1st Adult Passport
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Submission Date:
2022-03-16
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
This was the worst experience I’ve ever experienced. We submitted the application in March and did not receive it until the day before we flew.
We emailed the expedited service exactly two weeks before we were due to fly and only received the acknowledgement email.
We kept chasing it up with the General Enquiries line and the Progress team who weren’t really helpful. A week before we were due to fly, we were told to email again and mark it as a second request and urgent in the subject line and note the travelling date as the first line of our email. We felt hopeful. The operator was somewhat helpful, she told us where the passport was, told us to inform that we were willing to pick it up from one of the offices, and that the examiner has had the application since 02/06/2022.
Although we kept chasing the enquiries line on Monday and Wednesday, we were repeatedly told the same things. That it was not guaranteed but they would action it. The call on Wednesday was a hard one. We were told that it was very unlikely, they can’t tell us whether we should try to go in, it’s up to us whether we want to take that risk. We emailed a THIRD time, with capitals in the subject line, that it was our third request. We were flying on Friday in the evening and would really appreciate any sort of response. Even just to say we can’t pick this up because xyz.
I lost hope and came across this website, so thank you for this service. It gave me hope that if we just risked it and went to the office, we’ll get some answers.
My husband drove 2 hours to Peterborough, went into the queue just before 9am. At the same time, he received an email from the escalation team and this has been picked up and given to the examiner to have a look. He was then seen by the inquiry team who initially advised him that the application cannot be fast tracked and it will be rejected. My husband questioned them (too nice) why they would wait until today to say that and why. And they had the audacity to say it was because he wasn’t naturalised yet and would need an interview. WE SENT THE CITIZENSHIP CERTIFICATE AND GAVE THE REFERENCE IN THE APPLICATION. Why would we apply for this British Passport if we weren’t a British Citizen?! My husband clarified that he had a ceremony in March and we immediately applied for the passport.
They told us it’s been prioritised and he will get a call from the examiner. He confirmed that he’ll stay in Peterborough and to call him in if required.
My husband went back to the Peterborough office at 3pm and explained that he is yet to receive a phone call, he’s been waiting since the morning. The service from the handlers outside the Peterborough was excellent. They essentially spoke to the team in Durham and made sure it was looked at. The Durham team thought we were flying on the 2nd a Saturday (not sure how this would have made a difference as we would need the passport on Friday). He got to speak to the examiner and sort out the application. They printed it straight away and gave it to him at EXACTLY 5pm.
I’d recommend to going to the office even when discouraged to do so. The teams are more helpful and understand the situation much easier. The general enquiries line may as well be non existent.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Submission Date:
2022-04-28
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
Identity interview online on 28th June,
application approved 4 minutes after interview ended.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Submission Date:
2022-03-31
Date Received:
2022-06-29
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Initially applied for child’s renewal, but since it took so long, my child turned 16 and everything was delayed by at least 2 weeks due to the notifications of additional requirements being sent by 2nd class Royal Mail.
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-06-15
Date Received:
2022-06-29
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Good experience. Took less than 2 weeks from submission to receiving passport. My husband applied same day but his passport is missing so he is still waiting. Not even approved yet. But am sure it will be approved soon as we have holiday booked in August.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-06-11
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Much faster than I thought given 10 week wait info.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-04-26
Date Received:
2022-06-29
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Applied for both my husband and myself on April 26th- his arrived yesterday (29th June) Mine is supposedly being expedited as we are meant to be travelling on 6th July, but still saying on my application they’ve received my old passport- beginning to panic tbh!!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-05-29
Date Received:
2022-07-22
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
This was through Durham.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-06-11
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Only problem was digital photo. Took 3 with iPad one after the other so within seconds of each other. First was rejected but next was very good. Couldn’t see any difference in them.
Lost or Stolen Passport Application
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Submission Date:
2022-05-16
Date Received:
2022-06-29
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Accidentally sent my passport as a supporting document for daughters renewal. They lost my passport so had to submit a new one. Ended up paying £100 upgrade fee to get it quicker.
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Submission Date:
2022-04-09
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Had to email expedited services and my MP, no idea what worked and most emails were not responded to.
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Submission Date:
2022-04-29
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Application was not processed until 2weeks before flying – email to upgrade 28th June (application approved 2.5 hours later), printed 29th and delivered today 30th. Luckily I didn’t have to pay for the upgrade.
Useless calling and using webchat. If you have lost your passport upgrading 2weeks before travel is the only way to get your passport.
Note* My application went into processing 13th May but was taken out on 15th June thus it does not show on the tracker.
Passport printed 12:52pm on 29 June 2022
Application approved 11:31am on 28 June 2022
Identity details received 10:43am on 29 April 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:58am on 29 April 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:12am on 29 April 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 8:45am on 29 April 2022
Application submitted 8:45am on 29 April 2022
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Submission Date:
2022-04-23
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
It came within the 10 weeks but was an extremely anxious wait with no guarantees. Came days before my flight.
