Passport renewal

Author
Discussion

4F6

Original Poster:

156 posts

195 months

Thursday 25th June 2020
quotequote all
Anyone know how quickly passports are being turned around at present?

Should be going to France late August, wife told me last night that sons passport runs out early August. You can see my problem...

Now normally, when I renewed passports last year they were turned around in a week or so, this year that very much isn't the case and nobody can tell me what sort of timescale we're looking at.

Anyone any very recent experience of renewing a passport in the C19 world in which we now live and how long did it take?

xx99xx

1,920 posts

73 months

Thursday 25th June 2020
quotequote all
I applied online for a first passport for my son in March. It took about a month for the required ID document to reach them in the post. Not sure if this was a delay with Royal Mail or with HMPO. I suspect mostly a delay with HMPO processing their incoming mail as this was during April when all offices were shut.

Anyway, the application has been at the 'processing' stage since April 30th. I get an email every other week apologising for the delay.

It's fair to say they're going to have a large backlog to clear. They may still be working with reduced staff as I think they can only do this stuff from their office (so a guy on their helpline said because he couldn't even access their system at home to check my application). And offices can't accommodate as many people as they used to.

If you did it today, you may be lucky and hit your deadline as renewals may be quicker than firsts.

PHlL

1,538 posts

139 months

Thursday 25th June 2020
quotequote all
We've had two passport renewals in the family. Both applications done in early May and both passports received within 6 weeks.

One was a postal application, a new blue style passport was received three weeks ago. Passport had expired at application.

The second was an online application, a non-EU but burgundy passport was only received on Monday. This application was actually done a couple of days prior to the postal one so would have thought it'd be quicker than post. Passport had 2 months left to run at application.

4F6

Original Poster:

156 posts

195 months

Thursday 25th June 2020
quotequote all
Thanks. I'll get it to the post office tomorrow and cross my fingers then. Sounds like there might be a chance...

Tyre Smoke

23,018 posts

261 months

Thursday 25th June 2020
quotequote all
Not the passport office, but ordered two copy marriage certificates from the General Records Office. Should have taken four days to arrive, took three weeks. Their website said delays during CV19 due to staffing and social distancing.

So yes, don't delay and get on it!

SwanJack

1,912 posts

272 months

Thursday 25th June 2020
quotequote all
Renewed the youngest boy's passport online in the middle of May, hard copy docs took an age to be received, but got the new passport a fortnight ago.

Chucklehead

2,731 posts

208 months

Thursday 25th June 2020
quotequote all
I read a warning somewhere this week that they were taking longer than usual.. can't remember where.. maybe moneysavingexpert? Anyway, I'd get on that straight away.

Mine also expires at the start of August, but I've already decided I'm going nowhere this year.

Darlo74

284 posts

209 months

Friday 26th June 2020
quotequote all
Mine expires in August too, looked at the online renewal earlier this week and you are told to only apply if you require one for emergency travel reasons AND it's taking longer than usual.

I'm not going anywhere until Jan at the earliest so I've decided to wait until later in the year to renew.

theboss

6,913 posts

219 months

Friday 26th June 2020
quotequote all
Just applied for my renewal (expires late July) and my baby son’s first passport this week. Docs posted Tuesday.

Will have to see what happens. I was hoping to travel late August / early September for a wedding.

GuyW

1,072 posts

203 months

Friday 26th June 2020
quotequote all
Mine expired 1st June.

Online renewal. Received Monday (22nd).

Longest wait was for the passport office to accept and confirm they'd received my old passport.

Full timeline below.

Passport printed and sent 10:46am on 18 June 2020
Application approved 2:10pm on 17 June 2020
New photo received 2:09pm on 17 June 2020
Photo rejected 9:55am on 15 June 2020
Documents received 9:48am on 12 June 2020
Application received 3:10pm on 3 June 2020
Application submitted 3:09pm on 3 June 2020

xx99xx

1,920 posts

73 months

Friday 26th June 2020
quotequote all
xx99xx said:
I applied online for a first passport for my son in March. It took about a month for the required ID document to reach them in the post. Not sure if this was a delay with Royal Mail or with HMPO. I suspect mostly a delay with HMPO processing their incoming mail as this was during April when all offices were shut.

Anyway, the application has been at the 'processing' stage since April 30th. I get an email every other week apologising for the delay.

It's fair to say they're going to have a large backlog to clear. They may still be working with reduced staff as I think they can only do this stuff from their office (so a guy on their helpline said because he couldn't even access their system at home to check my application). And offices can't accommodate as many people as they used to.

