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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
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
25-08-2025
Date Received:
09-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
28-08-2025
Date Received:
11-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application submitted 28 Aug
Identity done on 28 Aug
Docs posted 28 Aug, delivered to Hemel 29 Aug, processed 1 Sep
Application approved 9 Sep
Passport printed / posted 10 Sep
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
29-08-2025
Date Received:
12-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
27-08-2025
Date Received:
11-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Actually the process to apply a passport was not completed.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
27-08-2025
Date Received:
13-09-2025
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
Passport printed 7:20am on 12 September 2025
Application approved 2:11pm on 11 September 2025
Documents received 9:01am on 1 September 2025
Application received 5:12pm on 27 August 2025
Identity details received 5:12pm on 27 August 2025
Email sent to person confirming your identity 3:53pm on 27 August 2025
Ask someone to confirm your identity 3:49pm on 27 August 2025
Application submitted 3:49pm on 27 August 2025
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
10-09-2025
Date Received:
10-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Submitted on 28/08/25
Documents received by the passport office (my old passport) on 01/09/25
Application approved 08/09/25
Passport printed at 11:19pm on 09/09/25
I recieved it – early morning on 10/09/25
I expected it to be 13 days from submission to recieving it based on all the recent passport waiting times and that exactly what it turned out to be! I’m very happy would, obviously would have loved to recieve it within 10 but that’s pushing it I guess! But I’m super happy. I get very anxious doing applications but with hindsight it’s so easy! The application form took literally a few minutes; As for my picture, I took it my self but with my phones back camera (the selfie camera wouldn’t be sufficient I guess) but yeah I’m happy with the pic too as I had nice Lighting too!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
08-09-2025
Date Received:
11-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Ridiculously fast – 3 days from submitting my application to receiving my new passport!
Application history
Passport printed 11:15pm on 10 September 2025
Application approved 5:48am on 10 September 2025
Documents received 7:27pm on 9 September 2025
Application received 3:00pm on 8 September 2025
Application submitted 2:59pm on 8 September 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
16-08-2025
Date Received:
11-09-2025
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
They lost our passports but it took weeks for them to admit it until a manager raised a pro forma and then it was approved within minutes of them accepting liability.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Photo Method
Other Post Office Check & Send
Submission Date:
28-08-2025
Date Received:
10-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Received in post on the morning of 10 Sept
Passport printed 10:40pm on 9 September 2025
Application approved 9:04pm on 8 September 2025
Documents received 7:45pm on 1 September 2025
Application received 4:02pm on 28 August 2025
Application submitted 4:02pm on 28 August 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
29-08-2025
Date Received:
10-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application submitted: 29 August 2025
(Notification on delivery from Royal Mail arrived 12hrs before update from the Passport Office)
Documents received: 1 September 2025
Application approved: 8 September 2025
Passport printed: 9 September 2025
(Notification on delivery from Royal Mail arrived before printing notification)
Passport arrived: 10 September 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other Timpsons
Submission Date:
20-08-2025
Date Received:
09-09-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Passport received 2:15pm on Tuesday 9 September
Passport posted 10:23am on Monday 8 September 2025
Passport printed 12:48am on 6 September 2025
Application approved 9:12am on 5 September 2025
Documents received 12:12pm on 29 August 2025
Application received 1:11pm on 20 August 2025
Application submitted 1:10pm on 20 August 2025
Renewed from Child passport which went out of date in 2019. As I thought it was a first adult passport, I applied through the standard service…. If I had known it was a renewal, I would have used fast track as got holiday booked on 22nd September and would have saved me the headache of wondering if passport would arrive in time.
Also, think bank holiday slowed things down a tad… pretty quick though in under 3 weeks from applying…
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
21-08-2025
Date Received:
10-09-2025
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
18-08-2025
Date Received:
10-09-2025
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
Was a renewal with a name change due to marriage. Marriage certificate was Italian and they wouldn’t accept the first thing I sent so had to get another document translated and sent. They weren’t very good at explaining what I needed to send but once I’d cleared it up on the Facebook group it was relatively easy.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
22-08-2025
Date Received:
09-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
25-08-2025
Date Received:
09-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application recieved 25/08/25
Documents recieved 29/08/25
Application approved 05/09/25
Passport printed 08/09/25
Passport recieved 09/09/25
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
29-08-2025
Date Received:
11-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very easy and quick online service only comment is first photo I took which was rated good got rejected but did it again then ok
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
02-09-2025
Date Received:
11-09-2025
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:
28-08-2025
Date Received:
11-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
01-09-2025
Date Received:
04-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other Post Office staff took the photo
Submission Date:
30-08-2025
Date Received:
12-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
I applied via the Post Office for a standard adult renewal and the whole process was so easy. I was regularly updated with the status of the application and there wasn’t a hiccup. The staff did an amazing job.
