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Whether you’re eagerly waiting for your passport or planning to apply soon, this page offers valuable insights from others who have gone through the process.
How This Page Works
Every day, applicants like you share their passport application experiences on our site. They provide:
- Application Date: When they submitted their passport application.
- Receipt Date: When they received their new passport.
- Photo Method: How they obtained their passport photo (e.g., at home, pharmacy, professional service).
- Processing Office: The passport office or centre that handled their application so you can check to see how quick the agency you have been assigned is processing passports.
Additionally, applicants often share helpful tips and observations that can assist you in managing your application or understanding current processing trends.
Stay Informed
Monitor the latest wait times and gain a realistic expectation for when your passport might arrive based on real-world data. Knowing what to expect can ease anxieties and assist in planning your travels.
Compare Processing Times
See how different agencies and photo methods impact processing speeds. This can help you choose the best options to potentially reduce your wait time.
Learn from Others
Benefit from the experiences of fellow applicants. Many share crucial advice, like which agencies are processing faster or tips for avoiding common pitfalls.
Share Your Experience
Help us keep this page accurate and useful by submitting your own passport wait time once you receive your passport. Your contribution will assist others and contribute to a clearer picture of the current processing landscape.
1st Adult Passport
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
31-01-2025
Date Received:
12-02-2025
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
very easy
quick service
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
31-01-2025
Date Received:
11-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
13-01-2025
Date Received:
18-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
30-12-2024
Date Received:
07-02-2025
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
My photo was rejected from a passport Photo Booth delaying the whole process and took 3 weeks to reject the second lot meaning I missed half of my family holiday before finally picking my passport up from the post office and flying out to meet them. I contacted them several times and got mixed messages throughout which was very disappointing and confusing.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
01-02-2025
Date Received:
11-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
27-01-2025
Date Received:
11-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other Max Speilmann
Submission Date:
31-01-2025
Date Received:
11-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
11 days from submission to receiving my new passport. Would have been quicker if I had send my old passport in straightaway.
Application history
Application submitted 12:33pm on 31 January 2025
Application received 12:33pm on 31 January 2025
Documents received 7:43pm on 4 February 2025
Application approved 9:48am on 7 February 2025
Passport printed 1:16am on 8 February 2025
Paasport dispatched 10:24 on 10 February 2025
Passport arrived 11:52am on 11 February 2025
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
02-02-2025
Date Received:
11-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
06-02-2025
Date Received:
11-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very fast turn around, sent my passport Thursday which was delivered Friday morning, it was approved Saturday morning and printed Monday morning, arrived Tuesday
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
02-02-2025
Date Received:
11-02-2025
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Submitted application on Sunday, Posted my documents for next day delivery on Monday. Passport office confirmed receipt on the Wednesday. I got confirmation of approval on Friday evening, printing on Saturday and posting back to me Monday arriving Tuesday…all in all 9 working days end to end.
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Lost or Stolen Passport Application
Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
04-02-2025
Date Received:
08-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
02-02-2025
Date Received:
11-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very quick and easy form to fill out, wasn’t waiting ages for the passport.
Application was update constantly online when something was completed.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
28-01-2025
Date Received:
11-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
I did have to send additional documents (child’s expired passport from another country) so it possibly would have come back quicker without this. I got notification the passport had been printed after I’d received a tracking number from Royal Mail so there was a delay in the passport office updating the tracker.
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
27-01-2025
Date Received:
11-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Really straight forward process
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
22-12-2024
Date Received:
01-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Used photos which were taken a month ago from max , applied for 3 children , all were came in different post .
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
20-01-2025
Date Received:
06-02-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
It would have been easier to send all documents required in one go! Had to send old passport and birth certificate separately. (Made it more expensive having to get them both sent recorded delivery)
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Other Max Spielmann
Submission Date:
02-02-2025
Date Received:
11-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Everything sorted promptly efficiently and with minimal stress
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Used a different photo booth (Not Photo-Me)
Submission Date:
06-01-2025
Date Received:
07-02-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
The application process overall took a little longer than expected at 32 days but this was due to postal delays. The passport office themselves were quite rapid.
I’d advise not to bother paying the extra for signed-for delivery, as the UK Post Office don’t collect the signature. Also, it could be a coincidence, but the first letter I sent – the old passport – took a worryingly long time, whereas I made sure to write “contenu: documents sans valeur commerciale” on the second letter and it was much faster.
06 Jan – Application submitted and old passport posted from France using La Poste International Tracked with Signature (€10.95)
14 Jan – Old passport left France
17 Jan – Old passport arrived in UK
20 Jan – Old passport delivered to Corby
23 Jan – HMPO website updated to show receipt of old passport
27 Jan – Email received asking me to explain water damage to the old passport. Explanation written, signed and posted from France using La Poste International (€9.45)
30 Jan – Explanatory letter left France
31 Jan – Explanatory letter arrived in UK
3 Feb – Explanatory letter delivered to Corby
4 Feb – Application approved and passport printed (same day)
7 Feb – Passport couriered to me in France by DHL Express.
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