If you did it today, you may be lucky and hit your deadline as renewals may be quicker than firsts.
Just to update my previous info, I received an email today to say the passport was printed and is on its way to me. So if it arrives in the next few days, it would've taken 2 months from the point they officially received/logged the ID doc from me in the post. For me though, it has been 3 months since I did my bits online and sent the doc in the post.

I'm sure they'll get quicker now that lockdown has eased.

ro250

2,750 posts

57 months

Friday 26th June 2020
quotequote all
To add my experience (wish I'd read a useful thread like this before).

Did my renewal and my son's 3 weeks ago.

Mine took about a week. I was asked to send my old passport to Durham.

My son's still not back (and the person validated his identity online immediately). His old passport was sent to Peterborough.

Seems odd to me that both are standard renewals with the only difference being my son's needed verifying.

Had an apology message yesterday about the delay although we're now in process of cancelling our US trip planned for August as things aren't panning out how we'd hoped!

Terra1

266 posts

111 months

Friday 26th June 2020
quotequote all
Posted my wife's old passport on Monday, next day delivery. Still showing as not received. We need it for mid August so hopefully it will be ok!

theboss

6,913 posts

219 months

Friday 26th June 2020
quotequote all
ro250 said:
To add my experience (wish I'd read a useful thread like this before).

Did my renewal and my son's 3 weeks ago.

Mine took about a week. I was asked to send my old passport to Durham.

My son's still not back (and the person validated his identity online immediately). His old passport was sent to Peterborough.

Seems odd to me that both are standard renewals with the only difference being my son's needed verifying.

Had an apology message yesterday about the delay although we're now in process of cancelling our US trip planned for August as things aren't panning out how we'd hoped!
Exactly the same with me except the other way around - my renewal went to Peterborough and my sons first time application + birth certs went to Durham.

Fingers crossed they get turned around quick

PHlL

1,538 posts

139 months

Friday 26th June 2020
quotequote all
Amazed most of you got them so soon. They sat on application for over a month.

Out of curiosity, those with renewals - did you get a blue or burgendy passport?


Passport printed and sent 9:48am on 20 June 2020
Application approved 2:56pm on 19 June 2020
Application being processed 10:50am on 21 May 2020
Documents received 9:56am on 13 May 2020
Application received 4:30pm on 12 May 2020
Application submitted 4:29pm on 12 May 2020

ro250

2,750 posts

57 months

Friday 26th June 2020
quotequote all
PHlL said:
Amazed most of you got them so soon. They sat on application for over a month.

Out of curiosity, those with renewals - did you get a blue or burgendy passport?


Passport printed and sent 9:48am on 20 June 2020
Application approved 2:56pm on 19 June 2020
Application being processed 10:50am on 21 May 2020
Documents received 9:56am on 13 May 2020
Application received 4:30pm on 12 May 2020
Application submitted 4:29pm on 12 May 2020
Got the new style blue ones. Or as I'd call it, black.

AndrewCrown

2,286 posts

114 months

Saturday 27th June 2020
quotequote all
Glad to see this thread here..

I applied for a renewal 1st June. I knew this would take at least 3 weeks with no fast track option unless you have a compassionate / government reasons.

Still no sign, just one apology email and text.

I have called the Passort Offce twice, they will update you on the progress, they could not committ to any timeline and explaned they had around 20% of staff in the office due to social distancing.

Will update on here when I receive it.



Edited by AndrewCrown on Saturday 27th June 14:17

GuyW

1,072 posts

203 months

Saturday 27th June 2020
quotequote all
My renewal was Peterborough. No sign of the old one back yet!
New passport was blue.

Found the tracking info from Royal Mail. I posted my old one on the 4th June, give it 1-2 days for arrival. Passport office only processed my old one arriving on the 12th!

4F6

Original Poster:

156 posts

195 months

Saturday 27th June 2020
quotequote all
I've got seven weeks so I'm hoping it'll be ok. I'm working to the assumption that whilst there are delays as they presumably bring more staff back then it'll hopefully get done in time.

If I've not heard anything in four weeks then I'll start to panic!

Amateurish

7,737 posts

222 months

Saturday 27th June 2020
quotequote all
I just renewed my son's, it took exactly one month. I got the black passport.

Passport printed and sent 11:49am on 11 June 2020
Application approved 8:25pm on 9 June 2020
Application being processed 1:00pm on 15 May 2020
Documents received 2:12pm on 13 May 2020
Application received 3:47pm on 11 May 2020

Edited by Amateurish on Saturday 27th June 22:29