View Previous Post
View Next Post
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:
Newport
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
23-04-2025
Date Received:
01-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very simple and easy. Super fast. 1 week in total fro submitting application to it arriving through the letterbox.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other Photo service in chemist’s shop
Submission Date:
09-04-2025
Date Received:
01-05-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Application wasn’t to bad (pretty straightforward) but my waiting time was quite long as I send my documents and it over lap with bank holidays. My application wasn’t progressing for a week, which worried me a bit, so I give it a call to passport office helpline. Unfortunately for me women who I spoke to wasn’t very helpful, moreover she confused me with saying I will need an interview as a applied for first passport. Eventually I never had an interview. Passport office are interviewing random people, not everyone. I waited 3 weeks for a new passport. My advice for others- just wait, you will get your passport eventually, just be patient with them.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport With Interview
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Other Maxx Spielmann
Submission Date:
27-03-2025
Date Received:
01-05-2025
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
Applied – 27 March
Identity confirmed – 31 March
Documents sent – 1 April
Documents received – 8 April
Interview & application approved – 29 April
Passport & documents arrived – 1 May
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Newport
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
15-04-2025
Date Received:
01-05-2025
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:
22-04-2025
Date Received:
01-05-2025
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:
09-04-2025
Date Received:
17-04-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
I was surprised by how quick the process was. It took a couple of days for my old passport to show as received after it was delivered by royal mail but it was approved the same day and printed the next. I had my new passport within 8 days. My partner renewed his passport at the same time and we sent our old passports in the same envelope but his didn’t show as received until 2 days after mine. His was also processed quickly and took 11 days in total.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other Max Spielman
Submission Date:
20-04-2025
Date Received:
01-05-2025
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:
22-04-2025
Date Received:
02-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
12-04-2025
Date Received:
01-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Royal Mail took 10 days to get my old passport to the passport office. My fault because I chose second class – but beware if you want it fast. Thankfully the Liverpool passport office were ultra quick in processing the application.
9 days from receipt of old passport to receiving new passport.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
28-04-2025
Date Received:
02-05-2025
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:
23-04-2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
07-04-2025
Date Received:
02-05-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
I sent my old passport to Hemel Hempstead on the day of application via second class post. It wasn’t updated on the system until 24th April.
Date Received:
03-05-2025
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:
23-04-2025
Date Received:
03-05-2025
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:
13-04-2025
Date Received:
17-04-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
This was an adult passport renewal along with a name change using the PD2 form (i.e. newly weds name change). New passport was received just over two weeks after the documents were received, with Easter bank holidays in the middle. Very happy!
Full status updates below:
Passport arrived on 3 May 2025
Passport printed and dispatched on 2 May 2025
Application approved on 1 May 2025
Documents received on 17 April 2025
Application submitted on 13 April 2025
Has this website has been helpful..?
If so, and you would like to say thanks you can do in the following ways.
Buy your holiday essentials on Amazon via the button.
If you visit Amazon via the button below and make a purchase we receive a small commission.
Or, if you prefer, feel free to buy us a coffee if you have found this helpful.
1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
14-04-2025
Date Received:
02-05-2025
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
My experience was stressful because I had a 15 day timeline and it took a week for the tracking system to change to documents received despite being sent special delivery on 16th April. I had to chase the passport office to get it changed to documents received. The office acknowledged they should have scanned my documents days before. I wish I went fast track in hindsight.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
16-04-2025
Date Received:
03-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
18-04-2025
Date Received:
01-05-2025
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Form submitted 18th April
Documents sent 22nd recorded
Documents received 23rd
Email to confirm identity 29th
Identity confirmed 29th
Passport approved 29th
Passport printed 30th
Passport received 1st may
1 Week Fast Track Application
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
Newport
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
25-04-2025
Date Received:
01-05-2025
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Passport arrived much earlier than expected. I was advised at the appointment to allow 7 days for delivery. I received an email the next morning to say the passport was printed and was delivered the following day.
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
08-04-2025
Date Received:
01-05-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
04:40 8.April 2025 Online Submission / Received
14:00 18.April 2025 Document / Old Passport Received
16:00 24.April 2025 Approved
01:00 25.April 2025 Printed
12:30 1.May delivered Japan Address
View Previous Post
View Next Post
We have a very small favour to ask………….
We really hope this information is helpful to you and reduces stress whilst you are waiting for you passport. If you are able to make a small donation for the cost of a coffee it really helps us to maintain the site and continue to make improvements for future passport applicants.