From the day of submitting the application to the day I received my new passport it was 13 days.
Very impressive.
I can travel and fly again!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
30-08-2025
Date Received:
12-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Royal Mail delivered 1:26pm on 12 September 2025
Royal Mail collected 11:19am on 11 September 2025
Passport printed 10:02am on 11 September 2025
Application approved 3:19pm on 10 September 2025
Documents received 6:04pm on 3 September 2025
Application received 3:24pm on 30 August 2025
Application submitted 3:24pm on 30 August 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
20-08-2025
Date Received:
29-08-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
15-08-2025
Date Received:
04-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very easy and straightforward process for an adult renewal with name change ( through marriage).
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
19-08-2025
Date Received:
29-08-2025
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:
28-08-2025
Date Received:
10-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Passport Renewal including change of name from maiden name to married name
28/08/2025 Applied
01/09/2025 Docs recieved by HMO
08/09/2025 Approved
09/09/2025 Printed/Shipped
10/09/2025 Passport Arrived
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Lost or Stolen Passport Application
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
04-09-2025
Date Received:
13-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
25-08-2025
Date Received:
10-09-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Other Went into a photo shop and had someone take it and send the code via email
Submission Date:
23-08-2025
Date Received:
12-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
21-08-2025
Date Received:
05-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
29-08-2025
Date Received:
12-09-2025
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:
28-08-2025
Date Received:
11-09-2025
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
30-08-2025
Date Received:
11-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other Max Speillman
Submission Date:
27-08-2025
Date Received:
10-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Really straight forward and quick. Start to finish 2 weeks
1 Week Fast Track Application
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
Durham
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
03-09-2025
Date Received:
05-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Booked a one week fastrack at Durham dit a damaged passport renewal. Had an app on wed 03.08 at 3.10pm and had the passport delivered to my address on 05.08 by 1pm fantastic service and customer advisor thank you
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
20-08-2025
Date Received:
08-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied on a Wednesday, posted the old passport via DHL to arrive Friday. It was logged into the system the following Tuesday. I received my new passport back today, so 2 and a half weeks total. I am in a major city though so that might help with delivery time.
Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
28-08-2025
Date Received:
10-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
For the date of submission, I entered the date my documents were received by HMPO.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown:
8/14/2025 All online application materials submitted (application and identity confirmation).
8/28/2025 Documents received at Hemel Hempstead
9/4/2025 Application approved
9/10/2025 Passport arrived (we live in the US)
9/11/2024 Documents (birth certificate, etc) returned
It was a relatively easy process. The only part that had me worried was the 2 week shipping to send the documents there. For about a week, I stopped receiving shipping updates before the packet arrived at Hemel Hempstead. I was worried about a customs delay but someone explained that packets are forwarded in bulk to Hemel Hempstead and they likely missed the individual scan at that point.
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
20-08-2025
Date Received:
08-09-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied on a Wednesday, posted the old passport via DHL to arrive Friday. It was logged into the system the following Tuesday. I received my new passport back today, so 2 and a half weeks total. I am in a major city though so that might help with delivery time.
Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
15-08-2025
Date Received:
12-09-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Returned Documents pending:
Passport received: 12 September 2025
Return of Documents received by DHL: 2:46pm on September 12 2025
Passport received by DHL: 3:00pm on 9 September 2025
Passport printed: 6:45am on 6 September 2025
Application approved: 1:54pm on 5 September 2025
Documents received: 12:34pm on 28 August 2025
Royal Mail delivered documents to HMPO Corby: 2:11pm 26 August 2025
Application received: 8:56pm on 16 August 2025
Identity details received: 8:56pm on 16 August 2025
Email sent to person confirming your identity: 11:55pm on 15 August 2025
Ask someone to confirm your identity: 11:51pm on 15 August 2025
Application submitted : 11:51pm on 15 August 2025
Application is an overseas application for a RENEWAL of a 1990 issued passport. HMPO considers this a first time application due to the passport age.
Disappointed that better communication of courier tracking information from HMPO did not occur. I received messages from DHL via WhatsApp.
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