July 8, 2022

Passport Experiences 8th 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:
2022-05-22

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
Sent the documents out on May 27. They acknowledged reception on June 8. Application approved on July 2. Received passport on July 7.

Overall, an OK experience. The uncertainty, however is absolute. You know nothing- it may take 6 weeks, 10, who knows.

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-06-01

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Passport Delivered 3:39pm on 7 July 2022
Passport Printed 3:28am on 6 July 2022
Application approved 4:54pm on 5 July 2022
Documents received 2:05pm on 9 June 2022
Application received 5:08pm on 1 June 2022
Identity details received 5:07pm on 1 June 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity4:44pm on 1 June 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 4:41pm on 1 June 2022
Application submitted 4:41pm on 1 June 2022

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-04-26

Date Received:
2022-05-03

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
Applied for first adult passport after child passport expired. Did check and send from PO. Multiple chasing emails and still not received and only receiving standard reply… 10 week wait.

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-03-29

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
Super stress I’m waiting still, applications submitted on29 March now 15 weeks past don’t have any updates.

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-02-26

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Every stage took a lot of time to complete but the most stressful stage was attempting to book an interview. The email contained a number which was not taking calls and asked those calling to send an email to which there was no timeline in which a call back would be scheduled to book an appointment. It took two weeks to receive an email back by which point I had already called the general advice helpline and received a direct booking line to call.

A week after booking my interview I received the email mentioned above back informing me that I would no longer need an interview. I’ve attempted to cancel my booking but the system has been down every time I call.

A general enquiry that is meant to have a 72hr turn around took 10 days to receive a response that did not answer my question at all, and advisors on the advice line often couldn’t help – nobody seemed to know there was a booking number I could call.

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-04-27

Date Received:
2022-07-04

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
There was plenty of misinformation.

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-05-01

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
Very simple online application, took own photo and it was accepted. It has arrived within the 10 weeks stated…. just.
Very little information on how application was progressing but quick to arrive once finally approved. Supporting documents arrived 2 days after passport.

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Submission Date:
2022-03-15

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
It took the Passport Office a long time to confirm that they have my original documents, during which time they kept on sending me texts asking for them. This added to my stress as I tried all sorts of ways to try and contact them to try and locate the documents but no one ever really got back to me. Eventually the texts stopped and I presumed my application and documents had been reunited. It was a few more weeks of waiting after the last text. Once it was approved I needed to have someone verify my ID again. I received my passport 8 days after that.

Adult Renewal Passport

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-25

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Far quicker than expected. Hardest part was taking an acceptable photo for upload.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-29

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Online application using photo booth digital code.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-11

Date Received:
2022-07-15

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Very easy to use only delay was sending back the old passport as new passports are not renewed until they are sent back.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-07-01

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Gambled on using the standard service for a trip that was exactly ten weeks away, Seem to have won the Postcode lottery and got it processed at Bootle.

Application Submitted + Received 1st July, Approved 5th, printed 6th, delivered morning of 7th.

They only needed my old passport, which I posted 1st class the same day I submitted my application. I’m yet to receive that back but not quite as important in the short term.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-26

Date Received:
2022-08-31

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
Still not received have spent two weeks calling and emailing still no progress.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-09

Date Received:
2022-06-25

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
I booked to travel on the 27June 2022.
I had to go to my nearest office to request my passport to be issued as I had submitted it April! Passport examined and issued same day. If I had not had a holiday booked, I think it would have taken even longer.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-24

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
I did the electronic passport renewal online and it was a simple process. Taking a good photo is difficult without help and the passport tracking takes a while to update when you send your old passport back, but otherwise a nice and easy process.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-27

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Really quick, text and email communications were clear. Very relieved as have travel booked at the end of August.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-25

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
So much easier than straightforward than any media report would have you believe.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-29

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
All of this panic about waiting times would appear poppycock (for adult renewals at least). I submitted the application online on Wednesday 29th June and have just received the new passport (Thu 7th July)…a total of 8 days start to finish.
The only advice I would give is for the sake of £10 or so get Timpsons or Max Speilman to take your pic( I’m sure other photographers are available). Timpsons had software which confirmed compliance of the passport picture.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-24

