Applications whilst locked down

[MiSa]

Not yet. According to the TNT tracking , it will be delivered tomorrow.

(oddly enough , to get the PAN number you have to remove the PEX part but also all spaces in between. Why they dont tell you that in the email, is a mystery)

[MiSa]

Passport received today 24th of July (for tracking: the PAN number is your PEX reference, without the PEX part and no spaces between the numbers)

Passport printed and sent 9:23pm on 21 July 2020
Application approved 9:09am on 21 July 2020
Twitter DM sent 20 July
Application being processed 10:44am on 10 July 2020
Documents received 2:35pm on 4 July 2020
Application received 11:19am on 22 June 2020
Identity details received 11:18am on 22 June 2020
Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:55am on 22 June 2020
Ask someone to confirm your identity 5:43pm on 20 June 2020
Application submitted 5:43pm on 20 June 2020

[sophieestepanian12]

Hi all, I had an email today saying “Dear Miss Estepanian,

Thank you for your email about the progress of a passport application.

I am happy to confirm we received your passport application at our Newport office on 16 July 2020 and it is currently waiting to be checked.” Could this mean it has gone through processing?

[noodlevicky]

I applied for an emergency passport due to an upcoming visa application, so here’s the timeline in case anyone was wondering!

Passport printed and sent 2:36pm on 24 July 2020
Application approved 5:50pm on 23 July 2020
Application being processed 2:36pm on 23 July 2020
Documents received 12:31pm on 23 July 2020
Application received 3:35pm on 21 July 2020
Application submitted 3:34pm on 21 July 2020
Link with application form received 21 July
Phone call from local passport office to tell me what I needed to send as supporting evidence: 18 July
Phone call to helpline: 17 July (morning)

[daisydukesss]

@kimmy could you possibly let me know the timeline for your replacement? Mine was lost and haven’t seen too many people replacing lost/damaged ones. Thanks!

[isewell]

I have now been waiting 3 weeks for my appliance/documents to be received in Durham (sent from USA)

Twitter DM said that I should wait at least a month total for docs to even be received.

Honestly it appears they’ve given up processing foreign-received applications in favor of prioritizing domestic received applications – which seem to be moving fast enough now.

Has ANYONE who applied to Durham from USA had any progress or still “waiting to receive documents” (Yes, I am sure they’ve had my docs for past 3 weeks, signed for by B HUMBLE)

[razu]

I thought I would add my experience.

We booked a holiday without checking passports two weeks ago, we’re flying out on the 1st of August. Of course, my passport would have to run out in October when I need 3 months on it to fly!

As you can see in my history, I applied for a renewal on the 12th of July, and passport turned up yesterday, the 24th. I sent my old passport to Durham, for what that’s worth.

I didn’t do anything extra, like get in contact with the passport office.

Good luck to anyone else who ends up on this page like I did a couple of weeks ago!

Application history

Passport printed and sent 7:04am on 22 July 2020
Application approved 2:56pm on 20 July 2020
Documents received 10:05am on 18 July 2020
Application received 11:17am on 12 July 2020
Application submitted 11:16am on 12 July 2020

[se7enmasta]

All

Please read the below link if travelling within the next fortnight or waiting to return to the UK because of expired passport reasons.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/her-majestys-passport-office-update-on-passport-applications

[jamesd1974]

If u booked pre Covid they rush them through quicker they rushed mine through after just under 2 weeks as I booked the holiday last year and had all 4 back in just over two weeks I had to send them evidence of that though

[nk8366]

I was wondering how long it took for others to receive their old passport back from the HMPO.

My new one was delivered on 23rd, but the TNT tracking website indicated that the shipment was ‘supporting documents.’

