Is anyone else playing passport roulette?

[mayaknew]

Couldn't get a fast track appointment so took a gamble and applied normally.

We leave 8 weeks tomorrow for a wedding in Spain 😷😷😷😷😷

Is anyone else at risk of not getting their holiday? Or are the stories in the papers the exception and most people are getting them within a few weeks 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏

We travel end of July, send both DCs old passports off to Bootle on 22nd April. DC1 application all fine, has been approved and printed. DC2s had photo rejected, plus they are saying my DHs details don't match their records and I need to send his birth cert (which we can't find, have ordered a new one but can be up to 20 working days). Why DC1s passport didn't have this same issue is anyone's guess.

Is this true? Why is no one doing this then?

If it comes to this I'll hope they take pity on me since we are travelling for a wedding. Doubt it though.

I honestly wouldn't care if we didn't get them until the day before travel as long as I know for definite id get them on time !

Yep, I called the other day to check the additional docs I'd had to send in had been received (as they don't update the system), and when in mentioned i was travelling in early June he told me to call up 2 weeks before travelling and they try to speed it up, it does come with a cost if it's less than 10 weeks since you applied and there's no guarantee they can do it as certain checks need to be done, but they do try to help. I think they ask for proof that you have something booked.

Luckily my DD's was approved today so shouldn't need to test it out!

Application made online on 5th April for a new passport for DD. Received it on the 20th. Just received her old passport back today.

How can you tell which passport office dealt with it? I had to send her old passport to Hemmel Hempstead but it seemed to have been returned from Southport.

There are definitely delays, does depends which office and what you are applying for. If no appointments showing check back the following morning and there should be appointments for 3wks time. If you intend to travel I wouldn’t chance not doing the fast track, the stress won’t be a good build up to the holiday!!

Ds's renewal took just under 3 weeks - online renewal, no countersignature required, glasgow office

I don't understand why there's such a disparity in turnaround

Applied for my son's first passport on the 4th March, no updates since the middle of March which is that is was processing and he is due to travel in three weeks ☹️

My eldest is due to travel in July and his needs renewing, I can't decide whether to send it off or try for a fast track appointment.

It's such a lottery! We sent 3 away. 1 came back after 13 days, 1 after 3 weeks and the last one said they had received docs 2 weeks ago but no further updates

There are fast track appointments available, but you have to be prepared to be glued to the website to catch them as they are released, they do about 2 releases randomly per day. I realised last Tuesday that DD wouldn't have 3 months left on hers for our French trip in half term. Yesterday morning (before 7am) I got in and booked the first realistic slot I could on 25th, even though it was actually too late to travel. However once you have a slot you can change it at no charge. And It is much quicker to change an existing slot than start from scratch - much less screens.

Later that day (2pm) I managed to change it to a better date (16th, so doable to get it in time) but at a further away office. I was prepared for the longish drive but this morning (after 9am) they freed up some more slots and now I go on Tuesday to the nearest office, and hopefully with plenty of time to receive it.

So as long as you are prepared to hover on the website it is doable. You do have to pay up front and if you ultimately don't get a suitable appointment or can't make it then you risk that as no refunds. The website is painstaking though and does time out, and the slots do fly out quickly - don't deliberate. I'd suggest doing it with full WiFi and a computer rather than phone - I actually got a slot almost as soon as I realised on Tuesday, but was on my phone in a shop and the connection timed out at the payment stage and I lost that one.

Anyway it is doable. Good luck

Did 2x adult renewal and 2x child first passports 20th March.

The 2x adult renewals were done and back within 3 weeks.

The 2x child first passports have been stuck in “processing” since 14 April.

We don’t travel until end of July but it’s frustrating all the same.

Applied online 26th April for teenage sons renewal and went to post office to return old passport special delivery guaranteed by 1pm next day.

All royal mails says is last weds my letter should be delivered by 1pm.

Passport office said they are waiting for old passport. No idea if it's delivered or lost and royal mail can't help. Both absolutely useless.

It is a total lottery. We were lucky, sent DD3's for renewal, changing this time from a child's passport to her first adult one. It took just under 3 weeks.

Just to add, that was the Peterborough office.

I've managed to speak to a human today!

Had to renew our youngests, despite it having 9 months left due to the date of issue FFS.

Turns out, we have had a right farce getting someone to countersign (don't move kids schools, or let anyone get married if you need a passport in the next two years!)

Found out it's going to Durham so this thread really worries me 😳

ds(18) applied online 19/4 got passport today, so took 2.5 weeks

(and 2-3 days of that was him sending his old child passport by 2nd class stamp)

They keep sending me reminders to send DS old passport back! Wouldn’t mind but I sent it and they received it ages ago. I know it says there will be a gap between courier tracking and theirs but does anyone know how long?! I applied 19th, identity done on 19th, sent old one 22nd, they received on the 25th and they’ve sent me 3 texts since then saying I still need to send it… that was 2 weeks ago. We luckily have 15 weeks until holiday still but very annoying and is a child renewal from baby passport so worried they will ask for more info or something and delay it.

Same here - applied for my twin sons first passports in February. 10 weeks on and still processing. Applied for upgrade almost 2 weeks ago but no one has got back to me. Meant to be going away on Tuesday but that’s obviously not happening 😢

It's awful. They need to do something about this it's just not good enough.

@Ugzbugz DSs old passport was tracked via RM as delivered to Peterborough on 27th April. I got a message today saying had been received. Seems to take a while from receipt to showing it online.

I must admit I was starting to get panicky that they’d lost it.

DS new passport has arrived this morning. Applied around 21st April so a fast turnaround. I managed to speak to someone on Wednesday about the issue re DHs name for DDs passport application, they said someone would do a callback, still waiting on this. We've uploaded a new photo for DD, not heard yet if this one's been accepted.

I sent my renewal 2 weeks ago to Bootle, Liverpool. It was processed and returned in 6 days

Applies early March for child renewal and still waiting to hear. 😐😐😐

Do you think there is any difference between sending in a paper copy or doing it online? 16 weeks til we travel and have to do it today!

Faster and cheaper to do online
Photo can be done with your phone if you do it carefully against a light background with no shadows on the face