). The old passport was returned 26/07/2022
1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Belfast
Submission Date:
2022-05-01
Date Received:
2022-08-06
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
dreadful experience. after initial up to ‘docs received’, no updates till 12 weeks later than I’m past 10 weeks and now eligible for fast track. yes 12 weeks later as they count not from receiving application, but from receiving necessary documents (as in our case). documents were sent to Belfast. holiday cancelled/rebooked. application expedited on 18/07 (was told on the phone to do it as i’m past 10 weeks, counting from submission), no news for a week, being told every time i called, to wait as it’s on fast track now. application expedited on 25/07 again. silence. holiday cancelled/rebooked again. on 03/08 found out it is now with examiner. on 05/08 got a call from private number (normally don’t answer those, but something told me to do it this time) and voila, approved, then printed, picked up the next day in Peterborough (closest office).
Finally going on hols…3rd time lucky i guess…
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-04-21
Date Received:
2022-08-08
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
I had to use the free expedited service email as although I applied on 21/4 for both my children’s passports I heard nothing after the 26th May and reached 2 weeks before flight departure.
The process has been stressful but the system has kicked in and worked so we can go on our holiday on Saturday which we are thankful for.
Key advice
The passport enquiry line is full of people who pick the phone up quickly but can do very little but passify and reasssure that the system will work.
There is no way of contacting the expedited team (or any of the general advisers contacting them) and the feeling of being left hoping some kind soul will come to your aid is not a nice one, although again a kind soul has come to our aid in the end.
Best advice
If you are over ten weeks since application then email the expedited team on the exact day two weeks before you fly or travel and they will then step in and help, even then however I never spoke to anyone, just trusted the email receipt and hoped for the best.
We travel on Saturday this week and I received my son’s passport today so don’t give up hope!
It feels awful, you will lose sleep and it will make your guts churn with worry but the expedited system works and I am living proof that a 7.5K dream holiday is now back on with 5 days to spare.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-07-12
Date Received:
2022-08-06
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
The passport came earlier than expected.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-07-08
Date Received:
2022-09-08
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
First passport for new born – no complications, UK based & online application (no fast track). Application submitted 8th July, identity confirmed same day. Documents sent to arrive on 11th July, passport confirmed received on 12th July. Application approved on 4th August, printed on 5th August and received the next working day on 8th August. 1 month in total (4.5 weeks).
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-07-10
Date Received:
2022-08-08
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Was really worried about the delays but feel very lucky to only take 4 weeks for a first passport. It went to Bootle.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-07-04
Date Received:
2022-08-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
No issues, done online.
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
London
Submission Date:
2022-07-27
Date Received:
2022-08-05
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Much faster than expected, online form, took photos myself and communications were great.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool
Submission Date:
2022-05-14
Date Received:
2022-08-06
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
Gave up waiting , *passport received from 28th June , no movement of status from then.
Sat outside Newport office with no appointment Saturday morning , staff were incredibly kind and helpful- including security .
Left passport office to go home , called at 11am to say they were printing passport and could collect from 13.30pm – oh the goosebumps !
My Daughter is now able to go on her first holiday with her dad !
I cannot thank the staff at Newport enough , every single one I spoke to were kind, helpful and calm despite their work loads THANK YOU!!
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Belfast
Submission Date:
2022-05-02
Date Received:
2022-07-15
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Passport office were an absolute nightmare to deal with. They didn’t care even remotely that we missed our flight due to no passport, despite promising delivery next day by 1pm. They forgot to post it!
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-05-12
Date Received:
2022-08-08
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
The main cause for confusion was that we thought the day we submitted the passport was when the countdown of 10 weeks began. When our MP got involved to help us her office said that the passport office count the 10 weeks from when they open the envelope (i.e. when you get the text to say they have everything). In our case the two dates differed by a critical 15 days. When we hit two week until our holiday, we sent an e-mail to expedite. Our MP intervened too. That was on a Wednesday. Two days later, on Friday morning we had a phone call from someone in the Durham office saying they were about to press print and that it could be posted (arrival about Wednesday) or I could collect in person at the London office on Monday morning. We chose the latter and I collected it today. The collection office at the London office in Victoria was pretty quiet, orderly and calm and I’d got our daughter’s passport within about 15 minutes of arrival.
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-05-27
Date Received:
2022-08-08
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Application took 10 weeks from the date of submission, but only 6 weeks from the time they received my documents (which took 3 weeks for them to “receive” after they were delivered by UPS). It took a lot of calling and research, but it ended up arriving a lot sooner than I expected so perhaps all the stress was unwarranted.
My advice/experience:
Call often (dial 8 then 3) as there is a wide variety of experience/knowledge among the call center staff, despite them all being extremely friendly.
I was told by every single representative that there is NO way to expedite an overseas application, even a supervisor, so I tend to believe this is true.
Ensure that your identity verifier has a “recognized profession” — mine was rejected at first because he wrote “advertising sales,” costing me an extra week, but he re-submitted as “marketing executive” and this was accepted.
I included a cover letter politely expressing that I needed my passport as urgently as possible and explained my family reasons. I’m not sure if this did anything, but given that I was processed in 6 weeks when overseas applicants are being told to expect 10-13 — maybe it helped!
TIMELINE:
Passport received 8 August 2022
Passport printed 1:12am on 4 August 2022
Application approved 9:18am on 3 August 2022
Identity details received 4:19pm on 31 July 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 2:41pm on 31 July 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 11:25am on 30 July 2022
Documents received 11:36am on 27 June 2022
Application received 5:52pm on 27 May 2022
Identity details received 5:52pm on 27 May 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 5:36pm on 27 May 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 5:33pm on 27 May 2022
Application submitted 5:33pm on 27 May 2022
