Recent UK Passport Applicant Timelines

Getting all documents together was biggest part. Having someone confirm my identity was another issue. Photo eas rated as poor in online application but it was accepted!!

Good, my picture was rejected and i re-submitted a couple of hours later snd my application was approved an hour or so later.

Passport delivered on 4 March 2026 Passport printed on 3 March 2026 Application approved on 2 March 2026 Documents received on 20 February 2026 Application received on 13 February 2026 Identity details received on 13 February 2026 Email sent to person confirming your identity on 13 February 2026 Ask someone to confirm your identity on 13 February 2026 Application submitted on 13 February 2026

Had to wait for the interview, after the interview I had to wait a long time until the passport was posted, the passport tracker was useless for me as it is stuck on documents received, whilst I have received my passport without any notice. I am still awaiting the return of the posted documents.

My passport was received on 16/02/2026. I was then emailed a week later (23/02/2026) that there was water damage on the passport, and I would have to send a supporting letter explaining it. This letter was delivered on 24/02/2026. It was then approved on the 2nd (a week later), and I received my new passport on the 4th. Despite it seeming like a while, the water damage/letter did not cause any serious delay (I was worried it would), so I am happy with this experience.

Applied: 30 Jan Documents sent via Canada Post: 30 Jan Arrived in UK (Gblala): 2 Feb Presented to customs: 7 Feb Released by customs: 11 Feb Delivered to passport office: 12 Feb Website updated as documents received: 16 Feb Application approved and passport printed and mailed: 24 Feb Passport received via DHL: 3 March Return of documents via DHL (scheduled): 6 March

Passport printed - 27 February 2026 Application approved - 27 February 2026 Documents received - 19 February 2026 Royal Mail delivered to passport office - 13th Febuary 2026 Documents Sent - 12th February 2026 Application received - 12 February 2026 Identity details receive - 12 February 2026 Email sent to person confirming your identity- 11 February 2026 Ask someone to confirm your identity - 11 February 2026 Application submitted - 11 February 2026

Application history Supporting documents received 3 March 2026 Passport received 23 February 2026 Passport printed 1:27pm on 16 February 2026 Application approved 12:41pm on 15 February 2026 Documents received 1:08pm on 9 February 2026 Application received 12:26pm on 21 January 2026 Application submitted 12:25pm on 21 January 2026 We live in rural Australia so postage takes longer. 26th January & 2nd March was also a public holiday here so that may have delayed things.

It took almost 3 weeks from the time I posted the supporting documents in France to them being delivered to the Passport Office in Corby. Then 9 days for the new passport to be approved and issued. Return timeframe was under 1 week as the Passport Office use DHL.

Documents sent: 13th February 2026 Documents received by HMPO(Royal Mail) : 16th February 2026 Official Document received notification : 19th February 2026 Application approved: 28th February 2026 Passport print : 02nd March 2026 Passport received : 03rd March 2026

Submitted 14 Feb Royal Mail tracked as delivered 16 Feb Marked as received 20 Feb Authorised 27 Feb Printed 27 Feb Sent to Royal Mail 2 March Received 3 March We’d checked times on this site and had hoped to receive quicker as we had pending travel but it took longer than the average listed times. I understand changing regulations for expats has meant a lot of additional applications which is slowing things down. We wish we had fast tracked as it was stressful.

Within several days of my application, I was asked to provide more information about my application, which I did via phone call to the Passport Office within two days of the request. I then had to make two further phone calls to the Passport Office as I kept getting the same automated request for further information. The third officer I spoke to said that the first two times I'd called, the transaction hadn't been passed through to the assessor for noting / action. I'm still waiting on my Australian passports and naturalisation certificate to be returned.

Quick and easy. Was kept up to date with progress via text messages Total time: 8 working days from them receiving my old passport to me receiving my new one!! Application submitted 9:08pm on 18 February 2026 Application received 9:09pm on 18 February 2026 Documents received 3:56pm on 20 February 2026 Application approved 7:55am on 2 March 2026 Passport printed 7:54am on 3 March 2026 Passport recieved 9:43am on 4 March 2026

Application submitted 12th February Application received 12th February Documents received 20th February Application approved 2nd March Passport printed 3rd March Passport delivered 4th March

The wait between documents received and passport approved was stressful. I do wish there was a secure way to upload documents to avoid sending originals overseas.

* Online application should have said up front that no documents had to be enclosed with your online application. * It would have been very helpful to have a reminder (in the list of documents required) that if you’ve changed your surname ie through more than one marriage, then ALL those marriage certificates have to be sent to the UK. * I’ve been very impressed with the communications from DHL * My timeline and dates are as follows: 21.01.2026 Applied for UK passport online (took me a few hours). Posted original birth certificate, expired UK passport (expired in 1985), second marriage certificate and a photocopy of every page in my current Australian passport in an International Post Express envelope at a cost of $40.65 29.01.2026 Documents arrived in UK - 9 days 30.01.2026 Documents received in the Passport Office in Corby 04.02.2026 Email from Passport Office requesting evidence of name change from Maiden name to first marriage name 04.02.2026 Posted Original first marriage certificate by International Post Registered at a cost of $21.55 10.02.2026 Envelope processed at sorting facility, Sydney West @ 6.20 pm 12.02.2026 Cleared and awaiting international departure 13.02.2026 Flight departed for UK @ 4.14 pm 14.02.2026 Envelope handed to UK local postal authority @ 8.57 am. At 1.42 pm arrived at postal carrier’s facility in UK 16.02.2026 Received by postal carrier for delivery 17.02.2026 Envelope delivered @ 2.22 pm 24.02.2026 Email received advising passport approved and is being printed @ 7.11 pm 24.02.2026 Passport printed and is on its way via secure delivery. Documents will arrive separately and won’t be in the same envelope as the new passport 26.02.2026 Text message advising DHL Express delivery from HM Passport Office is on its way 02.03.2026 Passport estimated delivery, but rescheduled to 03.03.2026 as I wouldn’t be home 03.03.2026 UK Passport delivered at 12.50 pm. Had to sign for it 06.02.2026 Estimated delivery of original birth certificate and 2 marriage certificates

It was stressful getting all the paperwork together. But the information on the website was clear and easy to follow and everything went through easily.

The overall experience was good, considering it took 6 months to complete. You have to follow the process and be very patient along the way, & eventually you will receive it.

Quite stressful as I previously held a UK passport but it expired in 2009 so had to re-send everything, including documents over 80 years old. Gathering documents and sending old passport from NZ very expensive. Sent the wrong type of marriage certificate so had to resend the a new one from Births, a Deaths and Marriages which delayed application by 2 weeks and cost more money in postage. Glad to finally have UK passport and will definitely renew every ten years from now on. This page has been so helpful - thanks to all the members who answered my questions and best wishes to everyone getting their passports! 😊