British Passport application processing timelines (only)

[powerfox]

For over-16s applying for their first adult passport, the Passport Service says people should allow for at least six weeks to receive it.

[majamcr]

Yet another article on the passport applications backlog:
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... e-year-ago

There seem to be two reasons for the current delay in processing passport applications:
1. Home Office closed passport desks at overseas embassies so British people living overseas also have to send their passport applications to the UK
2. Passport fees for overseas applications were reduced recently and many overseas applicants applied shortly after

I applied (from the UK) for the first adult passport for me and for the first child passports for my two kids exactly 6 weeks ago and still waiting. Was told by the passport advice line that the current turnaround times are 6-8 weeks and that I might hear from the Passport Office next week. Fingers crossed.

[Daymohktim]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First time (naturalised citizen)
Method of application: PO Check & Send
Date of application: 04/June/2014
SMS received: 10/June/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

[majamcr]

Liverpool Office seems to have a big backlog at the moment. Anyone here sent their application to Liverpool? Could you please share a contact telephone number of the Liverpool Office if you have one -- thanks in advance!

[WHS]

[quote="WHS"]Passport for: Adult First Time
Application Type: New
Method of application: Post Office C&S
Date of application: 22 April 2014
Date application received by HMPO: 25 April 2014 (Durham)
Date SMS Received: 28 April 2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 07/06/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 10/06/2014
Date of return of documents: 06/06/2014
Date SMS Received: 11/06/2014
Date of Passport Receipt: 13/06/2014

That took a total of 7 years, 5 months and 11 days! Thank you for all the support.

[junk2014]

HI Junk2014,

Please can you advise me , what was the form they sent to you for asking the parents ( missing detail) as i recently filled and sent to them on 09/06/2014 and even i didnt get any where to enter my parents detail section when i filled it on the online application. After i sent only i read your thread and understand that the same problem is going to be for me as well.

What is your suggestion, shall i wait until they send me the additional form asking my parents detail or shall i fill the form which is available in post office on the parents detail section and send to them by adding my passport application reference number.

What is your suggestion and advise me what kind of form they sent to you by asking the parents detail.

Thanks

Shiva29
The form seemed to be a full paper application that I filled in completely, not just the parents section. It was 1 sheet, but folded so you had 4 pages. Don't know if it was the same as from the post office as they sent it to me.
If in the summary section of the printouts you did there is no mention of parents, then it might be worth a try to send in the paper form as well. The paper form I received had a barcode in the box at the top already, so I don't know if this was tied to my application or not.I don't know what would be on a form that you get from the post office. You can see.
I suppose that so long as you send a letter explaining what it is for and include the reference number from the online application, they might be able to keep it together. I do remember that this form went to a different PO box than the original application was sent to. Don't know if this would make a difference. The letter came with a self adhesive address label so I don't remember what it was.The other thing was that if the paper form was countersigned by the same person as the original form and photos were, I didn't have to send any more in. If I needed to get someone else to countersign the form, then I had to send more photos signed by this new person.
Hope this helps.

Thanks ...

From you reply, just one question, the form you got from them, did you get the counterpart sign agin and sent to them or you just filled only your details along with parents info. Did they ask you to fill agin the counterparts and phots section as well pls ?

I phoned them and one of the guy in the passport advisery team suggested that, take the form from post office and fill only the parents section and mentioned your online application reference, that would be enough...but not sure where it would go and my application just sent to them 3 days ago.....

I had to get the countersignatory done again, the whole form. The only thing I didn't do was send in more photos as I had the same person countersign it for me.
The other thing you can do is just wait for them to get in touch with you.

[Haidi5]

Hi Guys,
Just reading Daily Mail online which is publishing passport news on there front page for Saturday. Now they blaming migrants first time passport application for huge back log. Also in the article they saying the whistleblower from passport office said that they have pushed back all the first time passport applications to clear the renewal back log.

[BCMN1]

Hi,

I used the same number: 0300 222 0000

And got a call back from Peterbotough office within 48hrs.

That was last Saturday.

Had my interview yesterday at Chelmsford Passport Office:

Here are the questions asked by a very nice lady:

Do you know why are you here?
What is your full name?
Spell your full name.
Have you ever changed your name?
Date of birth?
Where do you live?
Your full address.
How long it took you to get here?
Did you use sat nav?
When and where was your Citizenship ceremony?
Who signed the referee part?
Where were you born?
Who do you bank with?
How many credit cards you hold and name of providers?
Tell me about yourself?
Are you planning to travel with your British Passport?

After this the lady said, thats it and you'll get your passport in 7-10 working days.

[Jordiie]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First Adul Passport
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 14th May
Date of Fees deduction: N/A
Date application received by IPS: 14th May
Sent documents the following day: 15th May
SMS recieved: Never
Date of receipt of interview letter: still waiting
Date of return of documents: Still waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Still waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: TBA

I called the 0300 number twice and was advised that my passport would be with me before the 2nd of July as I fly out to Portugal on this date, my online application status still says ' declaration form recived being processed' does anyone know if this status changes when it's being assed?
Good luck

[farrukhnizam]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (Naturalized)
Method of application: Check and Send Service
Date of application: 12/05/2014
Date application received by IPS: 16th of May
Date of SMS Received: not received yet
Date of return of documents: Awaiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: Received on 14th of June (Dated on 12th of June)
Date of Passport Appointment: TBA
Date of Passport Receipt: TBA

[babyface123]

Application Type: First adult passport
Method of application: PO check and send
Date of application: 25/04/2014
Date of application received by IPS: N/A
Date SMS received: 01/05/2014
Date of method of fees: cash
Date of return of documents: waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: 14/06/14 (dated 12/06/14
Date of interview appointment: 21/06/14
Date of SMS that Passport is being printed:
Date of Passport Receipt: waiting

After over six weeks of waiting for the interview letter it finally arrived. thanks be to God.
I hope all you guys that are waiting the process would speed up.
i will update you on the out come. Thanks guys for your help and reassurance.

