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:
Belfast
Submission Date:
2022-08-11
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Relatively easy, had to resubmit the photo I took and provide some details about a previous passport that was lost (well out of date, issued when I was a child and never renewed). Was expecting it to be more difficult as I had changed my full name and changed title to Mx. But on that there was no questions and super easy, just needed to send in Deed Poll and proof of new name being used.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-08-28
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-09-05
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Used the online service; submitted a photograph with an ID code taken in a photo booth: returned my old passport on the day of application via Royal Mail next day signed for delivery
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Glasgow
Submission Date:
2022-08-20
Date Received:
2022-09-07
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
It was stressful until it wasn’t. Basically the service worked really well and really quickly, but trying to get any sort of information out of the call centres is broadly impossible. For example it’s clear that renewals are – generally – running quicker than 10 weeks. But no-one will tell you this and in fact they leave. you totally stressed out. We had initially weighed up going fast-track because we were under a deadline, but in the end the regular service was quicker as we couldn’t get a fast-track appointment for 3 weeks. We regretted our decision for a few days but in the end it worked out fine. This website is very useful – thank you!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
London
Submission Date:
2022-08-24
Date Received:
2022-09-02
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
after hearing the 10 week wait time i put my application in far in advance of my holiday but i was surprised when it only took about 2 weeks
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-08-16
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
I was really worried but it was approved within 3 weeks. It was a damaged passport replacement.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-08-24
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Simple process
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-05-27
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Took 15 weeks, I applied with a 17 week gap between application to my holiday luckily or else I may have lost lots of money!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-08-20
Date Received:
2022-09-10
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
Old passport received 25th, in fairness we sent them quite late, Passport approved on the 5th, printed on the 7th. Decent waiting time overall for the passport. TNT was a bit of a nightmare though, delivery scheduled on the 8th and they didn’t even try, was just sent back to the office. Reattempted on the 10th and had to flag the driver down as he appeared lost!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-08-22
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Online is best. Very straightforward. Mail strike caused the biggest delay in my old passport being received!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-08-09
Date Received:
2022-09-11
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
Up to 10 weeks for a passport is ridiculous and annoying that you cannot fast track once started the application, my bad as did not originally see the 10 week wait.
1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-08-23
Date Received:
2022-09-08
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-08-22
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-08-26
Date Received:
2022-09-10
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied online using digital photo upload. So quick and easy. Passports arrived only 15 days later!
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
2022-08-30
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Impressive turnaround, though haven’t yet received the foreign passports that we needed to send as part of the application.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-08-24
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very easy – may have helped that it was a child renewal, easy to take photo at home and submit them. Very straightforward process.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-08-20
Date Received:
2022-09-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
This was overseas child renewal and we’d been bracing ourselves for a 11 week wait but got the new passport in less than a month!
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
Child Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-08-20
Date Received:
2022-09-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
This was overseas child renewal and we’d been bracing ourselves for a 11 week wait but got the new passport in less than a month!
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-08-03
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Pretty smooth, I was expecting a longer wait as Durham seems to be the worst office.
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-08-25
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Really easy. Followed the standard process. They received my old passport quickly and kept me updated re the status.
I left a note re urgent upcoming travel. I wonder if it was considered, considering. the very fast turnaround time!
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-04-12
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
Firstly, if you have to make a change to your name (in my case dropping my middle name) do not wait for a long time before calling them. After I’d sent the first lot of documentation, and then the second set of documentation, explaining what I wanted to do, I assumed that when they read the cover letter it would be moved into the appropriate “stream”. No, that’s not how it works – it still stays in the automated system until you call and ask them to move it.
Secondly, the tracking system can only track one set of documentation, so if you have to send two, you will not know that it has been received. So always send it with tracking so at least you know it’s there.
After speaking to someone at the passport office (which I only did when I got an email and text stating they hadn’t got the documentation and if they didn’t get it within 3 days they would consider my application abandoned) it took exactly 6 weeks for me to receive the passport.
So while I generally think – no point in hassling them, sometimes you need to be more proactive particularly if yours is not a standard application.
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-06-06
Date Received:
2022-09-09
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
The whole process was unacceptable, no one would help, the advice was different every time I spoke to the help line. I needed to travel for family reasons but even then they would not help, it wasn’t an emergency! I ended up getting an emergency passport to travel to my family. I don’t begrudge paying the £100 plus courier charge for my family ( luckily I had the money) but I do begrudge having to pay the passport/government more money because of their incompetence after I’d already paid for my passport renewal and courrier.
Overseas applications should be given the opportunity to upgrade or fast track, they are the ones who actually need passports as proof for so many papers or in my case needing to travel for my elderly mother. Three days short of fourteen weeks is not acceptable!
The whole process has brought so much stress and worry .
I now have the passport but should never have been put in the position not to have the freedom to travel when needed and to be without ID for so long
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-08-20
Date Received:
2022-09-10
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Overseas renewal: DHL Shipped old passport to Durham and Passport Office confirmed was received within 4 days (as anticipated), approved + printed in 2 weeks, then DHL delivered back a few days later. Seamless!