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Processed through the post office which was easy. Very impressed it only took 13 days, kept up to date through out the whole process.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-13

Date Received:
2022-07-01

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Submitted through local Post Office in Inverness, staff we were helpful but sure to point out that once digital process left them it was in the lap of the Gods. Text service very good at each point of progression, although never said fro which passport office. Amazingly the passport renewal arrived on 1st July with a Special Delivery stamp from Birmingham (there are no passport offices in Birmingham so still none the wiser which passport office dealt with it). So turnaround time was 18 days. Cannot fault service & thanks to everyone involved.

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-27

Date Received:
2022-06-30

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
The most stressful experience. We applied with more than 10 weeks to spare, and heard nothing after docs received back in May. After 6 weeks in the system and a booked holiday in jeopardy, it was becoming more and more stressful. I found a Facebook group set up by others having the same issue, and the tips on there were great. HMPO only give you one number which is manned by staff reading off a script.. I found out email addresses and the management team number and was able to get our application expedited at the 11th hour before the passport was needed for ID purposes and a week before our trip. Annoyingly.. many applications made since late May are being processed quickly, great if you apply later but soul destroying when you’ve applied earlier.
Application submitted 27/4/22
Docs signed for 28/4/22
Docs received 9/5/22
(…..tumbleweeds…..)
Application approved 29/6/22
Passport printed 29/6/22
Passport received 30/6/22

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-29

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Really easy online with photo code , expected delay but back within a week excellent service.

Lost or Stolen Passport Application

Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport

Submission Date:
2022-05-02

Date Received:
2022-07-05

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
No update on my passport at all until I phoned HMPO on 23/06/2022, 2 weeks before we were due to fly. They told me very conflicting information on the types of upgrade I was eligible for, but after this phone call I didn’t hear anything until 29/06/2022 where they told me to email my flight details to process the upgrade. I then received a phone call on 05/07/2022 (2 days before we were meant to fly) to collect my passport from Liverpool. Still had to cancel my flight due to the lack of communication – although the staff at Liverpool were incredibly helpful, sympathetic and friendly.

1st Child Passport

Type of Application:
First Child Passport

Submission Date:
2022-06-06

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Only rated stressful as we have a trip booked, baby was born and we had 8 weeks until departure so applied as soon as we had birth cert, leaving 7 full weeks. Didn’t do fast track as couldn’t get an appointment, although we now know that dates are released on the hour, so that’s when to check for an apt.

Received in just under 5 weeks, so not a bad experience, it would just help to have an indication of where in the queue your application is, as ours wasn’t touched for a month!

6 June, applied
9 June, docs received
5 July, approved
6 July, printed
7 July, delivered

Child Renewal

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-30

Date Received:
2022-06-20

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Used post office digital check and send post office took photo. Updates from passport office were great very efficient.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-30

Date Received:
2022-07-04

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
Passport office acknowledged receipt of old passport approx 3 weeks after track and trace confirmed it was delivered thereafter process was very swift and no issues receiving new passport despite us now living in The Netherlands.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-31

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
31.5 submitted
08.06 confirmation that the document were received
21.06 application was approved
05.07 passport has been printed
07.07 passport delivered today.
I hope this helps. Good luck everyone.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-24

Date Received:
2022-07-06

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Submitted 24/6
ID validated 24/6
Mailed 24/6
Acknowledged receipt 28/6
Approved 4/7
Printed 5/7
Received 6/7

Exactly 2 weeks start to finish. Couldn’t be easier. Peterborough office

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-21

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Really easy and stress free experience. I received a call from HM passport office 9 days after submitting my child’s application asking to confirm my child’s name as she has several middle names. Once confirm they advised they would be issuing the passport that day, which was a relief as I had already booked a holiday for late August! It arrived 6 days later. A turn around time of 14 working days.

