Recent UK Passport Applicant Timelines

Application history Passport delivered 2:00pm on 19th March Passport printed 10:58pm on 17 March 2026 Application approved 1:01pm on 16 March 2026 Documents received 7:35pm on 6 March 2026 Application received 9:52pm on 2 March 2026 Identity details received 9:52pm on 2 March 2026 Email sent to person confirming your identity 6:34pm on 2 March 2026 Ask someone to confirm your identity 6:31pm on 2 March 2026 Application submitted 6:31pm on 2 March 2026

Application history Passport delivered 2:00pm on 19 March 2026 Passport printed 10:59pm on 17 March 2026 Application approved 1:04pm on 16 March 2026 Documents received 7:35pm on 6 March 2026 Application received 11:01am on 2 March 2026 Application submitted 11:00am on 2 March 2026

Passport printed: 12 March 2026 Application approved: 12 March 2026 Documents received: 2 March 2026 Application received: 17 February 2026 Application submitted: 17 February 2026 The documents were sent from Ontario via Canada Post, tracked and signed delivery, on the same day the application was submitted (17 February 2026).

Family application was split up - two went though fine, one needed more docs, which I argued against.

Application online was significantly easier than when renewing passport in November 2015. Option to submit own digital photo an improvement on having to find and pay for a local photographer who could produce and image which met UK passport photo dimensions. Online tool which indicated suitability of digital photo submission was helpful. It would have been nice if the gov.uk website had information more readily available about renewing a passport while visiting the UK (especially returning passport to a temporary address), as I could have done this on a recent work trip and it could have saved me a significant amount of money in both online renewal fee and postage. Paid over $100 for end-of-third-day UPS shipping, easily doubling the total cost of the passport renewal. I think UPS charge more for the "perceived value" of the item compared to another document of similar weight and dimensions. The online UPS postage tools were far too complicated to be able to produce a solid enough "quote" to argue. Gov.UK tool to check passport progress worked easily and was accurate, though was never really necessary as email updates at each stage (submission, receipt, printing, shipping) were sent out in a timely manner. I submitted application on Wednesday 18 February, received reminder to return old passport Thursday 19 February, shipped old passport via UPS on Monday 23 March, received notification old passport arrived at HMPO on Thursday 26 March, was notified passport renewal approved Monday 9 March, notified new passport printed Tuesday 10 March, was notified new passport shipped with DHL Tuesday 10 March, received new passport in Washington, D.C. on Thursday 12 March, received old passport in Washington D.C. on Wednesday 18 March. Renewal fee includes return shipping with DHL and long gone are the days when you had to provide a pre-addressed (and pre-paid postage if in UK) return envelope when you sent off your old passport. New passport was delivered by courier with instructions (email, text, package label) stating the document had to be signed for by recipient and under no circumstances to be left at a house (including through a mailbox) without signature, nor to be signed for by a neighbour. New passport showed up 24 hours earlier than DHL originally stated and I received one-hour update notification of this. Not sure how complicated, or what the delay, in claiming the package would be if I had been out. I was glad I had not cancelled or moved any of the appointments I had scheduled for the original date of delivery. Old passport returned a week after receipt of new passport, also shipped by DHL. Online and text notification from DHL said this would also need to be signed for but the document was left on doorstep without signature (to be fair DHL's own packaging/ address label did not state signature was required). DHL delivery text messaging included additional notification delivery was imminent (within 30 mins) of actual delivery. Had wondered whether despite renewing at a slower time of year there would be a delay due to the timing coinciding with the new rules coming into play requiring dual citizens to enter UK on a British passport (i.e. wondered if there might be a spike in applications) but in the event this does not seem to have been the case. I had expected to receive the most recent issue of UK passports - dark blue outer cover bearing King Charles III coat of arms, interior pages showcasing some of the United Kingdom's UNESCO World Heritage Sites - as this style began being issued in early December 2025. Instead I received the 'inter-reign' passport - post-Brexit dark blue cover, Queen Elizabeth II coat of arms on cover though inside updated to state passport issued in name of King Charles III, blank compass pages. Of course, not a problem but at first I wasn't sure if the passport was genuine as I was not familiar with the 2020 compass design and it doesn't look quite right when you expect images. Clearly stock is still being used up. GOOD TO KNOW: a personal email address was required by US Customs to send documents overseas - very unhappy about this when name and full return address already clearly provided but that is hardly the fault of HMPO. Also, UPS said phone number for HMPO was required for US Customs form and had I known this I would have looked one up ahead of time to have it ready to provide. I used +44 0300 222 0000.

Very straightforward end-to-end and useful status updates from HMPO throughout. Biggest stresses were sending original documents, being on a timeline for travel in June, and uncertainty re: how long the process would take.

processing took 10 days

Brilliant

Very stressful experience, poor service from those working with the passport office. The answer to all your questions is ‘I don’t know’ or ‘that is outside my remit’. The wait times are getting longer so if plan ahead if you can.

Additional documents requested (utility bill) and interview required (invited 10th March with earliest available date of 24 March - called repeatedly to get an earlier time slot and got interview on 12 March which would give a misleading view of a normal timeline)

Passport office notified I needed to resend documents stating "We cannot continue with your passport application because the birth certificate you sent does not show your parent details". However, this was incorrect. After a telephone call to clarify what was the real issue, the service operator could not resolve the issue as they could not actually confirm the problem was. But they did raise a "ticket" for the reviewing officer. I assumed that my old birth certificate was the problem so I ordered a new certificate with priority payment. It was received and posted the day before I was advised that actually my passport was approved. So the phone call probably helped - just additional stress and cost that wasn't needed. Still awaiting for this certificate to be returned.

2 February Application submitted 3 February Identity details received 12 February Documents posted from Australia 18 February Documents delivered! 23 February Documents received 6 March Application approved 10.25am 6 March Passport printed 6.32pm 10 March Passport posted 17 March Passport received

Application submitted and identity confirmation on 23 February. Documents received on 1 March. Application approved on 10 March. Passport printed on 11 March. Passport arrived on 12 March.

Corby - First UK adult passport. Passport printed 8:27am on 12 March 2026 Application approved 1:38pm on 11 March 2026 Documents received 7:10pm on 2 March 2026 Application received 12:52pm on 27 February 2026 Identity details received 12:52pm on 27 February 2026 Email sent to person confirming your identity 12:38pm on 27 February 2026 Ask someone to confirm your identity 12:33pm on 27 February 2026 Application submitted 12:33pm on 27 February 2026