Feedback, experiences, timelines, tips and useful information from people that have recently been through the UK passport application process.
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1st Adult Passport
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
London
Submission Date:
2023-03-30
Date Received:
2023-03-31
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Passport printed 1:37am on 25 April 2023
Application approved 1:23pm on 24 April 2023
Documents received 3:24pm on 12 April 2023
Application received 9:22am on 31 March 2023
Identity details received 9:21am on 31 March 2023
Email sent to person confirming your identity 12:54pm on 30 March 2023
Ask someone to confirm your identity 12:42pm on 30 March 2023
Application submitted 12:42pm on 30 March 2023
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
London
Submission Date:
2023-03-30
Date Received:
2023-03-31
Overall Experience:
Please Rate out of 5
Comments:
Passport printed 1:37am on 25 April 2023
Application approved 1:23pm on 24 April 2023
Documents received 3:24pm on 12 April 2023
Application received 9:22am on 31 March 2023
Identity details received 9:21am on 31 March 2023
Email sent to person confirming your identity 12:54pm on 30 March 2023
Ask someone to confirm your identity 12:42pm on 30 March 2023
Application submitted 12:42pm on 30 March 2023
Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
2023-04-06
Date Received:
2023-04-27
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Passport received 10:00 on 27 April 2023
Passport printed 7:06am on 26 April 2023
Application approved 11:31am on 25 April 2023
Documents received 11:56am on 14 April 2023
Application received 1:02pm on 6 April 2023
Identity details received 1:01pm on 6 April 2023
Email sent to person confirming your identity 12:51pm on 6 April 2023
Ask someone to confirm your identity 12:47pm on 6 April 2023
Application submitted 12:47pm on 6 April 2023
Adult Renewal Passport
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
2023-04-06
Date Received:
2023-04-26
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very good service and kept me updated at each stage. I took my own photos and used them as they were regarded good quality on their online scale. I was submitting 3 renewals; 1 adult and 2 children. All went through without any issues and relieved I have them for our summer travel plans!
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Belfast
Submission Date:
2023-03-18
Date Received:
2023-04-27
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
18/3/23 – Application put in
20/3/23 – Old passport sent to Belfast
23/3/23 – Registered as received
26/4/23 – Application approved and passport printed
27/4/23 – New passport received
I was concerned seeing everyone getting their passports and I hadn’t heard anything in a month. I also couldn’t see anyone else mentioning the Belfast office. Once approved, incredibly quick to send the new one and all in all, considering the strikes, a 5 week turn around is great. Just very happy it didn’t take one more week so I’d have to pay to speed it up…
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
2023-04-24
Date Received:
2023-04-27
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied online used a code I got from photo booth and uploaded it sent passport same day signed for next day delivery and signed for sent back to me
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Newport
Submission Date:
2023-04-24
Date Received:
2023-04-26
Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful
Comments:
Digital Premium service was excellent, but would not have got the appointment without your help. Staff at Newport very efficient and friendly
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
2023-04-20
Date Received:
2023-04-27
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Passport photo taken at the local shop and got the code through within a couple of hours and submitted form online (day one). Took old passport straight to post office (day one) and paid for special delivery by 1pm on day two (Corby office). The longest part of the whole process was RM not delivering the old passport until the Monday morning (day five) when it should have arrived by Friday 1pm. Passport approved on day six and printed same day and then new passport delivered back to me on day eight. This was as fast as the one week service but at the usual cost. FWIW, no one week slots or in-person appointments were available when I did the application.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Durham
Submission Date:
2023-04-13
Date Received:
2023-04-27
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Applied for a renewal on the 13th of April. I had stupidly booked a holiday 4 weeks away and then found out my passport expired within 2 months.
I decided to apply via the post office, who processed all the documents for me. I received a message on the 26th stating my passport had been approved and printed.
Absolute amazing turn around and the lady on the phone at the passport office stated that the strikes we not affecting processing times one bit and that is very clear with the turn around of my passport.
Amazing job.
Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
2023-04-09
Date Received:
2023-04-27
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Send old passport by special delivery
Good quality photo (photo shop) and apply online
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1st Child Passport
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
2023-04-04
Date Received:
2023-04-27
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Passport printed 10:33pm on 25 April 2023
Application approved 3:09pm on 24 April 2023
Documents received 1:28am on 14 April 2023
Application received 7:19pm on 4 April 2023
Identity details received 7:19pm on 4 April 2023
Email sent to person confirming your identity 2:59pm on 4 April 2023
Ask someone to confirm your identity 2:57pm on 4 April 2023
Application submitted 2:57pm on 4 April 2023
Type of Application:
First Child Passport
Passport Office:
Newport
Submission Date:
2023-03-18
Date Received:
2023-04-27
Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy
Comments:
Passport printed 7:57am on 26 April 2023
Application approved 2:35pm on 25 April 2023
Documents received 3:05pm on 28 March 2023
Application received 10:13pm on 18 March 2023
Identity details received 10:12pm on 18 March 2023
Email sent to person confirming your identity 9:39pm on 18 March 2023
Ask someone to confirm your identity 9:35pm on 18 March 2023
Application submitted 9:35pm on 18 March 2023
Everything worked smoothly but was a bit stressful as I applied for two first child passports at the same time and this one took 3 weeks longer than the other one.
I think it may possibly be because they were allocated different passport offices.
Child Renewal
Type of Application:
Child Renewal
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
2023-04-06
Date Received:
2023-04-26
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
I applied for 2 new child passports and 2 child renewals on same day. I have received 1 renewal passport already and the other is being printed. The 2 new child passports have been approved but I have received no further updates on these.
1 Week Fast Track Application
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
London
Submission Date:
2023-04-19
Date Received:
2023-04-25
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Firstly, I can not praise the twitter bot initiative enough. I was really panicked as I needed to get to an important event in Amsterdam for the 26th. The Twitter service not only helped me to secure an appointment, it gave me a peace of mind. I was held during a time of uncerainly. Prior to finding this service, I contacted the passport office serval times. Although they were very nice, they gave me a slew of conflicting instructions that send me on a expensive and wasteful wild goose chase. This is both with how to secure a fast-track appointment and with a name change that I required. When I finally arrive at my appointment at the passport office on the 19th, I realised I had way over prepared. It was all very efficient. They only needed my deed letter for the name change, so my birth certificate (plus translation), the marriage certificate, the divorce decree were all unnecessary and an utter waste of time. Having said that the experience was overall much much better than I expected.
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
Not Sure
Submission Date:
2023-04-11
Date Received:
2023-04-14
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Very very relieved and only possible with the help of the Twitter account! Passport office was Birmingham (not on your drop down list)
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2023-04-21
Date Received:
2023-04-27
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Booked an appointment on Thursday 20th and was seen on Friday 21st in Peterborough to replace a damaged passport. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Passport was ready and out for delivery by the Tuesday 25th however I had issues with the TNT delivery and finally received it on the Thursday 27th.
Type of Application:
1 Week Fast Track Service
Passport Office:
Peterborough
Submission Date:
2023-04-24
Date Received:
2023-04-27
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Used Twitter bot to secure booking in Peterborough (travelled from SW London) on the day needed. Then had an on time midday appointment. Staff were really friendly and said ‘it should be with you this week and if not then 110% by next Wednesday’ (7 working days later). It arrived 3 days later.
Overseas Passport Application
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead
Submission Date:
2023-03-20
Date Received:
2023-04-03
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
It was so easy to get my passport renewed. The application submitted on 19/03 which was a Sunday, the old passport was sent by post and received on 28/03, and it was approved on 03/04. The new passport was arriving on 06/04 but we delayed it to 14/04 due to holiday.
Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)
Passport Office:
Corby
Submission Date:
2023-04-02
Date Received:
2023-04-26
Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy
Comments:
Really simple to submit photo and application online. As with ten years ago, it arrived in around 3 weeks for overseas. Great service.
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We have a very small favour to ask………….
We really hope this information is helpful to you and reduces stress whilst you are waiting for you passport. If you are able to make a small donation for the cost of a coffee it really helps us to maintain the site and continue to make improvements for future passport applicants.