[majamcr]

Congratulations babyface123! Can you please tell us which Passport Office is dealing with your application? Thanks!

[babyface123]

Congratulations babyface123! Can you please tell us which Passport Office is dealing with your application? Thanks!

After about 3 emails and 2 calls,i got an email on the 7/06/14 that Durham office has my application and it was going through the examination process. I called again on Wednesday and a nice lady told me, there is some delays in the application process.

[mcclane25]

What documents dual nationals need to send when applying first british passport through Post office check&send? Are we sending other nationality passport with application? or Post office copies them and gives back? Thanks in advance

[AussieManc]

postby mcclane25 » Sun Jun 15, 2014 5:17 pm
What documents dual nationals need to send when applying first british passport through Post office check&send? Are we sending other nationality passport with application? or Post office copies them and gives back? Thanks in advance



Post Office check and send service only checks that the form is correctly filled in and you have provided all documents needed. They do not copy or verify documents; all original documents need to go with the form. We found this out the hard way, thinking we could keep our passports - not possible. If you, like us, have travel plans in the next two months or so, maybe best to wait to apply until after you come back.

[BCMN1]

Update:

Date of sms, passport is being printed: 15-06-14

Moderators:
I am unable to edit my original posts, would you please look into this.

Many thanks

Further Update:

My passport delivered to my home address

Unbelievable exactly 2 weeks turn around from the date of application received, thanks to the helping lady at Peterborough Passport Office.

[cofe]

Update
Passport for: 2 Adults
Application Type: New (Naturalized)
Method of application: Check and Send Service
Date of application: 13/05/2014
Date application received by IPS: Awaiting
Date of SMS Received: 16/05/2014
Date of return of documents: Awaiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: 14/06/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 20/06/2014 (At Luton)
Date of Passport Receipt: Awaiting

[asadulla]

Liverpool Office seems to have a big backlog at the moment. Anyone here sent their application to Liverpool? Could you please share a contact telephone number of the Liverpool Office if you have one -- thanks in advance!

My application is with Liverpool office.

I sent my applciation(along with my wife and kids) on 13th May, received SMS on 19th May.
After that no more updated from HM possport office. Called couple of times, only update i get is application is under examination.

[majamcr]

Thanks for your post asadulla. I sent my application (together with kids) on May 2nd, SMS received on May 8th, still no interview letter or kids' passports. Called there last week, was also told that it is under examination. I wish us good luck!

[nina-23k]

Application Timeline
Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send or Postal
Date of application: 9th May 2014
Date application received by IPS: 13th May 2014-SMS
Date of return of documents: Should be this week
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt:Waiting

I have called the 0300 number several time last 2 weeks and they told me that there was a spelling mistake in my surname first and also because i asked for my passport and supporting documents to be return to my work address, last week Peterborough office which is dealing with my application sent me an additional form to fill and requesting a letter from my employer to confirm that i do work here. Aparently because this is a business address they accept no liability in case of loss of documents.

Today, the lady dealing with my application called me to let me know that she did received my letter and that she is sendind my supporting documents to my work address and i am hoping to get my interview letter too. I am due to travel on the 28th June.

[keerthi]

I applied for my daughters 1st passport through Fast track - 1 week Service on 10th, checked today through call center, was told still under examination....very worried, even Fast track applications are not dealt within in time?

[lapkapups]

postby mcclane25 » Sun Jun 15, 2014 5:17 pm
What documents dual nationals need to send when applying first british passport through Post office check&send? Are we sending other nationality passport with application? or Post office copies them and gives back? Thanks in advance



Post Office check and send service only checks that the form is correctly filled in and you have provided all documents needed. They do not copy or verify documents; all original documents need to go with the form. We found this out the hard way, thinking we could keep our passports - not possible. If you, like us, have travel plans in the next two months or so, maybe best to wait to apply until after you come back.

True. I went to the Post Office today to submit my application and the nice lady there advised me not to, saying there are huge delays and chances are my application won't be processed in time for me to travel (in 7 weeks). I'm not entirely happy to leave the application for after my trip but I don't want to risk either as I am going to my brother's wedding.

So annoying they need the original passport

[seyi]

[quote="seyi"][quote="seyi"]Application Timeline

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First Passport
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 22/04/2014
Date application received by IPS: 25/04/2014
Date of return of documents: 16/06/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter:13/06/2014 (Dated 11/06/2014)
Date of Passport Appointment: 13/06/2014
Date of Passport Receipt: 16/06/2014

I will feel free to settle and travel away.
Many thanks for people who shared experiences and information. It was great help!

[thirddoor]

I posted the application for First Adult on 20th May, just received letter (16/06) stating I had not completed whole form. I checked online form and no questions regarding parents but manual form does. I think given the media reports they will try to find faults in applications to be able to state "straight forward" application were delivered on time.

Has anybody else had this problem re Parents information not asked for on Online Application?

[majamcr]

I posted the application for First Adult on 20th May, just received letter (16/06) stating I had not completed whole form. I checked online form and no questions regarding parents but manual form does. I think given the media reports they will try to find faults in applications to be able to state "straight forward" application were delivered on time.

Has anybody else had this problem re Parents information not asked for on Online Application?

Lots of people have reported this problem already, see:
http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 61038.html