Recent UK Passport Applicant Timelines

We had to use an agent in the end as trying to navigate the passport office was a nightmare. I was already in Europe when this came into effect my eta was cancelled after only 3 months and I had to return to Australia to facilitate a new UK passport as my Schengen days had ended I had intended to return to complete my UK vacation after spending 3 months in UK September to December 2025 however I could not The extra travel costly

Amazing. Was great

Requested long form birth certificate even though short form contained all citizenship information of child and parents. No acknowledgement of receipt of this document which was sent later, but the passport was approved and printed the day after tracking indicated it was received. Passport received 3 days after printing and documents 3 days after that.

I submitted my application on May 30th but didn’t send out my documents until June 11th. The turnaround time was a lot quicker than I expected..

HMPO was a mess, no meaningful communication, always template reply.

Application was approved in 9 days from from supported docs received. It well over a week for royal mail to deliver it! Passport printed 1:48pm on 6 July 2026 Application approved 8:50am on 6 July 2026 Documents received 3:09pm on 25 June 2026 Application received 8:41am on 15 June 2026 Identity details received 8:41am on 15 June 2026 Email sent to person confirming your identity 5:35am on 15 June 2026 Ask someone to confirm your identity 9:34pm on 14 June 2026 Application submitted 9:34pm on 14 June 2026

Hardly got any updates. Had to write to the MP to force them to get on with it and finally get an interview done. Without MPs help they refused to give any reason for delay.

Used DHL to send 2 sets of documents. First set included UK birth certificate and a colour copy of my Canadian passport. In the second set of documents, I found and sent the passport my late mother used in the 1960s which I traveled under to enter Canada. Would be useful if we were able to upload colour copies of documents and letters explaining our history rather than using DHL to send them quickly.

MS Teams interview two days before passport received

UK born 1961. Emigrated to Australia 1984. Old blue hardback UK passport expired in 1999. 2 name changes by marriage. I used the group 3 document guide so ended up sending extra stuff to prove use of current name & address plus hand written letter explaining why I wasn't applying from my country of birth. Sent 2 old UK passports. One was cancelled but was the document used to enter Australia. I photocopied my Aus passport at home and put 2 images per page. As requested I sent birth certificate(s) & marriage/divorce certificates. Used Australia Post international express to send. Passport & docs returned by DHL with signature.

I paid for next day delivery of my old passport and tracked delivery of my new one but otherwise it was a normal application. Can't believe how quick and easy it was!

Thurs 02/07 (9am) filled out online form Thurs 02/07 (1pm) sent old passport via Special Delivery (next day) Fri 03/07 HMPO SMS to say old passport received Sat 04/07 HMPO SMS to say application approved Mon 06/07 Royal Mail SMS to say passport will arrive on 07/07 (I opted for Recorded Delivery when applying)

- filled online form 15.06 - sent documents 16.06 - documents arrived 17.06 - HMPO acknowledged documented arrived on 22.06 - approved and printed on 30.06 - received 02.07