July 11, 2022

Passport Experiences 11th July 2022

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Passport Application Experiences

Feedback, experiences, timelines, tips and useful information from people that have recently been through the UK passport application process.

1st Adult Passport

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-04-14

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
Applied online for my passport and my daughter’s. Passports sent at same time on 20/4. Both tracked by post office as being received on 21/4 but daughter’s not acknowledged until 5th May by which time my new passport had been received!
Stressful time ensued – especially when the message on passport tracking page said I couldn’t request fast track until 10 weeks after old passport received! – talk about changing the goal posts! ! Contacted local MP who said they would expedite it 2 weeks before travel. Luckily now not needed – so relieved but feel for anyone in this situation it’s just awful.

Adult Renewal Passport

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-07-28

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Online application, passport received within 10 days of applying. Excellent service.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2020-06-13

Date Received:
2020-06-28

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
My wife and I both received our “jumbo” passports within 2 weeks. – rightly (or wrongly) I figured that a digital application would be faster than a paper application as a paper application would need to be digitised which would take time. Taking this type of logic a little further I assumed that if I did the electronic application at the post office it might move a little faster as the application might be progressed before receipt of the passport. The post office I went to was in a very small town where the customers and Post Office staff are on first-name terms. I was informed that in the opinion of the postmaster, applications for standard renewals were taking 6 working days using the digital system at the post office, and paper applications were much longer.

I have no idea if what I have written has any basis in fact however I am very surprised that the application method is not taken into account on this website (or if it does not make the slightest bit of difference the theory is debunked).

For the specific trip, I am taking I need my old passport back to transfer some legal paperwork to my new passport, unfortunately, when I received notification that my new passport was being dispatched, I was informed (I believe for the first time) that my old passport would follow in about 2 weeks consequently I need to wait for it before I can travel.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-28

Date Received:
2022-07-09

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Very impressed with how quickly my passport was returned. Hats off to the passport office for such a quick turnaround. I’m very grateful.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-25

Date Received:
2022-05-18

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
Initially stressful, but once application showed as received it moved very quickly.

Child Renewal

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-29

Date Received:
2022-07-08

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Very straightforward. Much quicker than expected.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-26

Date Received:
2022-07-11

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
We submitted our application on the 24th April 2022 and had not even realised the immense amount of applications that were undergoing so had no idea that the waiting time was up to 10 weeks! After waiting about 6 weeks and our holiday was on the 13th july and countless phone calls and emails and even a trip to the passport office without an appointment we put in an upgrade request two weeks before we were due to fly out. We were then waiting for a reply and were close to giving up and just going to the passport office tomorrow for the 48 hour printing service when we received a phone call today to come and collect my sons passport tomorrow at 2pm two days before our flight! this has been the most stressful passport application ever.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-06

Date Received:
2022-07-09

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
X2 child renewals submitted 6th April travelling July. 2 weeks before travel the amount of stress time anxiety it caused not having anyone give you a straight answer to being downright rude and suggesting I was stupid for booking a holiday. When the call did come from the upgrade team I didn’t believe it until I had x2 passports in my hands. So many tears of relief in the London passport office. Over 10 weeks no money back o apology and super amount of less sleep later. Not an experience I want to repeat!!

Overseas Passport Application

Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)

Submission Date:
2021-12-23

Date Received:
2022-07-09

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
Terrible experience with HMPO… 6 months to get a newborns first passport is absurd!!

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