Recent UK Passport Applicant Timelines

Documents were marked as received on April 2, and we had received delivery confirmation on March 30. The passports (for 2 adults--our teenage sons) were approved on April 16. We did not have to send any additional documents other than those requested upon application. The most stressful part of the process had nothing to do with the passport office but waiting for the documents to arrive. We sent them through USPS International Priority Express, which took just under 2 weeks.

We sent the requested documents via USPS International Priority Express, and it took almost 2 weeks for them to arrive at the passport office. The documents were marked as received on April 2, but we had received delivery confirmation on March 30. We did not have to send any additional documents before the passport was received.

It was quite stressful as the new requirements for dual citizens were a surprise and we already had a trip booked to visit family. It was frustrating to receive an additional request for the passport used to get to the place where we live (not possible -- emigration was decades ago as a child) or a letter explaining why the application wasn't submitted from the country of birth (the new rules made it impossible to travel to the country of birth without the passport being applied for). Fortunately, the passport arrived just in time. The documents arrived in multiple packages, with the last being received April 27.

Parents' church marriage certificate wasn't accepted. Had to wait about a month to receive the civil certificate and send it. Other frustration was several days' delay between UPS saying documents had been delivered and any communication or update from Passport Office. Document return was staggered, with final document received April 27.

Application submitted: 4:38pm on 10 April 2026 Application received: 4:38pm on 10 April 2026 Documents received: 12:16am on 15 April 2026 Application approved: 8:42am on 21 April 2026 Passport printed: 6:06pm on 22 April 2026 Passport received: 1:03pm on 24 April 2026

IT was a lot easier than I originally feared. There was one hiccup with my Church issued Marriage certificate but I did a Deed Poll and also a Statutory Declaration of name change and it all worked out.

I went to Max Spilemann to submit my form who were great, I’m a frequent flyer so had a 2 week window to apply even though I had 5 years left on my passport due to lack of pages, the tracking from MS showed my passport arrived the next day but my HMPO tracking said it took a week, that’s my only gripe… a great forum to track and see everyone’s different gripes… well done. Most helpful… thank you

First identity provider was refused. Found a friend with a UK passport and that went well. The documents asked for included a birth certificate showing parents details. My original UK birth certificate was short form so I sent a full one I obtained fromGRO. I had an old UK passport from 1975 which expired in 1985 which I sent with my documents. All requested documents were sent to the Corby office as requested. The passport office then sent an email saying that, Because this passport was issued before the date of the birth certificate I sent, they required my original birth certificate. This request came via an automated emailed letter and I was directed to send the second document to Hemel Hempstead. I thought it was odd but I checked and it was an official address so off that went. The following day I got another letter asking me to send the birth certificate to the Corby office! Too late, it was gone. Then nothing happened until I started getting emails and letters saying I hadn’t sent the documents requested and threatening to cancel the application. I corresponded by email and eventually they managed to locate my birth certificate and add it to my file. Within a day it was approved and printed. I received the passport and a day or so later the first lot of documents but the second birth certificate did not come. I waited a couple of weeks and then emailed again. The passport office said my file was marked all documents returned and I would have to call a certain phone number if I wanted this escalated. I don’t have international calling so had to make arrangements which took several days. Then suddenly I received a notification that my documents had been lodged with DHL for return. My certificate was returned to me with a letter saying it had been despatched to the wrong person in error but that person had returned it to the HMPO so they were able to send it back to me. I count my lucky stars given the size of this operation and the chances of my one lonely piece of paper, issued in 1958, being lost, found, and returned. Compared to some I had an easy run but it was highly distressing for me, it is not as though we can just pop down the road to see them and get things sorted. Sending your original identification documents out into the world is terrifying. Not getting them back … doesn't bear thinking about.

Application history Passport printed 9:39pm on 23 April 2026 Application approved 3:45pm on 22 April 2026 Documents received 7:19pm on 16 April 2026 [Royal mail marked documents received on 15 April 2026 at 9:47am] Application received 8:15pm on 6 April 2026 Application submitted 8:15pm on 6 April 2026 Once the passport is printed, you can enter your Application reference 'PEX XXX XXX XXXX' into and obtain delivery tracking number. Passport dispatched on 24 April 2026 Passport received on 25 April 2026

Applied - 1st April Identity confirmed - 2nd April Documents received- 14th April Interview - 22nd April Approved - 22nd April Printed - 24th April Received - 25th April

Submitted my application online on the Monday, and visited the passport office in Newport at 9am on the Wednesday. The passport arrived on the Friday morning. Very fast and straightforward!

Sent old passport tracked 24 with signature on the day of submitting; tracking confirmed delivery 14/04 at 8.24am. New passsport received 23/04. Dates below. Passport printed: 9:54am on 22 April 2026 Application approved: 1:47pm on 21 April 2026 Documents received: 4:49pm on 15 April 2026 Application received: 4:02pm on 13 April 2026 Application submitted: 4:01pm on 13 April 2026

Great experience, very fast turn around and excellent comnunication at each stage

Referee rejected, no reason why. Request of more documents at an additional $87 to send. No follow up information. Phone call to find out if new documents were received. Once approved went quite quick.