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Original poster

Need help from people who have renewed a passport recently!

49 replies

passportpanics · 02/04/2022 23:20

I just applied to renew my passport today. Took the old one to the post office, missed the last collection today but posted it anyway and it'll be on its way on Monday.

I'm flying out on 23rd May. Felt all happy about getting it sent off nice and early, until I googled turnaround times (why oh why didn't I do this beforehand?!) and saw that it could take up to TEN weeks!! I only have seven. The passport website says applications are currently taking five weeks.

My trip will only be refundable up until 23rd April (3 weeks time). My decision on whether to cancel/postpone will depend on how far through the application process my passport gets by 23rd April.

So, please, can anyone tell me what the stages were when you tracked your passport renewal's progress? And which stages seemed to take longest?

Many thanks in advance Smile

OP posts:
AuditAngel · 02/04/2022 23:23

I renewed my daughter’s on 5/2, but was slow sending in the old passport, (a couple of weeks), new passport sent 8/3

bagelsandcheese · 02/04/2022 23:25

I renewed my partners end of Feb got it back a couple of weeks later.

Preciousprincess75 · 02/04/2022 23:26

We've just done 4 (2 adult, 2 children). All bizarrely sent to different passport offices, all back within 10 days of the old one being sent.

ManifestingMaureen · 02/04/2022 23:29

We renewed ours at the end of Feb, got them the back week before last Smile

joopy79 · 02/04/2022 23:30

Mine took 3 weeks, you can look up how long it's taking. I sent my old passport that day and it arrived the next morning but it wasn't updated on the system for a week.

StinkerTroll · 02/04/2022 23:31

Daughters passport came back yesterday, took about 3 weeks

MintyIguana · 02/04/2022 23:33

My daughters renewal recently took about 3 weeks. I was nervous as the system kept saying it was waiting to receive the old passport (though I had proof it had been received). It only updated pretty much as the whole process was complete and we received the new one a few days later. Have you checked current average processing times?

MintyIguana · 02/04/2022 23:34

Sorry I see you have checked processing times...

Original poster
passportpanics · 02/04/2022 23:40

Thanks everyone, encouraging that nobody seems to have waited the full 10 weeks so far! I’m worried though that probably everyone will be sending them off around now, before the summer.

Looking online, it seems the tracking system updates periodically - received / approved / printing, etc? Is this right?

I’m thinking if I get to 23rd April and it’s not yet approved I should postpone, but if it’s been printed then I’ll chance it, if you see what I mean?

OP posts:
MyDcAreMarvel · 02/04/2022 23:40

Nice and early? I would never even book without a valid passport. Always allow a minimum of three months.

Original poster
passportpanics · 02/04/2022 23:43

@MyDcAreMarvel

Nice and early? I would never even book without a valid passport. Always allow a minimum of three months.
Clearly I was wrong to think I was in good time!

This is the first time I have had to renew, I will be wise to it next time.

OP posts:
OllyBJolly · 02/04/2022 23:45

Three weeks. DD1 got hers in 6 days, DD2 6 weeks. All online.

ExHProblem · 02/04/2022 23:48

3 weeks. Confirmed approval after about 10 days but then heard nothing til about day 19 when they said they’re being printed and I received them around day 21/22

AppleKatie · 02/04/2022 23:50

Mine took bang on 4 weeks (which is how long the website said they were currently taking at the time).

The longest part was waiting for them to update the system to show that they had my passport. After that it all happened v quickly although it did take 5 days once they said it had been sent to it arriving.

Kitkat151 · 02/04/2022 23:52

10 days for my partners ( including sending in his old one)

Selma22 · 03/04/2022 03:08

I booked my daughters first passport early yet they took 3 weeks to even acknowledge receiving documents and the statues hasn't changed since.I am driving to Newport for express passport on Tuesday .

PupInAPram · 03/04/2022 03:13

It took 4 weeks for an online adult passport renewal. The weirdest bit was the week after it had been printed and was waiting for collection by the delivery company. No email or tracking at that point, it just plopped through my letter box a week after printing. Tracking was spot on up until it was printed. I sent my old one to the Durham office so I presume they did the whole process.

SallyJAnne · 03/04/2022 03:14

I received mine today. Applied 3 weeks and 2 days ago (renewal)

SallyJAnne · 03/04/2022 03:16

to add, it was an online application. I posted off my old passport straight away.

Thethingswedoforlove · 03/04/2022 03:16

I applied on 5 March for dds replacement. I got acknowledgement that the new one had been approved on 21 March. The new passport was received on 29 March. So just over 3 weeks from beginning to end of the process. The alerts were clearly a bit lagging the actual actions. I received it the day I was told it was being printed…..

avamiah · 03/04/2022 03:36

I think you might be ok but I personally would of done the Fast Track service just to be on the safe side but that’s just me.

They will keep you informed via email.

OxanaVorontsova · 03/04/2022 03:47

Renewed DDs in the autumn, took about 4 weeks

Topseyt · 03/04/2022 03:50

I sent DD3's off for renewal on Friday. Did the forms, photo and payment online and then went out to post off her old one.

We're not going away until June, so plenty of time I would hope. Unless they do stretch it to 10 weeks.

They sound rather hit or miss with their online progress updates.

Kaboomba · 03/04/2022 04:16

We applied 7th March for my sons renewal, posted old passport to them on 11th March they messaged to say received in 22nd March and I received another message on 1st April to say it's been printed and being send to couriers.

Hope this helps.

cakebaby · 03/04/2022 08:11

Applied for adult and child online renewal 9 March, sent old passports following day. Dealt with by Peterborough & Liverpool offices respectively. Child’s new passport arrived 28 March and adults 1 April. It was 1 week between the message saying it had been printed & would be passed to courier, to when it landed on my doormat.

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