Obviously, I was happy that they delivered the new passport, but as I paid for tracked delivery of old one (it appears that this was a mistake), I wondered if I would be able to track that delivery using the same PAN number. Any info would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[chrisevs1]

I applied for two passports on 4 July – one a child renewal and the other a first adult passport for my 16 year old. In each case, I was aiming to receive by 29 July (3 1/2 weeks as we leave for Croatia on 30th) so I knew it would be tight. I posted the old passports on 6 July so they were probably delivered on 8 July. Although they were sent to different offices (Durham and Peterborough), the tracking indicates both as “Received” on 15 July and “Being processed” on 21 July. Based on other comments on the forum, I’d say that’s about average (i.e. 7 days for it to be “received” and another 6 days until processing begins).

If I did nothing, I think I could have expected the applications to be approved after a further 9 days, then printed/sent a couple of days later. As that was too late for our holiday, I called the general number (0300 222 0000) on 23 July and requested a callback. Other comments on the forum suggest this is pointless, but in fact a very nice person from the Newport office returned my call 7 hours later. As I had made my holiday booking before lockdown and there was less than 2 weeks until travel, she was able to escalate my request. The following day, I received a call from another very friendly person (Geoff in Durham) who had my daughter’s application and said he would process it straight away. He also called his colleague in Peterborough to make sure my son’s application would be handled. I received official confirmation that the applications had been approved that afternoon. My daughter’s passport arrived via TNT today (27 July) and my son’s was marked as sent on Saturday so I’m expecting it tomorrow.

All in all, I’m very impressed with the people at the Passport Offices who are working tremendously hard to process the applications and prioritise the urgent requests. If you meet the two criteria above (ie booking before lockdown and less than 2 weeks before travel), I would encourage you to escalate your request via (a) the callback service and (b) Twitter DM. It’s not guaranteed but they will do their best to help you.

Hope this helps.

[SaSh]

My daughter applied for her passport renewal on 7th July and received the new passport on 21st July.
But she hasn’t received her old passport back yet (which has lifetime visa). During digital check and send service in post office we were told that it would be sent back…
How long is it taking now a days for old passport to come back?

[fairy1234]

Wanted to share my experience of renewing an adult UK passport, applying from Australia.
It’s due to arrive on 30th of July 2020.

Application history
Passport printed and sent 10:17am on 21 July 2020
Application approved 10:48am on 20 July 2020
Application being processed 9:28am on 29 May 2020
Documents received 11:38am on 28 May 2020
Application received 3:12am on 13 May 2020
Application submitted 3:12am on 13 May 2020

[Speedbird676]

@fairy1234 May I ask which Passport Office dealt with your application?

Conversely, my mum applied for her renewal from Turkey back in April and is still waiting for the replacement. Her Turkish residency permit, for which she needs the passport, expired in June and she’s been calling every day to no avail.

Application history
Application being processed 4:26pm on 26 June 2020
Documents received 1:47pm on 26 June 2020
Application received 12:00pm on 2 April 2020
Application submitted 11:59am on 2 April 2020

[JL]

@fairy1234

I am in a similar situation, applying for a passport whilst in Australia, it seems your application got some early traction at least once your documents arrived, I hope my application gains traction soon otherwise I will be in some trouble as my visa is expiring shortly.

Application received 1:04am on 2 July 2020
Application submitted 1:04am on 2 July 2020
Documents sent 2 July
Documents arrived 13 July
Initial contact 14 July
Received callback* 16 July
Contacted Twitter** 22 July
Twitter response 25 July
Contacted MP*** 28 July

* Helpful as could be, made notes on my application regarding my situation and the urgency of the application. Sent internal email about potentially arranging delivery to an UK address to avoid shipping delays (so I can get a photocopy for my visa application) if the application is approved too close to the deadline and to avoid overseas shipping delays (HMPO refused this request, said I can only change the address to the UK if I am in the UK).

** Twitter “forwarded” the details of my case to their colleagues and just asked me to be patient (a liberty I do not have unfortunately).

*** Contacted my MP, their office staff contacted me within a few hours and asked for a few more details and then promptly stated they will follow up with the HMPO.

[Author]

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