July 7, 2022

Passport Experiences 7th 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:
2022-03-28

Date Received:
2022-06-20

Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average

Comments:
Sent documents in via Post office Paper application 28th March
Application was received on the 5th of April. A text was sent and that was it.
Received my passport on 20th of June
Received my supporting documents on the 22nd of June

Not a bad process as I was told it will take 10 weeks or a little more. I was just nervous due to the stories I kept reading about the delay.

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-05-18

Date Received:
2022-07-01

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
Applied through PO. Still awaiting documents though.

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-05-31

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
Applied – 31/05/2022
Photo identify- 31/05/2022
Document send -1/06/2022
Acknowledge received by passport office- 09/06/2022
Application approved- 04/07/2022
Passport printed 5/07/2022
Passport received- 06/07/2022
Total 36 days
Still waiting for documents to get delivered

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-05-29

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
Easy as there were no delays but I was preparing to have a stressful next couple of weeks if it hadn’t arrived as we’re travelling on July 21. Risk that my supporting documents (including my foreign passport) aren’t returned in time which creates its own issues and I’ll need an interim passport for that!

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-06-19

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Very easy process, ran into no issues or no delays thankfully. Surprised it came so quickly with some of the horror stories out there.

Adult Renewal Passport

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-24

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Was anxious due to the media coverage of passport delays. But I guess doing a renewal online is not the type of passport application that is taking a long time at the moment.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-24

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5

Comments:
Renewing from a child 5 year to first adult 10 year.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-22

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Applied on line. Updates received by text and email at every stage.
Very impressed.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-19

Date Received:
2022-07-05

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Very surprised and relieved to receive my passport so quickly. Submitted, including having photo taken, at a Post Office. Excellent progress texts and emails. Really feel for people waiting weeks and weeks, makes no sense that the backlog isn’t being cleared first.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-20

Date Received:
2022-07-05

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
My husband got an e-mail informing him that his passport was going to be delivered that day. I didn’t get an e-mail or a text . It arrived the day after my husband’s.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-22

Date Received:
2022-07-05

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Completed the online application on the Wednesday 22nd June (before heading away for the weekend), the old passport was posted to the Bootle Passport Office on Monday 27th June, and the new 50 page less valuable ‘blue’ passport arrived back with us on Tuesday 5th July. Overall a much better experience than expected.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-01

Date Received:
2022-07-01

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
Had to cancel holiday as passport not arrived in time! Very stressful trying to get through/holding/ emails not being answered.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-25

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5

Comments:
Name change

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-28

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Only paid £15 extra for a 50 page passport and tracking on a hope and prayer that I would get my passport back by the end of August. Incredibly got my new passport on day 9, 7 working days, very impressed.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-17

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
super easy after panicking about reported lead times. Got photo done and approved at Max Speilman. Gov website kept updating with info every step. Perfect service from start to finish.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-20

Date Received:
2022-07-01

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Adult renewal passport (no changes)- two weeks turnaround. Courier delivery. Excellent service.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-01

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Was stressing because of all the media stories and people on Facebook. Was travelling in 12 weeks time so a bit nervous.
But actually very easy, got updated regularly at all stages. Passport went to Peterborough and had it in my hands 5 weeks later to the day.

Lost or Stolen Passport Application

Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport

Submission Date:
2022-04-14

Date Received:
2022-07-04

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
After numerous phone calls and no promised ring backs we contacted our MP who sent his secretary who went to the passport office on Friday – receive a call on Saturday picked up Monday!

Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport

Submission Date:
2022-04-14

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Passport portal showed application as ‘processing’ from 29th April then stopped showing as processing around 22nd June then was approved 4th July – was stressful that the application took so long and the portal seemed to show the process reversing rather than just moving forwards.

Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport

Submission Date:
2022-04-24

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Replacement passport for lost passport, only realised after booking holiday it was lost but thought we would be ok with standard application as we had 12 weeks before holiday. Online application made on 24th April. Contacted office once to provide lost passport reference number (came a few days after the application). Contacted by phone again to enquire about progress after 9 weeks but were told to sit tight and we could expedite after 10weeks/2weeks prior to travel. The main stress is the unknown, lack of information regarding tracking and inconsistencies when compared to other peoples applications!

However to their credit as soon as we phoned on 4th July for an upgrade (both 2 weeks before travel and 10weeks since application) they phoned within an hour of our upgrade email being sent to Liverpool office to enquire if we wanted passport posted or to collect from our local Belfast office. We could pick date and time of collection which we did for 9am 6th July. Passport collection very straightforward from the office.

