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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:
15-05-2025
Date Received:
04-06-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
22-05-2025
Date Received:
05-06-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
20-05-2025
Date Received:
05-06-2025
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
28-04-2025
Date Received:
03-06-2025
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
My last entry to the country apparently was not recorded (e-gates) and therefor they asked me for additional documents twice to proof my address
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
26-05-2025
Date Received:
05-06-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Passport printed 1:20am on 4 June 2025
Application approved 3:00am on 3 June 2025
Documents received 3:49pm on 2 June 2025
Application received 11:44am on 26 May 2025
Application submitted 11:43am on 26 May 2025
Very impressed! I was worried as the website says 3 weeks on average, and I wanted to book a holiday for mid-June, but my documents were received on the Monday and passport delivered on the Thursday – all in what is supposed to be close to peak season.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
21-05-2025
Date Received:
30-05-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Excellent service
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
25-05-2025
Date Received:
06-06-2025
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Fairly smooth process strange how passport website didn’t show printed/posted yet royal mail text to say when it would be delivered.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
28-05-2025
Date Received:
06-06-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very fast!
Received through the letter box: 10.50am on 6 June 2025
Passport printed 7:22am on 5 June 2025
Application approved 11:45am on 4 June 2025
Documents received 8:11pm on 29 May 2025
Posted documents ’24 Tracked’ about 4.30pm on 28 May 2025 [I did the application in ‘my’ car shortly after getting the picture done in the Tesco booth]
Application received 4:23pm on 28 May 2025
Application submitted 4:23pm on 28 May 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Other Friend took on DSLR
Submission Date:
28-05-2025
Date Received:
06-06-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Passport printed 9:43pm on 5 June 2025
Application approved 11:50am on 4 June 2025
Documents received 8:19pm on 29 May 2025
Application received 11:33am on 28 May 2025
Application submitted 11:32am on 28 May 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other
Submission Date:
23-05-2025
Date Received:
07-06-2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other Timpson Shop, which also provides a code like a photo-me booth
Submission Date:
12-05-2025
Date Received:
04-06-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Passport Office tracking showed “Application Received” for 2 weeks, although Post Office tracking showed it had been signed for the day after it was sent. Rang the office at the end of this period, they said that it didn’t appear to have been received. Gave them the tracking number and they said that they had escalated it and I would hear from them. Call was answered immediately (after going through the auto attendant). Total length of call was 17 minutes, including the auto attendant. Within 10 minutes status changed to “Documents Received”. Passport Office rang me the following evening and said the old passport had now been linked to the application and was in the queue for processing.
Passport arrived 7 days later. Total time from application to delivery 23 days, old passport received back 2 days later.
[Old Passport Received about 10.00am on 6 June 2025]
[New Passport Received about 10.00am on 4 June 2025]
Passport printed 7:24am on 3 June 2025
Application approved 2:17pm on 1 June 2025
[Call from Passport Office 5:11pm on 28 May 2025]
Documents received 4:17pm on 27 May 2025
[Call to Passport Office 4:02pm on 27 May 2025]
[Post Office delivered old Passport 8:39am on 14 May 2025]
Application received 2:59pm on 12 May 2025
Application submitted 2:59pm on 12 May 2025
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1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
18-05-2025
Date Received:
06-06-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
20-05-2025
Date Received:
04-06-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
The application status was stuck on ‘approved’, even though the passport had been printed, and I had received notification from Royal Mail that it would be delivered the next day. It took almost a whole day for HMPO to update the application status on the website.
StatusDate
Passport printed 11:06pm on 3 June 2025
Application approved 8:36am on 2 June 2025
Documents received 4:18pm on 22 May 2025
Application received 9:01pm on 20 May 2025
Identity details received 9:01pm on 20 May 2025
Email sent to person confirming your identity 3:47pm on 20 May 2025
Ask someone to confirm your identity 3:44pm on 20 May 2025
Application submitted 3:44pm on 20 May 2025
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
25-05-2025
Date Received:
06-06-2025
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:
25-05-2025
Date Received:
06-06-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
No issues, very quick and smooth.
1 Week Fast Track Application
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
Durham
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
03-06-2025
Date Received:
06-06-2025
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
22-03-2025
Date Received:
04-06-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
15-05-2025
Date Received:
02-06-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Used FedEx International to send old passport. It was delivered Monday 19th May and acknowledged as “Received” on Wednesday 21st May. Approved Wednesday 28th. Shipped via DHL on Friday 30th May. Received Monday 2nd June.
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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.
Morning
The following is mine, but the submission date is wrong – it should be the 28/05/25 and not the 08/05/25! Can you please have it amended?
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
08-05-2025
Date Received:
06-06-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very fast!
Received through the letter box: 10.50am on 6 June 2025
Passport printed 7:22am on 5 June 2025
Application approved 11:45am on 4 June 2025
Documents received 8:11pm on 29 May 2025
Posted documents ’24 Tracked’ about 4.30pm on 28 May 2025 [I did the application in ‘my’ car shortly after getting the picture done in the Tesco booth]
Application received 4:23pm on 28 May 2025
Application submitted 4:23pm on 28 May 2025
Thank you Johanna for letting us know. This has now been corrected.
Thank you Andy.