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:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-10-24
Date Received:
2022-11-07
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Easy to apply and good to be able to track application .
Would welcome more info regarding time frame and process for return of critical docs .
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-10-18
Date Received:
2022-11-09
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
I had an urgent requirement for a passport, and there was no formal channel for a first adult passport. In the end it arrived quite quickly (2 weeks vs stated 10 weeks) but it would have been great to have a sense of comfort that it could be much quicker than 10 weeks.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Glasgow
Submission Date:
2022-10-27
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-10-22
Date Received:
2022-11-03
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
My passport came rather quickly and there were no issues so all in all a good experience
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-10-30
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Newport
Submission Date:
2022-11-03
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Did post office check and send digital. Easy and quick.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-11-02
Date Received:
2022-11-08
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Belfast
Submission Date:
2022-10-22
Date Received:
2022-11-02
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-10-30
Date Received:
2022-11-10
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Got my partner to take a photo of me, but I found it much easier having him hold the phone facing me (i.e. in “selfie” mode) so that I could see what my face was doing. My photo was rated as green (likely to be accepted) and I posted my old passport out the following day. I was surprised that this was a requirement for them to even start processing my application so I’m pleased I was able to do this so quickly. The system sends you regular updates at every stage of the process so you can feel comfortable that things are moving along. In my case, the updates were: application submitted, application received, documents received, application approved, passport printed.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-10-28
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very smooth process, with updates, by text and email, at each stage, i.e.
receipt of application / receipt of old passport / approval of application / in for printing / printed / gone to TNT for delivery / text from TNT on day of delivery
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2022-11-06
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
5 days so fortunately for me no 10 week wait as advertised on the UK Gov passport page.
Worked perfectly.
Try not to be pressured by post office staff hard sell to spend more money on a securer delivery method.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-10-03
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-11-05
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Paid for next day delivery of old passport to passport office on Monday 8th.
Good update messaging throughout.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-11-05
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Amazed it was so quick. Applied online Saturday, sent the old passport on Monday and the new one arrived today (Friday). Six days from start to finish and two of them were a weekend. I was completely informed via email at every stage. Very good service.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-11-06
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-11-04
Date Received:
2022-11-18
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Super easy – they received my old passport on the 9th and my new one arrived on the 11th!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-10-31
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-10-31
Date Received:
2022-11-10
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2022-10-31
Date Received:
2022-11-09
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-11-01
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Great experience. Each step was completed promptly by the passport office as shown below.
Passport printed 11:10pm on 10 November 2022, arrived today by TNT (11th November)
Application approved 8:07am on 10 November 2022
Documents received 3:04pm on 3 November 2022
Application received 8:53am on 2 November 2022
Identity details received 8:53am on 2 November 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 4:42pm on 1 November 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 4:05pm on 1 November 2022
Application submitted 4:05pm on 1 November 2022
I think posting off the required documents promptly helped the process, we sent my child’s old passport the following day via next day royal tracked (guaranteed by 1pm service). We also did the photo in a booth so we could submit with the code.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Newport
Submission Date:
2022-11-03
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Newport
Submission Date:
2022-11-03
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-11-02
Date Received:
2022-11-11
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Liverpool (Bootle)
Submission Date:
2022-08-03
Date Received:
2022-11-07
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Applied from India through the Visa Application Centre – VFS Global, Bangalore. I could easily communicate with them through their email –
help@customerservice.hmpo.gov.uk. They usually reply within 5-6 hours on weekdays! This might help a lot of you.
4/08/2022 – Money deducted for the Passport
Contacted HMPO through their online form. Please note: The application number which VFS gives is different from what the HMPO assigns! So you need to give your full name, DOB and address in the form so that they can track it.
10/08/2022 – Passport application received (which HMPO informed me when I contacted them 4 weeks later)
14/09/2022 – I request them to send my passport urgently since I need to travel. HMPO informs me “Your application is still awaiting examination at this time” and to apply for an emergency travel document. I refuse because it takes a lot of time here (Due to Govt. holidays) and also we need an exit permit from India in case we need to leave India which will take 2 weeks minimum. Passport application number assigned by HMPO still not obtained
15/09/2002 – I call up HMPO, England. Get a chance to speak in the first try. However, the call disconnects. I call again, and they tell me the same story as above. No application number given yet.
9/10/2022 – Wrote to Bangalore, India VFS asking if its arrived. No response. They dont care.
11/10/2022 – I write once again to HMPO, England. They finally provide me with an application number. They reply – “it is currently waiting to be checked”.
19/10/2022 – I write once again to the HMPO. Now they reply saying “I can confirm that we received your application at our office and is currently still being looked at”. This is important! This means your application has finally reached the examiner!
26/10/2022 – I write once again as it is now week 12. They reply back saying my passport was sent for printing on 21/10/2022!!! HURRAH! They said it shall be discpatched shortly. I ask if I can have the tracking DHL Number. They say no because it is to be sent to VFS directly and not to me. Hence, no ways to track it 🙁
2/11/2022 – Not received my passport yet! Week 13! So I write once again to HMPO, England. They reply saying the passport has reached India on 28th OCTOBER 2022 via DHL! I’m elated and I write to Bangalore, VFS.
Email ID of VFS is the same you would have written to while taking an appointment. Though it says its an automated response, someone actually does read it and will reply to you. I received an email reply back saying my passport hasn’t come yet and that it has only been printed. I shot out another mail with a copy of the mail sent by HMPO saying it has reached India! No reply
4/11/2022 – Receive an email (no phone call or sms) from VFA that the passport has arrived. I receive this mail at 4 PM and its a Friday. We can collect passports only from 9 am to 2 pm :(. I request can I come to collect the next day (Saturday). They reply saying they are not open 🙁
7/11/2022 – FINALLLY I HAVE MY PASSPORT IN MY HANDS! Along with a cup of coffee. I deserved it 🙂
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-10-28
Date Received:
2022-11-14
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Submitted application 28/10 online
Paperwork received at Durham 31/10
Receipt acknowledgement 3/11
Approval 9/11
Passport printed 10/11
Received in USA 14/11
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2022-09-03
Date Received:
2022-11-09
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
For comparison – Irish passport overseas renewal submitted 01/09/2022, passport book printed and dispatched 02/09/2022, received on 09/09/2022. Passport card printed and dispatched on 02/09/2022, received 13/09/2022.