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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:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
10-07-2025
Date Received:
29-07-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
London
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
28-06-2025
Date Received:
29-07-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
27-05-2025
Date Received:
02-07-2025
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
05-07-2025
Date Received:
29-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport With Interview
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
21-05-2025
Date Received:
05-06-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
14-07-2025
Date Received:
25-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Sent both my adult renewal and my daughters child to adult renewal paid for the extra guaranteed delivery both ways. Superb service and super easy to use the online self photo.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
15-07-2025
Date Received:
29-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Other Snappy snaps
Submission Date:
20-07-2025
Date Received:
25-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application history
Passport printed
12:56am on 24 July 2025
Application approved
3:45am on 23 July 2025
Documents received
4:47pm on 22 July 2025
Application received
5:32pm on 20 July 2025
Application submitted
5:32pm on 20 July 2025
The passport arrived about 26 hours after being printed. So happy!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Other Snappy snaps
Submission Date:
20-07-2025
Date Received:
25-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application history
Passport printed
12:56am on 24 July 2025
Application approved
3:45am on 23 July 2025
Documents received
4:47pm on 22 July 2025
Application received
5:32pm on 20 July 2025
Application submitted
5:32pm on 20 July 2025
The passport arrived about 26 hours after being printed. So happy!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
22-07-2025
Date Received:
26-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Excellent. Submitted Late on the Tuesday. Posted next day on Wedneday afternoon. I received the passport Saturday Morning.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
22-07-2025
Date Received:
26-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Excellent. Submitted Late on the Tuesday. Posted next day on Wedneday afternoon. I received the passport Saturday Morning.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
12-07-2025
Date Received:
26-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
New passport received 11:11am on 26 July 2025
Passport printed 9:39pm on 25 July 2025
Application approved 9:26am on 24 July 2025
Documents received 7:22pm on 16 July 2025
Old passport sent on 14 July 2025
Application received 11:02pm on 12 July 2025
Application submitted 11:02pm on 12 July 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
13-07-2025
Date Received:
25-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Renewal passport, previous passport was as a child so this was first adult. Followed the guidelines and applied for an adult renewal. Only had to send off my previous passport.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
04-07-2025
Date Received:
24-07-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
4th July – application submitted
5th July – old passport sent off
7th July – Royal Mail notification delivery of old passport
9th July – old passport received acknowledgment
16th July – request for further info (missed that the old passport had small amount of water damage had to explain)
17th July – further information sent
22nd July – application approved
23rd July – passport printed
24th July – passport delivered.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other
Submission Date:
12-07-2025
Date Received:
25-07-2025
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Received 25 July
Passport printed 2:57am on 24 July 2025
Application approved 9:24am on 23 July 2025
Documents received 8:49pm on 15 July 2025
Application received 3:45pm on 12 July 2025
Application submitted 3:44pm on 12 July 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
18-07-2025
Date Received:
28-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
It was very stressful realising that my holiday was booked in my married name and passport in maiden name so ordered a new passport and it came quickly. The longest time was knowing my documents were delivered but it not being updated on the site
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Photo Method
Other Taken at post office for digital application
Submission Date:
02-07-2025
Date Received:
19-07-2025
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:
05-06-2025
Date Received:
29-07-2025
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Passport office took 5 weeks to upload documents- no explanation as to why – documents uploaded 17th of July and passport received today 29th of July .
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
04-07-2025
Date Received:
22-07-2025
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Very quick easy and simple to do. Application was sent from Northern Ireland so took an extra couple of days.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
29-03-2023
Date Received:
29-04-2023
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
My experience was very stressful, my passport arrived two days before we flew out for our first family holiday. I had lots and lots of phone calls, emails and chasing up. People on the emails were nicer and more understanding
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
07-07-2025
Date Received:
25-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
This is for an application made from North America.
Passports shipped out 7th July
Received via carrier 9th July
Docs received in pp office system – 11th July
Passports approved – 21st July
Printed – 22nd July
Arrived – 25th July by dhl
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
03-07-2025
Date Received:
17-07-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Only issue was I sent my old passport signed for first class and Royal Mail delivered it the next day but it wasn’t shown as received until 4 days later. Otherwise all was ok.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
28-06-2025
Date Received:
26-07-2025
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Application process was easy and straight forward.
Documents (expiring passport) went missing in transit and arrived to HMPO as an empty passport – process became difficult from this point.
Waited approx 7 days for notification of the issue.
Once notified waited 2 days for an internal investigation before being informed to report as “lost in transit”.
Once submitted lost report found there is no link between lost report and renewal application so contacted HMPO 3 days later to discover they needed to link the application & lost report together.
Next day was informed would now require countersigning (completed same day). 1 day further was informed passport would be printed & despatched.
Passport arrived the day after being told had been posted.
Without complication seemingly would have been a quick renewal.
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Lost or Stolen Passport Application
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
14-05-2025
Date Received:
18-06-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Other
Submission Date:
05-07-2025
Date Received:
23-07-2025
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:
17-07-2025
Date Received:
25-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
08-07-2025
Date Received:
24-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied on the 8th July, signature got approved on the 8th too. Sent off documents which were received on the 10th July but timeline didn’t get updated until the 16th to “documents received” then it was approved on the 23rd and my passport arrived on the 24th.
Quick and easy process for a child’s first passport using standard service.
Only had to send off his birth certificate for it all to be processed.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
28-06-2025
Date Received:
18-07-2025
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:
29-06-2025
Date Received:
12-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Having done 2 children’s first passports at the same time. For some reason my daughters application got here and my sons birth certificate uploaded. So it kept asking me to send my sons documents. Having spoken to them on the web chat it swiftly got sorted!
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
14-07-2025
Date Received:
26-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
27-06-2025
Date Received:
16-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Childs dad had sent for renewal but as he hadn’t ever applied for passport before and we weren’t married, the passport initially failed . We then needed to send birth certificate. Couldn’t find it so had to order new birth certificate. When I rang to ask if I ( Mam) could do anything to speed up the wait, passport office suggested I sent some documentation ( my passport number, driving licence photo and proof of address) passport office were always helpful when I rang and always answered phone quickly. I was stressed but needn’t of been really.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
17-07-2025
Date Received:
29-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Online application 17/07/25 (Thurs)
Identity confirmed 17/07/25
Posted old passport 17/07/25
Documents received 18/07/25 (Fri)
Approved 25/07/25 (Friday)
Printed 26/07/25 (Saturday)
Dispatched 28/07/25 (Monday)
Received 29/07/25 (Tuesday)
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
14-07-2025
Date Received:
29-07-2025
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:
14-07-2025
Date Received:
26-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
1 Week Fast Track Application
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Photo Method
Other Went to Snappy Snaps in Peckham
Submission Date:
18-07-2025
Date Received:
25-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Realised our 5 year old didnt have enough time on her passport the day we were supposed to leave on holiday (Fri 18 July). Drove to get photo immediately and booked the appointment for following Monday. Train London to Liverpool day before. Liverpool passport office were lovely and helpful. Passport arrived following Friday (25th) although almost went amiss as postwoman had it in the pack for the next street. We made the second week of our holiday…..
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
Glasgow
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
20-07-2025
Date Received:
29-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Honestly my mistake assumed kids run out same year as mine and there dads next year :(. Big boo boo the 1 week is the quickest for a child renewal it’s sickening and made things so stressful yes I know my fault but I would have done anything to do a one day . Additional cost would have been fine and providing birth certificates , interview both oarengs , birth certificates of parents etc any documentation to show legally we could go on the holiday as life is busy and people make mistakes . If there was a way to get around the safeguarding if just a renewal and a British citizen and nothing complicated I think should be an option
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
Glasgow
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
20-07-2025
Date Received:
29-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
They lie a lot on the phone, however communication is good.
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
London
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
20-07-2025
Date Received:
29-07-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
13-07-2025
Date Received:
29-07-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
It is very hard to find a suitable photo booth in Germany. I took a photo on my phone.
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
03-07-2025
Date Received:
24-07-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
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