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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:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
03-01-2025
Date Received:
10-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
It was fairly simple and straightforward. Overall a decent experience.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
05-01-2025
Date Received:
10-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Submitted my application on the Sunday evening.
Photo checked on Monday morning.
Documents (Birth certificate) sent on Monday evening.
Documents received on Tuesday.
Approved on Wednesday.
Printed on Thursday.
Arrived on Friday.
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
30-12-2024
Date Received:
11-01-2025
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Took 8 days to receive my passport otherwise when received was a very quick process and was updated everyday till delivered.
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Other Tesco photo service
Submission Date:
06-01-2025
Date Received:
10-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very fast
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
06-01-2025
Date Received:
10-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
The passport was ready in 3 days and posted. I received it on the 4th day and was super impressed by how fast I got it.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
07-01-2025
Date Received:
10-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very simple process – submitted application and posted old passport back same day. Was logged as received the following day and application approved the same day. Printed next day and posted,.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
05-01-2025
Date Received:
10-01-2025
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:
06-01-2025
Date Received:
10-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied at 11:45 on 6th Jan, used own photo taken on mobile phone camera, natural lighting only.
Posted old passport approx 12:30 on 6th.
Receipt of old passport confirmed by SMS at 15:00 on 7th
Application approval and sent for print confirmed by SMS at 12:30 on 8th
Confirmation of print completion by SMS at 10:30 on 9th
Dispatch notification from Royal Mail received by SMS at 12:15 on 9th
New and old passports both received on 10th at 13:34.
I can’t really imagine how it could have gone much quicker / smoother.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
01-01-2025
Date Received:
09-01-2025
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:
30-12-2024
Date Received:
10-01-2025
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:
22-12-2024
Date Received:
10-01-2025
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
My application took longer because my application was flagged as I was renewing 6 years early, I only found out this by calling daily to find out the reason for the delay when eventually someone told me this was the reason and I had to provide a rather obvious explanation that the renewal was due to the passport being full.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
06-01-2025
Date Received:
10-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Straightforward online application. Old passport to the post office on Monday.
Email/text reminders to send passport on Monday, after application recieved. Emails to say passport recieved, then application approved, then passport being printed, then passport on the way. One a day.
Received my passport on Friday
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
05-01-2025
Date Received:
06-01-2025
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
07-01-2025
Date Received:
11-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied on 7th Jan
Old passport sent 7th Jan
Application approved 9th Jan
Passport received 11th Jan
Received my new passport and the old passport on the same day.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
06-01-2025
Date Received:
11-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Can’t believe how speedy it was. Had the passport less than 5 days after submitting the application!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
07-01-2025
Date Received:
11-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Far easier than I expected and super quick turnaround despite opting for standard application. Would have been a waste of money to pay for priority service!
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:
11-01-2025
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Did digital check and send at post office. Probably would have been quicker to do it myself! Old passport received by HMPO on Wednesday, new passport received on Saturday.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
05-01-2025
Date Received:
11-01-2025
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:
07-01-2025
Date Received:
11-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
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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:
07-01-2025
Date Received:
11-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Cannot fault the passport office at all. Submitted my application on 7/1/25 for a new passport after losing mine, received today 11/1/25. Incredibly speedy and I’m very impressed.
1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
03-01-2025
Date Received:
10-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
London
Photo Method
Took it myself on my phone
Submission Date:
09-01-2025
Date Received:
09-01-2025
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
First UK Passport (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Photo Method
Used a Photo-Me photo booth
Submission Date:
12-11-2024
Date Received:
10-01-2025
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
First child passport overseas application – documents. Was an overseas surrogacy situation as well. I am as British citizen Naturalised other than by descent, grand parent documents were not available (just passport copy photos)
HMPO received documents on 3 Dec, had to send birth certificate twice (thought first set were copies), but no contact after that.
Very consistent badgering every few days yielded no insights, solicitor advised it could take up to 16 weeks… speaking to others in my situation it was anywhere from 3 Weeks (very fast / rare), to 5-8 weeks (more common) and some as bad as 6 months (rare and for more complex situations)
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