Passport renewal, UK

Lounge
1

This seems to be a hot topic in the news at the moment. When I decided to put in the application for my renewal (online, standard service) I was told to allow ten weeks for delivery.

In my case it took 2 weeks and 1 day.

I did use a photobooth that delivered the picture to the passport office (or allowed them to download a copy to be more exact).

The online tracking worked up until the point that the passport was printed and then seemed to stop updating (it was meant to inform me when the passport was passed to DHL for delivery to me, it didn’t).

Anyway… Maybe I was lucky but I’ve got no complaints about the service I received.

2

Same for me, mailed off in mid Feb a number of months before it was due, it came back a few days over 2 weeks

3

We have to renew one of the family’s passports every year (give or take), always use the online portal, always find it easy and quick.

4

It took them a bit less than 5 weeks to do mine, although it wasn’t a completely straightforward renewal.

On the other hand it took DVLA more than 13 weeks for a much more simple renewal.

5

This seems to be some kind of issue here too (i.e. not only a UK phenomenon). I renewed my passport recently and it took 6 weeks to get myself identified (from the booking to the actual appointment) and another week for the delivery of the passport itself.

You need to visit the passport office if the fingerprints are last taken more than 6 years ago (meaning in practice every second time). That was the case for me this time.

The general explanation has been that a lot of passports have been expired during the pandemic and are only renewed now and in addition the current war seems to explain some of the recent peak (according to the news some passports are renewed well before the actual expiry date).

6

My daughter has been waiting over 12 weeks for a passport for her daughter…….still no sign despite multiple calls and escalations

7

Application made jan 18, requested old passport jan 19, old passport receipt acknowledged jan 31, new one posted out feb 7. So it can be quick; delay seems to have been with posting the old passport to them, everything else was electronic.

8

4 weeks for renewal of mine and it’s a nice blue one ! they keep you updated on the progress so no complaints over the service, would imagine the delays come with first time applications, kids ones and/or where nationality/residency status is complicated

9

Just did the wife’s and youngest daughter’s.

Applied online at the same time. They had to be sent to separate offices for some reason. One had regular text updates. The other didn’t. Which of course makes you think something has gone wrong.

It took a few goes to get an acceptable photo. The algorithm on the site accepted them and then they later rejected them for odd reasons.

Overall it took a few weeks but generally pretty shambolic.

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