1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Submission Date:
2022-05-20
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Passport received 12:15pm on 30 June 2022
Passport printed 12:45am on 30 June 2022
Application approved 12:04pm on 28 June 2022
Documents received 10:46am on 6 June 2022
Application received 10:14pm on 20 May 2022
Identity details received 10:14pm on 20 May 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 4:14pm on 20 May 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 2:13pm on 20 May 2022
Application submitted 2:13pm on 20 May 2022
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Submission Date:
2022-05-25
Date Received:
2022-06-29
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Great service, 4 passport – 2 kids first passports, 1 child renewal with photo check and 1 standard child update. They went to 3 different passport offices.All received 4 weeks after I sent in the documents / had the photos verified.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Submission Date:
2022-05-26
Date Received:
2022-06-28
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very surprised as to how quick my daughter’s passport came back. First child passport.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Submission Date:
2022-05-25
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Sent documents on 27th May. Approved 27th June. Delivered 30th June. Waited 36 days total. Straightforward. In comparison -been waiting for first Irish passport for 13+ weeks now and have been on “urgent list” for 3 of those. Still not approved.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Submission Date:
2022-05-15
Date Received:
2022-06-24
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Turn around great, we delayed sending documents by 5 days due to holiday. Only issue was getting system to rate baby photo as good.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Submission Date:
2022-05-21
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Application approved 30th June
Documents received 7th June
Application received
Identity details received
Email sent to person
confirming your identity
Ask someone to confirm your
identity 22nd may
Application submitted 21st may
First child’s Passport sent to Peterborough , also applied for my daughters first child passport it was sent to Liverpool / bootle – they contacted me yesterday for extra document parents birth certificate. However the other application has been approved without this information.
I have sent a lost application for myself and still waiting – all same dates as above.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Submission Date:
2022-05-14
Date Received:
2022-06-28
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
Application submitted 14 may
Identity details received 15 may
Application received 15 may
Documents received 31 may
Application approved 22 June
Passport printed 24 June
Arrival 28 June
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Submission Date:
2022-04-13
Date Received:
2022-07-01
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
Super stressful experience. Multiple calls and hours being on hold to try and track down my forgotten application. Being told different stories from members of staff.
We have a holiday planned for august but not booked yet. I didn’t want to risk a lot of money by not having passport. If you want a tip, I booked a cheap flight to Dublin for a week’s time so that I could upgrade to fast track. This worked a trick and didn’t need to pay either since we’ve been waiting over 11 weeks. Hope this information can help anyone!
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-05-01
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Upgrade requested 18/6
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-05-25
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average
Comments:
Very stressful process as it took Peterborough office 4 weeks to update they had received old passport despite them signing for it on the 26th May. Once they had updated as received it was very quick. 1 week for it to be then approved and then received it 2 days later. I was very stressed as lots of people waiting 10 weeks plus but once they recorded as received it will go quick. TNT delivered and gave a 12 hour delivery window but just put it through the letter box so didn’t need to have been home.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-06-15
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Passport printed 10:13pm on 29 June 2022
Application approved 9:52am on 28 June 2022
Documents received 2:19pm on 21 June 2022
Application received 8:53pm on 15 June 2022
Application submitted 8:52pm on 15 June 2022
Documents received 30th June 2022
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-06-11
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Submission did require an identity check which delayed approval by 3 days. The list of jobs, I found quite restrictive and also unnecessary considering I had a passport already.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-04-12
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
2 Paper Applications sent via PO check & send.
Submitted 12/4
Received at Durham 19/4
Awaiting Examination 26/4
Approved/Printed 27/6
Delivered 30/6
11 weeks and 2 days from submission to delivery
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-04-17
Date Received:
2022-06-29
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
There are some great people working for HMPO who are trying to help, but they don’t have the tools or processes available to them, best advice is to persevere, standard processing didn’t change, but things moved really quick once we hit the waiting time red flags.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-04-19
Date Received:
2022-06-29
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
When no passports received after 8 weeks I used the online and phone track and trace facilities which were totally useless (basically just confirmed they had received applications). On week 9 I called into the local passport office and was told to return two days before flying if passports had not arrived. I called in 2 days before flying and they were able to arrange for passports to be issued the following day (so in total 3 visits to passport office). On the plus side the staff in the passport office were very helpful and friendly.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-05-07
Date Received:
2022-05-08
Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful
Comments:
I have received a lot of information that are misleading and not helpful.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-06-15
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Online application so much easier than paper.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-05-29
Date Received:
2022-06-30
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
This was through Peterborough and required an additional letter to confirm parental responsibility.
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Submission Date:
2022-05-29
Date Received:
2022-07-17
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
This was through Bootle and required confirmation of identity.
Has anyone experienced trying to get their 16-year-old first adult passport, despite having had smooth renewals throughout his whole life, back from Belfast? They received his passport on the 10th of May and we travel in just over two weeks with no sign of passport. Should I travel to Belfast to try and get my sons passport back? Has anyone been to Belfast and queued to try and speak to somebody? I can’t seem to get hold of anyone on any of the help lines. Really freaking out here.