Reviews, Tips and Timelines

Type of Application:
First UK Adult Passport

Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead

Submission Date:
02-11-2023

Date Received:
14-11-2023

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
First passport after naturalization.
Application approved 9:16pm on 10 November 2023
Documents received 8:30am on 8 November 2023
Application received 5:19pm on 3 November 2023
Identity details received 5:19pm on 3 November 2023
Email sent to person confirming your identity 4:41pm on 2 November 2023
Ask someone to confirm your identity 1:58pm on 2 November 2023
Application submitted 1:58pm on 2 November 2023

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Passport Office:
Corby

Submission Date:
30-10-2023

Date Received:
10-11-2023

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Really quick and easy, my renewal included a name change too

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Passport Office:
Corby

Submission Date:
27-10-2023

Date Received:
02-11-2023

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

Comments:
Only problem was first (selfie) photo I took was rejected because of pale green background colour of wall. My wife helped with second (also just phone) photo with cream wall behind – accepted within 42 mins of submission! Outstanding service; I was taken aback …

Type of Application:
Adult Passport Renewal

Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead

Submission Date:
08-11-2023

Date Received:
14-11-2023

Overall Experience:
5 Star – Very Easy

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Type of Application:
Lost/Stolen Passport

Passport Office:
Not Sure

Submission Date:
21-09-2023

Date Received:
13-11-2023

Overall Experience:
4 Star – Easy

Comments:
This was for a lost passport with interview (multiple lost). Very easy process and I managed to move up my interview by calling and checking for cancellation dates.

Type of Application:
Adult Renewal (Overseas Application)

Passport Office:
Hemel Hempstead

Submission Date:
16-10-2023

Date Received:
08-11-2023

Overall Experience:
2 Star – Stressful

Comments:
Overseas application from France. Applied on the 16th of October online with a digital photo. I sent the documents the next day (17th of October) using international tracked postal service (not signed for) and they arrived at Hemel Hampstead on the 23rd of October. It took around 10 days, or until the 1st of November, for them to acknowledge receipt of my passport and scan in onto my application (which was stressful – I thought my passport might be lost. Communication with the passport office just turned in circles with them repeatedly telling me to wait 7 more days). After the passport was scanned in things went fast though, the application was approved on the 3rd of November, and printed by the 4th of November. I received it on the 8th of November with a tracked DHL delivery (notifications with SMS). My old passport turned up the next day, again with DHL tracked service and SMS updates. Quite smooth and easy, albeit stressful due to the delay between arrival and acknowledgement of my passport at the passport office. I would recommend using signed delivery to others – they seem to process signed deliveries faster from what I’ve been reading, and you will be less stressed. Anyway, even with some delays it was still pretty quick: 3-4 weeks.

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