Passport - time to recieve

[mouk786]

Basically I have a non urgent passport renewal, but I would like to get it ASAP so I can tie in getting a VISA for a future trip on a upcoming trip to London

My options:
Pay over £1 for recorded delivery and wait the quote 3 weeks

Pay just under £7 for the Post Office's 'Check and Send' service which includes them sending it Special Delivery and a return of 2 weeks.

Does anyone know the actual time it takes to recieve a standard passport application at the moment?

Part of the problem is none of the nearest PO's to my work have the Check and Send service and I really wnat to get it off tomorrow

(i realise none of them gurantee delivery vy the quoted time but I don't mind paying a few quid extra if it does actually cut it a week)

[RedImps]

Last one I did around this time last year was back within two weeks and that was without any of the extra fees - probably a quiet time, only a few skiers realising their passport is out of date rather than the rush in June/July.

[PITA]

"Check and Send" service on the Saturday - passport delivered on the Thursday

[mouk786]

PITA said:

"Check and Send" service on the Saturday - passport delivered on the Thursday

How long ago was this?

[andy-xr]

I went for the £90 odd option last time and I think it was inside a week

[PITA]

mouk786 said:

PITA said:

"Check and Send" service on the Saturday - passport delivered on the Thursday

How long ago was this?

Beginning of September 2008 which I would have thought would have been a busy period - was very surprised myself

[dwilkie]

I used the normal service in June last year, the 3 week one. Sent it on the Tuesday, had it the following Wednesday.

[mouk786]

I think I will chance it with the normal one, by the sounds of it, it will probably come within 2 weeks anyway.

[schmalex]

We did our son's over Christmas. We got it back within 4 days of sending the application off

[vrsocty]

Hi all, new to this but here goes!
Sent my old passport of last Wednesday and received it back today ready for a trip to Dublin in Feb

Sent via special delivery by 4pm (£4.10)
Open to suggestions on place to eat and drink while there

Cheers

[mouk786]

Just for the record

Sent it recorded Tuesday

Recieved my odl passport back standard post Saturday

Recieved my new passport back Monday

Normal service, much quicker turnaround than expected at the moment

[cod man]

Sent mine off on special delivery (£4.60) last Wednesday, and received the new one this morning. I didn't bother with the check and send service, I mean how hard can it be to fill out a form?

[GCH]

Couldnt be bothered waiting, plus wouldnt trust royal mail (even special delivery) with anything like that, so went to victoria to do the same day service- not a great deal more expensive. Made appointment fri afternoon for saturday 10am, was in there 15 mins, picked it up 4 hours later...hassle free.

[mouk786]

I think the main appeal of the Check and Send is that it apaprently saves you a week.

I imagine even now the S+C applications must be getting priority over the normal applications, but obviously when the whole process takes 6 days there probably isn;t even a day in it at the current time.

[CarlT]

Mine was back in 3 days (didnt pay any extra for Check & Send etc)

[Nolar Dog]

Anyone sending off for a new passport be aware that the criteria for approved photos changed recently.

You can no longer have a white background. It has to be plain cream or plain pale grey.

HTH

[off_again]

Needed a passport same day, went to Peterborough and got one the same day.

Needed a new passport for children in a week - paid money and received in 5 days

Needed a second passport - paid for 7 day turn around, got one in 2

So far they have been hitting the numbers they say, sometimes doing better. Its not cheap, but if you do pay the money the service pretty much matches what they promise. I have no experience with the cheaper options as I dare not risk it.