Recent UK Passport Applicant Timelines

Longer wait time due to multiple requests for additional documents which made the total cost that much more expensive as all mailings included tracking. (Passport £116; Mailings £64.95). Would have been nicer if the HMPO online instructions on what docs they wanted was a little clearer and less ambiguous.

The application process was relatively straightforward, though it was slow and lacked communication during the months of waiting. I submitted the application on 1 April. Two months later, I was asked to provide additional documents; I resubmitted the same document I had originally provided, and this was accepted. One month after that, I received an invitation to schedule an interview. The passport application was approved two days after the interview and was ready for collection five days later.

Application received 28 July 2026 Documents received 30 July 2026 Photo rejected 7 August 2026 New photo received 7 August 2026 Application approved 7 August 2026 Passport printed 10 August 2026 First photo was taken at home which was rejected

No delays at all, photo taken by myself at a high quality.

Submitted my application: night of 1st August Old passport received: afternoon 4th August Application approved: morning of 12th August Passport printed: evening of 12th August New passport received: morning of 14th August This was with the Hemel Hempstead office and using the standard service (not fast track) Also did not need someone to prove my identity or an interview Going off of other people’s first time adult applications it seems that people’s applications are approved 8 calendar days after their old passport is received and receive their new passport 2 working days later

Almost alarmed by the efficiency of this. The last two times I've had to renew, I went to London to do same-day. I was going to do that this year until I saw the prices have gone through the roof for that service; decided to risk postal (after many years reading terrible things about the service) and am gobsmacked. Applied on Monday, passport in hand on Friday of the same week. Now just need to wait for the return of my old passport and hope there are no issues there.

Online application submitted: 29/07 Documents received: 31/07 Passport approved: 10/08 Passport posted: 11/08 Passport received: 12/08 a couple of hours after notified delivery window

Online application submitted: 29/07 Documents received: 31/07 Passport approved: 10/08 Passport posted: 11/08 Passport received: 12/08 a couple of hours after notified delivery window

Online application submitted: 29/07 Documents received by passport office: 31/07 Passport approved: 10/08 Passport posted: 11/08 Passport received: 12/08 a couple of hours after notified delivery window

Passport Received 13 August 2026 Passport printed 7:30am on 12 August 2026 Application approved 2:25pm on 11 August 2026 Documents received 10:24pm on 3 August 2026 Application received 4:00pm on 31 July 2026 Application submitted 4:00pm on 31 July 2026

Took longer than I was expecting. When I would call about updates the passport office weren’t that helpful. However once the application was finally approved, it was a quick process. Application approved in the morning and printed later the same day. It was then dispatched to Royal Mail who delivered 2 days after approval Application submitted online 30/07/2026 Documents (old passport) received 03/08/2026 Application approved 11/08/2026 Printed 11/08/2026 Delivered 13/08/2026