Recent UK Passport Applicant Timelines

Once they acknowledged documents received to application approved took 8 days, then from passport printed to delivery to home in Canada was 4 days

Application process online easy. Posting time to send original and additional document longest time from Australia. Text messages re status, status change and reminders (to send docs etc) good. HMPO do not update tracking for receipt of subsequent docs requested/sent - this is a timeline gap in knowledge for those posting from overseas (with new rules effective 25 Feb).

Very quick process, I didn’t have father passport details so thought gonna take longer

Had to send further documents , so time extended as I had to order said document and post from Australia.

Used DHL. Search for 50% discount codes! Check which office in UK your passport needs to go to. I had to send two renewals to separate offices :(

Application very clear about which documents were required. Very concerned about sending off original but and marriage certs, particularly as my husband didn’t get his birth certificate back in his documents delivery. Fortunately his cert arrived with mine a few days later. Communication was excellent with an email notification at every step. 18 days from start to receiving my passport.

20 year expired renewal with name change by marriage. Mailing by USPS registered mail took 2 weeks for it to arrive. Then 3 days to scan in documents after that. Approved on a Friday but not printed until 1am Monday. Also applied for first child passport for my US born son at the same time, same envelope. Documents scanned at same time. His was approved the day after mine. His did not arrive yet. DHL said mine would arrive tomorrow, then changed it to today, with 30 minutes notice. I did sign for arrival. Passport printed Sunday night in the USA and then I didn't get a text from DHL until Tuesday 7am.

Passport arrived much quicker than expected. Cannot fault the service

Mine was a straightforward renewal, no urgency, therefore used express registered postal mail. Maybe if I had used a courier I could have gained a couple of days. I was informed of every step of the procedure.

Passport printed 9:44pm on 24 February 2026 Application approved 12:25pm on 24 February 2026 Documents received 8:55am on 17 February 2026 Application received 5:04pm on 11 February 2026 Application submitted 5:03pm on 11 February 2026

Born in the UK. It was a stressful experience, but mostly for my constrained timelines (needed passport for March 11). With more breathing room would have been mostly stress-free. I did speak to an agent mid-February to confirm receipt of the second set of requested documents. I would say they are very effective. Passport printed 9:19pm on 20 February 2026 Application approved 6:26pm on 20 February 2026 Documents received 10:36pm on 6 February 2026 Application received 9:28pm on 3 February 2026 Identity details received 9:28pm on 3 February 2026 Email sent to person confirming your identity 8:35pm on 3 February 2026 Ask someone to confirm your identity 8:33pm on 3 February 2026 Application submitted 8:33pm on 3 February 2026

Super fast and efficient .. called the office a couple of times with wires and the staff were really friendly and helpful

It was overall a smooth process, i just wish they asked for my birth certificate in the first lot of documents as I had to spend $40 each time I sent documents. Glad its all sorted now thou.

Really fantastic experience. The application process was really easy step-by-step and I’ve been kept fairly well informed throughout the whole process. The tracking is really handy and the staff on the phone and we chat have been really helpful too.

Shocked at how quick it was, really impressed to receive my passport 2 weeks after application. Application process was easy, the tracker kept me informed and the emails and texts were also really useful. Passport application approved on 24/2/26 and passport delivered 26/2/26 - very quick delivery!

Despite having to send so many things from Australia to England for the application it was processed quite quickly

Sent all the requested documents, which has also been sent for other child's passport and approved. However, for this passport we were then asked for a signed letter as well. This has to be posted separately, causing delays and doubling the postal cost.