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:
Newport
Submission Date:
2023-01-29
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
I applied online, had digital photo taken and uploaded it using the code from Snappy Snaps. Then I simply followed the instructions on the passport office website; they are clear and give you an idea of what happens next especially if you sign up for updates via email and/or text. I also called the helpline number to clarify which passports I needed to send, and the agent was very helpful (only send currently valid passports that you can still use to travel). Overall, smooth and straightforward.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-01-23
Date Received:
2023-02-06
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Fast service. Received documents notification within 2 days of sending it, and then 7 days until approval (including weekend). Approval text on a thursday, received passport monday morning. Yet to receive sent documents back, but it says it could take up to 2 weeks and it has been about 1.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
2023-01-25
Date Received:
2023-02-08
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
HM Passport Office (no choice of location, just for reference): Hemel Hempstead
Application Submitted: 2023/01/25
Documents Submitted: 2023/01/25
Documents Received (according to Royal Mail): 2023/01/26
Documents Received (according to Passport Office): 2023/01/30
Approval Received: 2023/02/06
Passport Printed: 2023/02/07
Passport Received: 2023/02/08 (through the mail slot via DHL)
Documents Received: 2023/02/10 (via Royal Mail 2nd class)
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-02-01
Date Received:
2023-02-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-01-31
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
1 week from receiving my old passport my application was approved and printed 2 days later at 5am Friday 10th Feb. Still said “your passport has been printed and we’ll hand it over to our delivery company in the next few days” on Monday morning when I checked, but at 9am Monday (13 Feb) morning, it was delivered through my letter box.
From posting my old passport to getting my new one through the door was a total of 14 days.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-01-29
Date Received:
2023-02-10
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Belfast
Submission Date:
2023-01-31
Date Received:
2023-02-03
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Easy online application, including taking the photo via my camera phone, instead of using an expensive photo booth. Process was much quicker than anticipated.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-01-28
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application submitted 28/01/23
Application received 28/01/23
Sent old passport 31/01/23
Documents received 02/02/23
Application approved 09/02/23
Passport printed 10/02/23
Passport delivered 13/02/23
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-02-02
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Newport
Submission Date:
2023-01-31
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-01-29
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-01-31
Date Received:
2023-02-10
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
2023-01-28
Date Received:
2023-02-10
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-01-28
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Adult passport renewal arrived 1 working day after a Child renewal that had been submitted at same time. Took just over 2 weeks in total, very happy with that.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-01-31
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Glasgow
Submission Date:
2023-01-26
Date Received:
2023-02-09
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Application history
StatusDate
Passport printed 10:09pm on 7 February 2023
Application approved 12:18pm on 6 February 2023
Documents received 9:13am on 31 January 2023
Application received 1:57pm on 26 January 2023
Application submitted 1:56pm on 26 January 2023
RECEIVED VIA TNT 9 Feb 2023. Total turnaround-2 weeks from date of online application.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
London
Submission Date:
2023-01-03
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
2023-01-29
Date Received:
2023-02-10
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-01-30
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Lost or Stolen Passport Application
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Passport Office:
London
Submission Date:
2023-01-31
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2023-01-28
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Application submitted: 28/01/2023
Documents received: 02/02/2023
Application approved: 08/02/2023
Passport printed: 10/02/2023
Passport received: 13/02/2023
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-01-23
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
Everything was fine until they decided to say the person verifying the identity didn’t meet the criteria. This was complete rubbish as she is a teacher who met all criteria. I rang up to ask why they rejected her and was told the person I spoke to couldn’t tell me as they didn’t get told why and sometimes the people at the passport office were picky and that she might be fine to verify identity on another application. This proved to be the case as my other daughters application went through with no issue.
The lady I spoke to was clearly a bit fed up about it herself and reading between the lines it seems they sometimes just say someone doesn’t meet criteria to verify identity just for larks and giggles or because they can’t be bothered or are just feeling mean. It is completely unfair that when criteria are a simple yes or no they can still just decide to reject for no reason and waste enveryone’s time. I’m fortunate that I know a lot of teachers so was easily able to get someone else to verify but others may not be in that position and should not be caused difficulty and stress for no reason at all. Once the second person verified her identity one evening the passport was approved within ten minutes of the office opening the next day
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
2023-01-15
Date Received:
Not Received
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Still waiting for tracker to show it as received . Contacted them and have been told to wait.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Newport
Submission Date:
2023-01-29
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Passport printed 5:09pm on 9 February 2023
Application approved 12:47pm on 8 February 2023
Documents received 11:14am on 2 February 2023
Application received 11:54am on 30 January 2023
Identity details received 11:54am on 30 January 2023
Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:11am on 30 January 2023
Ask someone to confirm your identity 10:11pm on 29 January 2023
Application submitted 10:11pm on 29 January 2023
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2023-01-22
Date Received:
2023-02-03
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Very easy process but none the less still stressful as I think the updates on gov passport site need a bit more frequency. I applied for a child passport renewal and I will give the passport office credit it was a very fast turn around – 12 days from submission time to passport in hand! I still don’t know why you have to send in a passport if you hold one from another country just for a UK passport renewal – I am still waiting for the return of this passport for my child. However all in all a very very fast turn around and easy process to fill out online with little ‘faff’ 🙂
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2023-01-28
Date Received:
2023-02-13
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy