Blog

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-02-23

Date Received:
2022-05-16

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
1st passport after naturalisation. No help from helpline – basically the 10 weeks is not guaranteed and they do not have a deadline.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-26

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Applied online

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-02-20

Date Received:
2022-05-20

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
HORRENDOUS!
Missed a holiday because of such poor service. It took nearly a month for the old passport to be “received” and then another 2 months with literally nothing moving… Tried to call 100s of times to be told, when I could get through (about twice) different stories, and that we needed to wait even longer to get the passport approved…
Please allow 20 weeks, not 10! to avoid getting stressed out about not having a passport to travel. Writing this as it is printed today, however still have not received it yet…. Probably have jinxed it now!

Application history
StatusDate
Passport printed 9:36am on 17 May 2022
Application approved 10:24am on 16 May 2022
Application being processed 9:48am on 23 March 2022
Documents received 11:24am on 18 March 2022
Application received 4:44pm on 20 February 2022
Application submitted 4:43pm on 20 February 2022

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-30

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
I was honestly really nervous about this due to news reports and bad reviews but I had a great experience. Normal online application – not fast track. I applied on April 30th which was a bank holiday weekend. Royal mail delivered my documents on May 4th. The longest wait was waiting for the passport office to acknowledge receipt of my old passport on their system (1 week after royal mail delivered). After that it was pretty quick. Received my passport today – May 17th so only really two weeks after they received my old passport! Thank you Belfast passport office for a quick turnaround!

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-27

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
I would recommend using the post office service. You pay an extra £16 but this seems to expedite the renewal much quicker.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-03-31

Date Received:
2022-04-26

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Status on Gov website status said for 2 weeks we hadn’t sent old passport back when we sent it on the day of application & had proof of posting. This wasn’t updated until we submitted an opinion of their service on the gov.uk website & marked the service as unsatisfactory, the status was updated as “received” the very next day! Also submitted photo online, it was accepted as good, then it was rejected 2 weeks later saying photo wasn’t good enough. Why bother saying it’s ok in the first place, if the quality isn’t good enough online they shouldn’t offer that service. At beginning of application it stated 4-6 weeks, it then went to 10 weeks!

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-25

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Passport in 3 weeks ! ignore the horror waiting stories!

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-03-23

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Mine was a lost renewal

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-03-07

Date Received:
2022-05-04

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
9 weeks & 5 days waiting. TNT were in possession of the passport for 2 weeks and failed to respond to any of my numerous emails. Their tracking sight claimed that they had attempted to deliver on three occasions. I was at home on all three days although I had received no notification and no card was left, they lied, they did not attempt delivery. This company should not be paid by the government for such appalling ‘service’

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-23

Date Received:
2022-05-16

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Application history
StatusDate
Passport printed 1:49pm on 13 May 2022
Application approved 8:04am on 12 May 2022
Documents received 4:38pm on 9 May 2022
Application received 1:42pm on 23 April 2022
Application submitted 1:41pm on 23 April 2022

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-23

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
Photo rejected after submission although give Good rating before submission. New photo submitted and passport received in 5 days.
Media hype causing unnecessary stress.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-30

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
Passport renewal was very easy. Every stage went through quickly until delivery. TNT delivery delayed my passport by 4 days.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-03-08

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
submitted via the postal application 8th March
text to say received on 16th March, with due date 25th May = 10 weeks
chased via tracking 4 times
had update text to say approved on 13th May
arrived via TNT on 17th May.

key lessons for me:
should have used on line as it seems you get more updates
don’t re-use old photos
use tracked delivery for sending anything to them
note your unique application number

observations – there seem to be no fast track appointments now, and the web chat also impossible because the staff are so busy.
I have no idea why application went to Liverpool and then Durham
the track your passport for postal applications is only an email – with a wait for someone to come back to you to reply – in my case around a week (not 72 hours).

however – it did arrive within the 10 weeks. the horror stories make it very stressful, and no doubt some people are missing holidays / travel etc.
all the best to the passport office staff who must be working v hard.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-04

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average

Comments:
We submitted 4 passports and only got 1 back. Haven’t heard any updates with the others.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-30

Date Received:
2022-05-11

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Could not have been easier. I wonder if it was this quick because we used the photo code service via a professional photographer? Plus our application went to Liverpool.

Email:

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-03-26

Date Received:
2022-05-09

Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average

Comments:
Initially I was a little nervous with all of the reviews that my passport would not arrive in time for my holiday at the start of June. My documents took around 2 weeks to be received and then were sat in ‘Documents received’ for about 3 weeks with no update. Once the application was approved it moved very quickly and took around 5 days to receive. I did have a small issue with the carrier delivering it to the wrong address however it was collected and re delivered the same day. Quite stressful but we got there in the end!

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-01

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
I chose the regular option as the availability for fast track dates was limited and I thought that my experience would be close to the average waiting time for passport renewals, c. 5 weeks. It turned out to be longer than that, all in all 6 and a half weeks. I called the passport office once but couldn’t get through, i wonder how others manage to chase up?
Submitted. 1st April
Docs received. 11th April (they were sent recorded delivery on the 2nd)
Application being processed. 6th May!
Approved. 12th May
Printed. 14th May.
Received. 17th May

I am not sure why there was a delay between receipt and processing of the application but i am glad that its all done.
Good luck!

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-05

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Outstanding given we were told to expect far longer . Applying online and posting our old passports the same afternoon meant there was no room for error or return and the whole process was super smooth with notifications at every stage.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-25

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
I had been very stressed about the prospect of my passport not arriving in time as I had only allowed 5 weeks between applying and travelling, but it came in just over 3 weeks. The longest wait was for the tracking page to recognise receipt of my old passport at the Peterborough office, which took about 2 weeks – luckily I’d paid for signed delivery so I knew it hadn’t been lost in the post. After that it updated every few days. Even though it was fine in the end, if I were applying now I’d still consider paying for the fast track service just to avoid worrying about it – the daily news articles about how dire the delays are had me losing sleep. Here are the exact dates:

Passport delivered on 17 May
Passport printed on 16 May
Application approved on 12 May
Documents received on 10 May (though signed for 27 April)
Application received on 25 April
Application submitted on 25 April

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-05

Date Received:
2022-05-16

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Online application for adult renewal with passport sent by recorded delivery to the Bootle office. Pleasantly surprised by the ease and speed (new passport received after 10 days) as was expecting it to take weeks.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-24

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
There was a 3 week wait between me sending off my old passport and the Passport Service updating their portal to acknowledge it was received! This causes the most stress, as I thought the old passport had been lost. Once they had acknowledged receipt of it the process was quick and I received my passport within 4 days! Their communications need visibility improving.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-27

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Was very nervous after reading all the bad things about passport delays. But it’s been a breeze and just a tad under 3 weeks from applying online. Still waiting for o/h passport to be dealt with as his is first time passport.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-06

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
I was amazed to get my new passport in one week four days from submission by the standard online application method having tried and failed to book a fast track appointment over the last few weeks.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-28

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
It takes a while for them to acknowledge documents received but then moved quickly.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-30

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
I was worried about how long this was going to take but absolutely fantastic turn around in little over two weeks including a bank holiday! Thank you!!

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-03

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Quicker than the 10 weeks I was expecting.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-23

Date Received:
2022-05-16

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
The longest wait was to get notification that they had received my old passport – that took 16 of the 23 day total!

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-04

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Overall a fantastic experience! I was apprehensive about all the media scare mongering, plus I already booked my holiday to Italy within the ten weeks. So I was a bit nervous. But, as you can see it just took two weeks to complete. Fantastic service! Well done government, you didn’t cock this up like many things you have.
Just to let you know my passport was sent to Bootle, Liverpool and they updated me with all the necessary information. TNT was great too.
Passport printed 12:20pm on 16 May 2022
Application approved 9:41am on 13 May 2022
Documents received 4:04pm on 10 May 2022
Application received 1:15pm on 4 May 2022
Application submitted 1:15pm on 4 May 2022

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-03

Date Received:
2022-05-12

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
2 hours less than 10 days to receive my new passport!!!
What can I say, text messages kept me well informed.
Well worth getting a digital photo and paying recorded delivery when returning your old passport.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-08

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Very lucky to have received my passport within 9 days of flying.
Easy application, useful tracking and very easy process.

Type of Application:
First Child Passport

Submission Date:
2022-04-10

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
As expected in terms of time. Tricky to get through on the phone. Online application process is very straightforward (if not time pressured)

Type of Application:
First Child Passport

Submission Date:
2022-04-12

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Stressful wait because of what’s being said in the media! Took 5 weeks in total had holiday booked for June I allowed 9 weeks and was stressing thinking it wasn’t going to come in time.

Type of Application:
First Child Passport

Submission Date:
2022-02-26

Date Received:
2022-03-26

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
10 weeks from unofficially receiving it; 7 weeks from “officially” receiving it. Disgrace.

Type of Application:
First Child Passport

Submission Date:
2022-04-10

Date Received:
2022-05-16

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Seemed to take forever to say received documents

Type of Application:
First Child Passport

Submission Date:
2022-04-10

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Wait time when I first submitted was around 40 days for this type of passport, it came in 37 days.

Type of Application:
First Child Passport

Submission Date:
2022-03-26

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Applied 26th March
Identity confirmed 26th March
Documents sent 27th March
Documents received 19th April
Passport approved 12th May
Passport printed 14th May
Passport arrived 17th May

Stressful wait between updates. Called and was given mis information a few times. You won’t be able to get through on the main line, it connects you to a message saying they are unable to take your call, but if you wait for the ivr to say ‘for anything else press 8’ select that option and you’ll get through immediately and they can still help.
Another issue I had is the postal tracking information was useless, came up with nothing at all.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-13

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Online application is the best way to go.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-03-24

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5

Comments:
Only managed to get it 7 days before flying by involving our MP.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-06

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Amazing service, kept up to date throughout the process which was extremely quick!

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-22

Date Received:
2022-05-16

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
After the initial stress of waiting 2 weeks for the tracker to update ‘documents received’ it was fantastic. Just over a week to process, approve, print and be delivered. This even included the application being put on hold because another person had to confirm identity. I wish the media would stop scaremongering, it would have saved me lots of panic/ stress in those first two week. (Peterborough office).

Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service

Submission Date:
2022-05-11

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Difficult to get an appointment. However once an appointment was secured it was very easy.

Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)

Submission Date:
2022-02-25

Date Received:
2022-05-17

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
Missed out on our vacation booked to Greece, luckily arrived days before a trip to US to visit family. Stressful and no informative updates.

Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)

Submission Date:
2022-04-14

Date Received:
2022-05-16

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Although my documents were “signed” for on April 19th, they were not marked as “received” by May 5th. So, I emailed them on that day and by May 6th, the documents were marked as “received”. After that, application was approved on May 10th and passport printed on May 11th.