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
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
04-10-2023
Date Received:
13-10-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Passport printed 13 October
Application approved 12 October
Documents received 10 October
Application received 4 October
Application submitted 4 October
Very good service and live updates with SMS and email on every stage. Total waiting time 7 working days!
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
03-10-2023
Date Received:
13-10-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
All good. Minor issue trying to get an evenly lit face without a shadow for the photo
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
02-10-2023
Date Received:
13-10-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Passport printed 6:03am on 12 October 2023
Application approved 9:52am on 11 October 2023
Documents received 1:03pm on 9 October 2023
Application received 10:08am on 3 October 2023
Identity details received 10:08am on 3 October 2023
Email sent to person confirming your identity 11:12pm on 2 October 2023
Person not eligible 11:01pm on 2 October 2023
Email sent to person confirming your identity 5:59pm on 2 October 2023
Ask someone to confirm your identity 5:55pm on 2 October 2023
Application submitted 5:55pm on 2 October 2023
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
02-10-2023
Date Received:
12-10-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
– Submitted application online 2/10
– Mailed documents 3/10, arrived 4/10
– Documents acknowledged 6/10
– Application approved 10/10
– Printed 11/10
– Arrived by DHL on 12/10
Which means the overall time was just under 2 weeks, but it only actually took HMPO a week to turn everything around from delivery of my documents to them to the new passport being mailed out. Overall very easy, and very quick – based on the 2022 chaos I was concerned it would take forever and considered an express option, but given how quickly it came back under normal processing glad I didn’t pay the extra!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
05-10-2023
Date Received:
13-10-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
My black “death” passport renewal exceeded all expectations.
Application submitted 5/10,
Old passport posted tracked first class (£2.35) 5/10
Passport arrived at Corby 6/10 (Friday)
Passport office confirmed receipt on 9/10 (Monday @ 7:19pm)
Application approved 11/10 (Wednesday @ 12pm)
Printed @ 6am on October 12th
Arrived @ 10am on October 13th.
So a great service by the Team in Corby; just a dire shame that we have lost our right of free movement across Europe – and there is still no sign of ANY tangible benefit. from
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
06-10-2023
Date Received:
14-10-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Fantastic service. Very easy to apply. Kept advised of progress at each stage.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
06-10-2023
Date Received:
14-10-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Quick response and kept up to date at each stage
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
08-10-2023
Date Received:
14-10-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Could not have been better.
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Lost or Stolen Passport Application
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
03-10-2023
Date Received:
12-10-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
05-10-2023
Date Received:
14-10-2023
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Completed application online on the Thursday, sent docs next day delivery on Friday, had notification they’d received the following Tuesday, notification of approval Wednesday and received new passport on the Saturday morning. Just over a week from start to finish. Excellent service.
1 Week Fast Track Application
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
London
Submission Date:
09-10-2023
Date Received:
12-10-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
09-09-2023
Date Received:
26-09-2023
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Given that there were 3 delays (2 Spanish Bank Holidays, and an extra day on my DHL 24hr delivery due to weather for passport to arrive to UK), quite impressed. The wait for documents to register on the system as received was stressful. I found out the wait from Printed > DHL text > Delivery was due to a 3rd party collecting passport & delivery to the FCO depot for DHL to then take receipt. Overall, great job from Hemel Hempstead but see Corby are on top of their game a bit quicker!
Passport Delivered: 26 September 2023
Passport Printed: 22 September 2023
Application Approved: 21 September 2023
Documents Received: 18 September 2023
Application Received: 9 September 2023
Application submitted 9 September 2023
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