Recent UK Passport Applicant Timelines

Submitted the supporting document twice. The track page took a few days (longer than the royalmail delivery day) to update. The document sent only appeared once in the track page and worried it was lost. The return of documents came in twice as well because the passport office sent them separately. Also, it made me worried when I had the 1st document returned and not receiving the 2nd one. The passport office asked you to use a strong envelope to send but they just returned the document in a normal envelope. All in all, received passport and all the supporting document in around 1 month.

It took 5 days from when documents were delivered to HMPO until they were scanned/marked received. I had an issue where they were asking for previous marriage certificate to validate name changes between birth certificate and new passport in spite of the fact that the submitted expired passport had already taken that into consideration and a marriage certificate for name change from expired passport to new passport had been supplied. Quoting the government policy page/paragraph in Web Chat caused an update for the examiner and the passport was then approved, printed and sent out quickly.

Super Easy for 2/4 passports the other 2 have been super tricky!

Application submitted: March 10th Documents delivered: March 16th Documents acknowledged as received: March 19th Application approved: March 31st Passport printed: April 1st Passport dispatched: April 7th Received: April 10th

Applied March 1. First batch of documents (Cdn passport and British birth certificate) arrived at Hemel on March 4. Did a web chat on March 9 to see where they were. They were marked as received on March 12. Got an email on March 23 asking for passport I originally entered Canada on, why I wasn't applying from within the UK and proof of my current address. I had entered Canada as a young child on my mother's passport and didn't have that. I was able to send a signed/dated later explaining that and how/when I originally emigrated to Canada. My supporting docs arrived at Hemel on March 25. I did another web chat to follow up on March 31. They were able to tell me the docs had been scanned in. My application was approved on April 1 and it was printed on April 2. I received a tracking number from DHL through WhatsApp on April 7 (likely delayed because of Easter) and the passport arrived on April 9. Still haven't heard anything about supporting documents being returned.

I was a little stressed when the envelope containing my supporting documents returned with only my expired UK passport and no other documents. They did however arrive 5 days later which included my much needed Canadian passport. I only had tracking for the first two DHL envelopes. All three were just left on my front step without signing for them.

Communication was terrible. Inconsistencies in asking for more supporting documentation. Took too long with no reason given. Lied about when passport and supporting documentation was sent. Passport and supporting documents sent back in 3 different packages at different times??

Noticed my passport was missing when my husband was doing his renewal, reported mine lost, submitted online application with photo-me code, referee for my identity sent everything back this was all on 30 March. Husbands done on the same day, his was a renewal so he had to send back expired passport) he received his 8 April and I received mine 9 April, there was also the Easter bank holiday Friday & Monday during this.

I received my passport today, but am still awaiting my original document submission including my current Canadian passport which is needed for travel soon. Overall the experience was positive, HMPO is well organized considering they must be receiving a large volume of applications with the recent changes in the law. I was kept informed every step of the way, and the instructions were clear and easy to follow. Overall the process has taken 40 days. 01 March - Application submitted 04 March - Identity confirmed, and application received 05 March - Documents couriered to the UK 16 March - Documents received 28 March - Application approved 30 March - Passport printed 09 April - Passport delivered

Name change after marriage. I think it was very easy to do and not a bad turnaround.

Adult renewal with name change, sent my old passport and marriage certificate. No clue why it took so long.

17/3 Application received 18/3 Documents received (Royal Mail) 23/3 Documents received (HMPO official) 30/3 Application approved 31/3 Printed 2/4 Passport and documents received

I sent my adult passport renewal application off online with a photo code from the photoshop that I had it taken from on 30/03/2026 but I did not send my old passport until later. The passport office informed me the old passport had arrived 4 days later on 03/04/2026. The day after on the 04/04/2026 the passport office informed me they had approved my passport renewal and had sent it off to the printers. My new passport was delivered in my letterbox on 08/04/2026 via royal mail 24 hour tracked service, no signature required.

Bog standard adult passport renewal. New passport received 2 weeks after old passport sent (with Easter weekend in the middle). No complaints - but didn’t get the 1-day approval some have experienced. Photo triggered a warning (“your image and the background are difficult to tell apart”) from the automated check on submission but was approved with no issues. Passport received: 8 April 2026 Passport printed: 6 April 2026 Application approved: 2 April 2026 Documents received: 26 March 2026 Documents sent: 25 March 2026 Application received: 24 March 2026 Application submitted: 24 March 2026