First UK Passport Application - Haven't got the 'Documents received' acknowledgement

[Zrl100]

Hi there,
I posted my Original Naturalisation Certificate, Current Passport as well as my Cancelled/expired passport first used to enter the UK via Royal Mail Next Day Special Delivery before 1pm.

It was posted earlier this week on Tue 23rd Jul to HMPO Hemel Hempstead. The online tracking shows documents delivered & signed for by HMPO the next day at 7:44am on Wed 24th Jul. (I was like 7:44am?, that's early for a delivery, but having looked at google maps the Royal Mail Home Counties Mailing Centre in Hemel Hemstead is only a few streets away from the HMPO Hemel Hempstead, so I'm assuming this to be normal despite that early in the morning & giving it the benefit of the doubt).

Most people's first passport processing timelines on here for online applications to Hemel Hempstead are getting their 'Documents received' acknowledgement within 48hrs after documents delivered.

I should have had my acknowledgement by today. I still haven't received my 'Documents received' acknowledgement. It's starting to make me nervous. I'm aware it's still early days.

But having read some horror stories about people's documents going missing, I need some advise on what I can do to get the HMPO to confirm they've received my documents?

What's the best way to chase them? By phone, by online form, and anything else I should know in advance before i speak to them?

Thank you very much!

[AmazonianX]

There is no one size fits all. Your experience will not mimic others exactly.
Good that you got update from tracking, they upload in batches not exactly as they receive. Exercise a bit of patience.

[hq1221]

I had the similar timeline issue but my post address was given to Corby this week. The status changed to doc received immediately after I called the helpline 03003300901 by providing application info and royal mail tracking number.
The helpline indicates it may take up to 48 hours to scan the docs and sychronise to the system so you can have a try to call them and ask for a double check.

[Zrl100]

Thank you very much for your responses AmazonianX and hq1221.

I had a brief conversation with an adviser on the HMPO online webchat a few mins. ago. He said that if the documents were delivered on Wed 24th Jul I needed to allow 3 working days for them to be opened and logged. If it's not updated by the end of Mon 29th Jul, then contact them again.

Hmpo online webchat can be accessed thru this Web page for anyone else that may need it.
https://www.gov.uk/government/organisat ... ce-webchat

[hoods24]

Hi

Similar thing happened to me, I posted my documents a week earlier than you to Hemel Hempstead and was expecting to get document received acknowledgment by Friday but never received it. I was panicking about my documents and I called HMPO next Monday on 0300 222 0000, gave my tracking number and they managed to find my docs and said I’ll get notification soon. I still never got the document received notification however, I can track my application online which confirmed that they had received my documents on the same day as I called them, time mentioned was almost immediately after I made that phone call to HMPO..

[TerryGH]

Same issue here. Docs delivered on Thursday morning (25 July), but still no acknowledgment. Tried calling helpline, and they say "allow up to 2 weeks for the acknowledgment". Looks like a holiday season in the Passport Office has started.

[AmazonianX]

Same issue here. Docs delivered on Thursday morning (25 July), but still no acknowledgment. Tried calling helpline, and they say "allow up to 2 weeks for the acknowledgment". Looks like a holiday season in the Passport Office has started.

The post is received in bulk, takes a while for them to sort. People do not get acknowledgement fast as desired.

[contorted_svy]

There are ebbs and flows. HMPO has service standards to deliver passports of 3 weeks which hasn't changed, so you need to exercise some patience, hopefully not two weeks, to receive the confirmation that your documents were received.

[TerryGH]

Just received an acknowledgment from HMPO!

[Zrl100]

Great! I also got my 'documents received' acknowledgement this afternoon.

[AmazonianX]

What wonders patience and less worry can do