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Whether you’re eagerly waiting for your passport or planning to apply soon, this page offers valuable insights from others who have gone through the process.
How This Page Works
Every day, applicants like you share their passport application experiences on our site. They provide:
- Application Date: When they submitted their passport application.
- Receipt Date: When they received their new passport.
- Photo Method: How they obtained their passport photo (e.g., at home, pharmacy, professional service).
- Processing Office: The passport office or centre that handled their application so you can check to see how quick the agency you have been assigned is processing passports.
Additionally, applicants often share helpful tips and observations that can assist you in managing your application or understanding current processing trends.
Stay Informed
Monitor the latest wait times and gain a realistic expectation for when your passport might arrive based on real-world data. Knowing what to expect can ease anxieties and assist in planning your travels.
Compare Processing Times
See how different agencies and photo methods impact processing speeds. This can help you choose the best options to potentially reduce your wait time.
Learn from Others
Benefit from the experiences of fellow applicants. Many share crucial advice, like which agencies are processing faster or tips for avoiding common pitfalls.
Share Your Experience
Help us keep this page accurate and useful by submitting your own passport wait time once you receive your passport. Your contribution will assist others and contribute to a clearer picture of the current processing landscape.
1st Adult Passport
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
23-04-2025
Date Received:
08-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Did the whole process online. Simple. Was always informed the progress of the application and what to do and expect next. Couldn’t ask for more.
Passport received on 8 May 2025
Passport printed on 7 May 2025
Application approved on 5 May 2025
Documents received on 28 April 2025
Application received on 23 April 2025
Identity details received on 23 April 2025
Email sent to person confirming your identity on 23 April 2025
Application submitted on 23 April 2025
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
22-04-2025
Date Received:
07-05-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
28-04-2025
Date Received:
07-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Travelling on the 10th so maybe should have done a fast track to save a little stress 🙂 Very pleased with how quickly they processed it considering it was a bank holiday too. Useful tip is you can track it with royal mail using the PEX number after it has been printed, they didn’t update the normal tracking until after it had been delivered.
Received on the 7th
Passport printed 10:36pm on 6 May 2025
Application approved 11:30am on 3 May 2025
Documents received 1:01pm on 28 April 2025
Application received 2:59pm on 24 April 2025
Application submitted 2:59pm on 24 April 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
13-04-2025
Date Received:
25-04-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
It was easy and quick even with the bank holidays
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
28-04-2025
Date Received:
09-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
23-04-2025
Date Received:
09-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
28-04-2025
Date Received:
09-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
03-05-2025
Date Received:
10-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied online on the Saturday. Due to back holiday, old passport wasn’t received until Thursday. Had text to confirm approved on the Friday and then delivered on the Saturday.
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1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
25-04-2025
Date Received:
09-05-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
26-04-2025
Date Received:
01-05-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
28-04-2025
Date Received:
09-05-2025
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
21-04-2025
Date Received:
09-05-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
The online process was straight forward and the turnaround was quick given that two bank holidays fell in this period. Knocked a stars off as trying to take a photo of a 6 week old baby in line with the all the requirements was a real pain.
With the original photo submitted, the application indicated it had a high rate of being approved, this was then rejected. The second photo I took said that it had a poor rate of being approved (due to it being blurred which it wasn’t) I submitted this and it was approved…
Application history
Passport received on 9 May 2025
Passport printed 7:30am on 8 May 2025
Application approved 11:37am on 7 May 2025
New photo received 9:31pm on 6 May 2025
Photo rejected 10:30am on 5 May 2025
Documents received 7:22am on 29 April 2025
Application received 8:07pm on 22 April 2025
Identity details received 8:07pm on 22 April 2025
Email sent to person confirming your identity 11:24am on 21 April 2025
Ask someone to confirm your identity 12:32am on 21 April 2025
Application submitted 12:32am on 21 April 2025
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other Max spielman
Submission Date:
26-04-2025
Date Received:
09-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
23-04-2025
Date Received:
09-05-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
24-04-2025
Date Received:
30-04-2025
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Very straightforward
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
28-04-2025
Date Received:
09-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
25-04-2025
Date Received:
08-05-2025
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
28-04-2025
Date Received:
09-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
I used an online web chat on bank holiday Monday and added my date of travel
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
19-04-2025
Date Received:
08-05-2025
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
London
Photo Method
Other Professional photographer
Submission Date:
08-04-2025
Date Received:
08-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Because they didn’t ask for an interview although it has been my first British passport ever and I applied from overseas. It was approved within 4 weeks only.
Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other Taken in local photo shop
Submission Date:
16-02-2025
Date Received:
09-05-2025
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
The process took a bit longer than I would have liked. I was asked to send additional documents after my initial review, but I believe they were misplaced by HMPO (they were never scanned despite the carrier marking them as delivered). Ended up having to replace my documents and send a third shipment.
Timeline:
Passport printed 3:54am on 3 May 2025
Application approved 10:29am on 2 May 2025
Documents received 1:34pm on 15 March 2025
Application received 3:06am on 18 February 2025
Identity details received 3:06am on 18 February 2025
Email sent to person confirming your identity 12:14am on 18 February 2025
Email sent to person confirming your identity 5:20pm on 16 February 2025
Ask someone to confirm your identity 5:15pm on 16 February 2025
Application submitted 5:15pm on 16 February 2025
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