Application history
Passport printed on 6 July 2022

Application approved on 5 July 2022

Documents received on 27 June 2022

Application received on 22 June 2022

Identity details received on 22 June 2022

Email sent to person confirming your identity on 21 June 2022

Ask someone to confirm your identity on 21 June 2022

Application submitted on 21 June 2022

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-30

Date Received:
2022-06-25

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
I applied for my own renewal and my son’s renewal at the same time – my passport was back inside 3 weeks. I received no correspondence really on the other passport until the week before we were due to travel when HMPO called me (after I raised it with my MP) and said if I paid £102 the they would get me my son’s passport in time – blackmail. I had no choice but to pay this and feel like it’s a deliberate ploy they have adopted to make more money.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-28

Date Received:
2022-07-04

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
This was a child renewal application via the post office paper check and send. allowed 10 weeks, but unfortunately they did not acknowledge the application till 2 weeks later. The only reason I received my passport was due to providing my flight details and going through the upgrade team. They called me 5 days before my flight and I collected at Peterborough.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-04-27

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
1 Star – Very Stressful

Comments:
Had to escalate to local MP to get sons passport renewed after the lost his documents . Took a total of 10 weeks 1 day and a 200 mile round trip to HMPO Liverpool to get it ! Shocking.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-21

Date Received:
2022-07-05

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Above 12 years old daughter got it 2 days earlier than other child.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-21

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
We have to fly on 18th July, so glad got it on time.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-05-04

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
They do not check receipt of documents for 2 weeks so do not expect to see this on your progress update until 2 weeks are up.
Keep phoning if the application has been outstanding for 6 weeks and you need to travel urgently – use options 8 and 3 to speak to a human, all others are automated.
Ask to be put through to the expedition line if you need to travel urgently.
Telephone wait times can be up to 2 hours but sometimes quite quick.
All the passport staff have been unfailingly helpful and kind.
£114 expedition fee for 9 week turnaround!

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-26

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Simple process to follow and prompt service.

Type of Application:
Child Renewal

Submission Date:
2022-06-09

Date Received:
2022-06-27

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Received Passport 28th June
Passport printed 1:03am on 27 June 2022
Application approved 4:19pm on 23 June 2022
Documents received 3:13pm on 16 June 2022
Application received 9:26am on 9 June 2022
Identity details received 9:25am on 9 June 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:19am on 9 June 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 9:00am on 9 June 2022

I realised on the 9th of June that our sons passport had expired 3days prior. Our holiday was booked for July for I panicked after reading horror stories, and being told 10-12weeks. I’m so grateful for this website, I was checking every day to put my mind at ease. I submitted application on the 9th June, but after I had I rang HMPO to see if I could get a one week Fast track (all fast track appointments online weren’t available) they told me I could and to wait up to 48hrs to get a call back so they could book it. By the Monday 13th June I hadn’t heard anything so I rang HMPO again asking, they said “I’m unsure why you were told you could have a week fast track when you’ve already submitted a normal application” and I could only get a fast track if I sent a written letter saying I would like to cancel application. They also advised it could take 3 weeks for the letter to be received / and then up to another 3weeks for appointment/ and then 1 week for it to be delivered which meant we would miss our holiday.

I decided to send it off special delivery on the 13th June. Im so glad we did! It literally took 15 days for the passport to come, from me sending it to it being delivered.

1 Week Fast Track Application

Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service

Submission Date:
2022-06-29

Date Received:
2022-07-05

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
1 week service.
Appointments appear daily around 15:00/16:00.
Well worth the additional expense if you can afford it.

Overseas Passport Application

Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)

Submission Date:
2022-05-02

Date Received:
2022-07-07

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Although we were prepared to wait 10 weeks the long gaps with no updates between our documents arriving and being told they were received (4 weeks) and from the documents being received to it being approved (~3 weeks) made it stressful as we had no idea what was happening.

Passport received 12:10 on 7th July 2022
Passport printed 3:56am on 1 July 2022
Application approved 2:24pm on 29 June 2022
Documents received 5:11pm on 6 June 2022
Application received 12:04pm on 2 May 2022
Identity details received 12:03pm on 2 May 2022
Email sent to person confirming your identity 11:04am on 2 May 2022
Ask someone to confirm your identity 10:51am on 2 May 2022
Application submitted 10:51am on 2 May 2022

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