Feedback, experiences, timelines, tips and useful information from people that have recently been through the UK passport application process.
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1st Adult Passport
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport With Interview
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
11-06-2023
Date Received:
19-07-2023
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Applied 11th June, my documents were delivered to Corby via Royal Mail 13th June, they were scanned in at Corby 21st June, took the next available interview which was 19th July, application approved immediately after a 15 minute virtual interview.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
10-07-2023
Date Received:
20-07-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
-passport delivered: 20 July 2023
-Passport printed :11:26pm on 19 July 2023
-Application approved :8:58am on 19 July 2023
-Identity details received: 12:30am on 19 July 2023
-Email sent to person confirming your identity 12:07pm on 18 July 2023
-Person not eligible 11:54am on 18 July 2023
-Documents acknowledged/“received” 7:03am on 13 July 2023
– document posted on 11 July 2023 and using Royal Mail special delivery and delivered on 12 July 2023
-Application received 7:43pm on 10 July 2023
-Identity details received 7:43pm on 10 July 2023
-Email sent to person confirming your identity 3:56pm on 10 July 2023
-Ask someone to confirm your identity 3:53pm on 10 July 2023
-Application submitted 3:53pm on 10 July 2023
It was really quick, delayed by one day because I had an invalid person confirm my identity the first time. The 10 weeks mentioned were really scary but I doubt it would take that long. each case is different though, so don’t apply for a passport thinking you will get it within the same timeframe as someone else but if you sent all the right documents and follow the steps correctly it shouldn’t take too long 🙂
The gap mainly comes from them acknowledging your documents as it’s manually updated on the system, so it’s less likely to be updated as “received” when it’s delivered.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
01-07-2023
Date Received:
15-07-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Used the post office digital service
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
14-07-2023
Date Received:
20-07-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Less than a week, applied online on a Friday, sent back old doc Friday, text received on the Monday, printed Wednesday and received new passport Thursday morning.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
17-07-2023
Date Received:
20-07-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Standard online renewal application.
Application received: 2:07pm on 17 July 2023
Documents received: 9:47pm on 18 July 2023
Application approved: 7:36am on 19 July 2023
Passport printed: 1:00am on 20 July 2023
Old passport received: 10:00am 20 July 2023
New passport received: 11:30am 20 July 2023
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
10-07-2023
Date Received:
18-07-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Overall a very easy experience with no issues! Was slightly alarmed when I saw it could take 10 weeks ( I had 7 weeks until going abroad) but the process ended up being very quick for a straight forward renewal at Corby office, the whole process took just over a week.
Timeline:
10th July- application sent and received
11th July- old passport received by Corby passport office.
17th July – application approved
18th July – new passport delivered
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
08-04-2023
Date Received:
28-04-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Absolutely no issues at all and arrived quicker than expected.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
10-07-2023
Date Received:
20-07-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very quick and easy process, didn’t require fast track or online premium services.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
07-07-2023
Date Received:
20-07-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Name change – adult renewal
Passport arrived midday 20th July
Passport printed 11:30pm on 18 July 2023
Application approved 7:17pm on 18 July 2023
Documents received 3:35pm on 13 July 2023
Documents actually arrived and signed for – 10th July PM
Documents sent signed for, guaranteed next day – 8th July AM
Application received 6:19pm on 7 July 2023
Application submitted 6:19pm on 7 July 2023
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1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
07-07-2023
Date Received:
19-07-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Really quick and easy
Excellent service
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
26-06-2023
Date Received:
17-07-2023
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Quick, considering I was applying from overseas.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
26-06-2023
Date Received:
20-07-2023
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Pretty happy, overall. The only problem was with confirming my daughter’s identify – the person I’d nominated to do it wasn’t accepted (even though he’d done the same thing for my son’s passport renewal). Once I’d found someone else to do that, though, it was all processed very quickly.
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
25-06-2023
Date Received:
20-07-2023
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Actually this was a ‘child renewal (overseas)’ from Singapore.
We paid for the fastest DHL service to ship documents. However, because the application was made in my name as the father, I was subsequently asked to provide additional proof of parental responsibility. We were shocked to learn that there is a presumption that such responsibility is held by the mother and is not automatically accorded to the father. This cost us time and money (a second DHL package to the UK) and could have been entirely avoidable if the Passport Office had asked for this documentation up-front, or – better still – my wife would have made the application instead of me had we known.
Altogether pretty efficient, but certainly not inexpensive (passport renewal fee + DHL document requests x2 totalled about GBP 183) for a five-year passport.
Passport printed 11:20pm on 17 July 2023
Application approved 7:30am on 17 July 2023
Documents received 11:42am on 5 July 2023
Application received 6:44pm on 25 June 2023
Application submitted 6:43pm on 25 June 2023
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
04-07-2023
Date Received:
17-07-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Extremely fast. Used DHL to get the documents to them. Processing time was a week. 3 days to get back.
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
04-07-2023
Date Received:
20-07-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Took photo on my phone and submitted it. It was noted as Good when I did the application.
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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.
