Recent UK Passport Applicant Timelines

Completed online form and sent back old passport on Monday - passport office confirmed receipt on Wednesday. Passport approved, printed and dispatced Thursday, delivered Friday. I did not pay for the fast track service - this was the standard service.

I applied as a first-time applicant, as my previous passport had expired over 20 years ago. The most stressful part of the process was the supporting document requirements. About a week after submitting my initial documents, I received a letter requesting my full birth certificate (which I had already sent), the passport used to travel to my country of residence, and a written explanation of why I was not applying in my country of birth. I called HM Passport Office to let them know the birth certificate had already been submitted, and they noted it on my file. A week later, I received another letter advising that my birth certificate was not accepted: it was a consular birth certificate, and they required one issued from my place of birth. I obtained a certified English translation of that document and submitted both together. My application was approved approximately a week after that. In total, I spent ~$266 in international courier fees across three separate document submissions via DHL.

Application history Passport delivered on 22nd May 2026 Passport printed 10:59am on 21 May 2026 Application approved 8:43am on 21 May 2026 Documents received 10:17am on 14 May 2026 Document delivered and signed for on 8th May Document sent via RM on 7th May Application received 7:28am on 6 May 2026 Application submitted 7:27am on 6 May 2026

Submitted original CND passport and original registration certificate as required with application. No additional documents requested. Still waiting for return of docs. Passport in hand 11:30am on 22 May 2026 Passport printed 8:42am on 19 May 2026 Application approved 9:51am on 18 May 2026 Documents received 1:06pm on 6 May 2026 Documents received per courier 11:20 am on 28 April 2026 Application received 12:27pm on 22 April 2026 Identity details received 12:27pm on 22 April 2026 Email sent to person confirming your identity 10:53pm on 20 April 2026 Ask someone to confirm your identity 10:50pm on 20 April 2026 Application submitted 10:50pm on 20 April 2026

submitted application 8th Passport was delivered and marked as received 12th approved 19th printed 20th delivered to me 21st great turnaround

Hi, I haven't received my passport yet, but the service has been quite good.

Application Submitted 24th April Documents Sent 30th April Documents Received 5th May Application Approved 12th May Passport Printed 13th May Delivered 14th May

Quick and easy, no extra documents required. Application submitted 11 April Documents (expired uk passports & current Spanish passports) sent 13 April Documents received (via tracking) 22 April Documents received (updated on website) 24 April Passport approved 6 May Passport printed & sent 7 May Passport received 12 May

Application submitted 3:45pm on 2nd May Application recieved 3:45pm on 2nd May Documents recieved 4:38pm on 6th May Application approved 12:43pm on 13th May Passport printed 7:29am on 14th May

I used a Japanese photo-me booth with the i-keep service to receive the image digitally. I paid for the premium service to convert the background from blue to white. It was accepted. I posted the passport via EMS, and it was delivered by Parcelforce via Coventry and Milton Keynes. The new passport was sent via DHL without any tracking information, and I was required to sign for it. Application submitted - 15 April Old passport posted - 16 April Old passport delivered (according to both Parcelforce and UKPA email) - 24 April Application approved - 6 May Passport printed (and shipped) - 6 May Passport arrived - 15 May, exactly one month after application.

Sent documents (old UK passport and photocopy of new Spanish Passport) on 1st May, received by Passport office 6th May, application approved 13th May, printed and dispatched 14th May, received 15th May.

Only docs we needed to send were color copies of US Passport. Would have been nice if we could PDF and email. Passport arrived 4:50pm on 15 May 2026 Passport printed 7:55am on 12 May 2026 Application approved 2:16pm on 11 May 2026 Documents received 12:39pm on 28 April 2026 Docs arrived in Corby on 20 April 2026 Application received 8:53am on 16 April 2026 Identity details received 8:53am on 16 April 2026 Ask someone to confirm your identity 8:50pm on 15 April 2026 Application submitted 8:50pm on 15 April 2026

Never had a passport previously and was expecting to need an interview but my application was approved without one. - Application submitted 11:00am on 27 April 2026 - Ask someone to confirm your identity 11:00am on 27 April 2026 - Email sent to person confirming your identity 11:03am on 27 April 2026 - Identity details received 1:21pm on 30 April 2026 - Application received 1:21pm on 30 April 2026 - Documents received 4:06pm on 7 May 2026 - Application approved 2:51pm on 14 May 2026 - Passport printed 8:38am on 15 May 2026 - Passport received next day on 16 May 2026

Application history Passport received 12 May 2026 Passport printed on 24 April 2026 Application approved on 23 April 2026 Documents received on 14 April 2026 Application received on 9 April 2026 Application submitted on 9 April 2026

Application submitted on Sunday night, posted my old passport on Monday afternoon, received by PO on Tuesday. Application approved Wednesday morning, new passport printed in the afternoon and received it Thursday morning! Quicker and cheaper than the 1 week service.