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:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
2022-12-15
Date Received:
2023-01-04
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Overall much faster than expected. That said, passport delivery has no tracking number or any notifications, hence taking out one star.
Passport received around 10am on 4 January 2023
Passport printed 12:55am on 30 December 2022
Application approved 7:55am on 29 December 2022
Identity details received 5:22pm on 28 December 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 3:22pm on 28 December 2022
Person not eligible 9:14am on 28 December 2022
Documents received 3:40pm on 23 December 2022
Application received 2:42pm on 15 December 2022
Identity details received 2:42pm on 15 December 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 1:55pm on 15 December 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 1:43pm on 15 December 2022
Application submitted 1:43pm on 15 December 2022
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
2022-12-18
Date Received:
2023-01-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
I didn’t expect it will be so easy and quick, here is me timeline below.
Application submitted 18/12/22
Identity details received 21/12/2022
Documents received 30/12/2022 (Royal Mail delivered on the 22/12)
Application approved 30/12/2022
Passport printed 03/01/2023
Passport received 04/01/2023
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
2022-12-21
Date Received:
2023-01-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Online application, selfie style photograph.
Application submitted 21st December, passport received by HM Passport 29th December (Royal Mail strikes & Christmas shutdowns).
Application accepted 30th December.
Passport printed 2.30am 2nd January
Delivered 4th January
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-12-20
Date Received:
2023-01-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
This was over Christmas, New Year and involved a name change (due to marriage).
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
2022-12-28
Date Received:
2023-01-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied online with digital photos that were checked in store when taking that they would be accepted. Easy process to complete application online took around 5 minutes if that, far better than when i last renewed in 2011 with the paper form, fill in this box, jump to this section if not this/that/other etc. was sent emails and sms updates and the progress, only needed to send old passport back which i did via special delivery due to current state of royal mail. Would highly recommend online application. Was orignially told up to 10 weeks for passports so was very surprised when after 3 days i received message to say passport was in print especially as its Christmas and Bank Holidays.
Lost or Stolen Passport Application
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-12-01
Date Received:
2022-12-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Online application
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-12-27
Date Received:
2023-01-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Old passports sent on 28th Dec via special delivery. Received new one 4th Jan.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
2022-12-20
Date Received:
2023-01-04
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application submitted – 20/12/2022
Application posted – 22/12/2022
Application received at HMPO – 30/12/2022
Application approved – 30/12/2022
New passport received – 04/01/2022
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-11-30
Date Received:
2022-12-29
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-11-28
Date Received:
2022-12-14
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Renewal application submitted from Germany online on 28 November.
-Documents delivered to Corby office by courier 7 December.
-Documents confirmed received by HMPO tracking on 9 December.
-Application approved 9 December.
-New passport printed 12 December.
-New passport arrived 14 December (sent by DHL courier 13 Dec).
-Old passport returned by DHL-Express courier on 04 January (HMPO sent on 3 Jan).
Note that after the new passport is sent, the tracking service on the website doesn’t provide any further info regarding return of the old passport/documents. In my case these took a subsequent 3 weeks, and the only information about this was the notification from DHL-Express of the shipment being underway.