1st Child Passport

Type of Application:
First Child Passport

Submission Date:
2022-05-31

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Absolutely delighted to recieve my daughters first passport today.
Was very worried when you read others feedback about their experiences. We had a slight issue with getting someone to verify her identity, a British army officer was not able to do this? Even although they are listed. Got someone else to complete this on the same day.
I have been advised this morning through text that tnt will deliver today but passport update still showing to be delivered. But I have it here now.
I also completed her application online

Passport printed 12:42am on 5 July 2022
Application approved 12:23pm on 4 July 2022
Documents received 9:34am on 9 June 2022
Application received 10:09am on 1 June 2022
Identity details received 10:08am on 1 June 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:46am on 1 June 2022
Person not eligible 9:26am on 1 June 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 1:36pm on 31 May 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 1:31pm on 31 May 2022
Application submitted 1:31pm on 31 May 2022

Child Renewal

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-24

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Sons renewal passport took 13 days from start to finish, my daughters damaged one is now at 11 weeks with no status update, submitted April 20th, no idea what’s happening with that.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-05

Date Received:
2022-07-05

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
This is an overseas (France) Child (13-year old) renewal

The stress was totally my fault as we’ve booked travel for the 19th July!! First time my children will see their British grandmother since pre-Covid. I really should have applied earlier, but I believed the “10-week” delay time and TBH was annoyed at Brexit making my kids need yet ANOTHER form of id (they’ve regularly travelled with their French id cards).

The on-line tracker was rarely updated, however, email notifications arrived regularly:

05/05 : Online application and was only asked to send the old passport, sent next day by recorded delivery.
03/06 : Notification : Old passport received
10/06 : Notification ; Ask someone to confirm your identity
10/06 : Notification : Send proof of parental responsibility
29/06 : Notification : Passport application approved
01/07 : Notification : Your new passport has been printed
05/07 : PASSPORT DELIVERED

My advice, if renewing a child passport overseas, send as much info as possible the first time you send stuff with certified translations and certified copies (I got my notary to do this) in order to speed up the process.

Just received notification that my son’s application (done at the same time) has been approved. PHEW!

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-20

Date Received:
2022-07-05

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Had to phone after 6 weeks and within 2 weeks of travel to qualify for upgrade. Was given email to office to check flight details etc. they replied with msg saying email will be checked. Then they called after 1 week – 2 days before needing passport to say it’s been approved. Stressful but they are doing them.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-22

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Everything done online during application process apart from sending the old passport through.
22nd. Application received
28th. Documents received
1st Approved
5th Printed
6th Received

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-10

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
3 Star – Average

Comments:
Child renewal. HMPO requested birth certificate to prove parental responsibility which was sent immediately but the system was never updated to show request or if cert received. After 6 weeks I was still receiving reminders to send documents. I sent a webform last week to enquire what was happening and passport approved 2 days later.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-27

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
My son had his passport to send back so a renewal was fine. My daughter and I lost ours and still waiting.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-12

Date Received:
2022-06-29

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
Absolute nightmare. I submitted my passport applications (two child renewals) at the post office on 12th April using the check and send service (an extra cost). The PO assured me they would arrive well within the ten weeks. A couple of weeks before I was due to fly on 1st July I started calling the helpline to find out why I had not yet received them and couldn’t get through. At this point my PO said they were upset that they had not been informed of delays by HM Passport Office. I found the government website useless – the webchat didn’t work and I was unable to get through to a person, just cut off after a recorded message. Then I took to Twitter which is where I found out how to get through to a human on the phone line, and that ultimately I would probably have to go to my nearest passport office in order to get hold of my passports. I spoke to several people on the phone, but nobody progressed the situation. I emailed several times too. I did not receive callbacks or email responses until more than ten days later. I wrote to my MPs office who wrote to the passport office. I went to the office in London and queued for three hours outside and they said they couldn’t print my passports that day because mine was a postal application, but they did call the Peterborough office, who then called me the next day. I then returned to London to pick my passports up, at an extra charge of £180 (plus a total of £80 train fares). So I received them two days before travel, and 11 weeks after submitting my applications. I cannot over stress how anxiety inducing this whole process has been. Thank you so much to Passport Waiting for capturing everyone’s terrible experiences on record.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-01

Date Received:
2022-07-02

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
93 days. In that time I must have spent over 30 hours on the phone trying to sort. It has been such a stressful time. But I’m glad to say it was received on the Saturday just gone. If I hadn’t of spent so much time dealing with it, I know for a fact I would still be waiting.

Overseas Passport Application

Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)

Submission Date:
2022-05-09

Date Received:
2022-06-15

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Processing time wasn’t too bad, obviously not the same as before.
Phone call from a lady, very polite, well mannered and professional, just to confirm my identity and name status. Within 4 days of the call I received my passport via DHL, to my home in Italy.
Overall very satisfactory.

Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)

Submission Date:
2022-06-07

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Application submitted on 7th June 2022
Application received on 7th June 2022
Posted to UK from Kuwait using DHL 10th June 2022
Documents received 23th June 2022
Application approved 29th June 2022
Passport printed 1st July 2022
Delivered by DHL 6th July 2022

Once it says the passport has been printed and despatched there will be a period of a few days where you hear nothing but keep the faith because this is when the passport is being picked up by DHL from the Passport post room and being entered into the system.
After a few days I was emailed and received a text message from DHL giving me a tracking/waybill number. I followed its progress online and it was in my hand at the exact time they estimated delivery to be.

Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)

Submission Date:
2022-05-05

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
The process was straight forward, easy and the only stressful period was a long pause between DHL confirming delivering supporting documents and the status of application changing to “documents received” which took almost a month.

Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)

Submission Date:
2022-06-07

Date Received:
2022-07-05

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
The stress comes largely from not knowing how long it will (still) take. In the end, I got mine exactly 4 weeks from making the online application. Mine was an overseas adult renewal via Durham.

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