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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 With Interview
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
14-04-2025
Date Received:
13-05-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Application submitted – 14 April
Identity verified – 15 April
Docs sent 15 April (confirmation from post office that delivered 16 April)
Docs marked as received – 25 April, after an enquiry from me via the virtual assistant.
Further documents requested – 1 May
Requested to attend a virtual interview – 8 May
Virtual Interview – 9 May
Passport approved – 9 May
Passport printed – 12 May
Passport received – 13 May
Supporting documents – not yet received as at 16 May
Application process was straightforward, but quite stressful that docs not recorded for well over a week (even with a bank holiday in between) as received until I followed up with tracking number from post office. Subsequent requests for more supporting docs were also a surprise, but appear to be primarily related to establishing proof of address. Interview request was surprising but pleasant and there was availability for virtual interviews the next day. All HMPO staff I interacted with, virtually or on the phone, were extremely helpful. Now just to get my supporting documents back …
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
16-05-2025
Date Received:
16-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
06-05-2025
Date Received:
16-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application Submitted 6/5/25 6.11pm
Application Received 6/5/25 6.11pm
Documents Received 9/5/25 11.18am
Application Approved 14/5/25 14/5/25 1.59pm
Passport Printed 15/5/25 12.05am 15/5/25
Passport Received 16/5/25 16.5.25 11.30am
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
London
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
13-05-2025
Date Received:
16-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Only took 3 days!!! Very very slick process! Got a photo done at a booth Tuesday morning (cost £10) submitted an online standard application ( NOT fast-tracked) Tuesday afternoon and sent old passport back same day (Tracked). Received passport update notifications Wednesday & Thursday via sms and my new passport arrived registered post Friday afternoon. Incredibly smooth and very easy and only took THREE days from beginning to end! Surely faster than fast track! Astonishing!!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
28-04-2025
Date Received:
17-05-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Prehaps due the bank holiday, it took long time for the HMPO post room to mark the old passport been received. (9 May 2025 displayed on HMPO website, Royal Mail confirmed the delivery on 30 April 2025).
The status information update provided is confusing and lagging:
1. Issuing date on the passport is 15 May 2025, HMPO website said printed on 16 May 2025.
2. Royal Mail records shown sender despatched the new passport at 9:30am 16 May 2025, this SMS notification was received at 10:25am 16 May 2025 ahead of HMPO’s email notification received at 09:37pm on Friday16 May 2025, informing the passport has been printed and will be transferred to delivery supplier in the next few days.
Status, time and date:
Passport printed 9:37pm on 16 May 2025
Application approved 3:53pm on 15 May 2025
Documents received 12:18pm on 9 May 2025
Application received 7:51pm on 28 April 2025
Application submitted 7:50pm on 28 April 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
11-04-2025
Date Received:
13-05-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Seems to have taken above average time for processing.
Passport printed 7:30am on 12 May 2025
Application approved 6:59am on 10 May 2025
Documents received 12:03pm on 15 April 2025
Application received 11:51am on 11 April 2025
Application submitted 11:50am on 11 April 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
04-05-2025
Date Received:
17-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Send Old Passport Back over Bank Holiday.
Passport Received – 10th May 2025
Application Approved – 15th May 2025
Passport Printed – 16th May 2025
Passport Received – 17th May 2025
Much less stressful than expected and man in the Post Office was very helpful in advising best method of delivery to use for old PP for cost-effectiveness.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
07-05-2025
Date Received:
17-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied 7th May, posted old passport (tracked 1 day delivery from post office) 8th May, received new passport 17th May. Much quicker than any previous renewal.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
03-05-2025
Date Received:
17-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very easy, I sent old passport in via normal 1st class post (in hind sight wish I had done signed for) took 1 week after I posted the old passport for this to be logged into the system as received. After that the process was very quick and received my passport within 6 days.
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1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
03-05-2025
Date Received:
16-05-2025
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:
27-04-2025
Date Received:
10-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Passport printed 1:17am on 9 May 2025
Application approved 9:17am on 8 May 2025
Documents received 2:06pm on 1 May 2025
Application received 9:48am on 28 April 2025
Identity details received 9:48am on 28 April 2025
Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:11am on 28 April 2025
Ask someone to confirm your identity 7:24pm on 27 April 2025
Application submitted 7:24pm on 27 April 2025
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
03-05-2025
Date Received:
15-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
03-05-2025
Date Received:
15-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
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