Another passport thread

[Elevenerife]

Wondering if anyone has had the same experience as me.

I sent my passport application off recently and have received my original back today with a note saying my application is in progress and my documents are enclosed. The passport was not cut or destroyed in any way, as you would expect.

In addition there is no update on the online tracking. All seems unusual to me, but perhaps HMPO is putting different processes in place to deal with the backlog

Sorry posted too soon. Has anyone else experienced this? And how long after did you receive your new passport, assuming you did.

That is weird. I wonder if it's been returned to you early by mistake.

When we did ds's renewal we got the new passport first and then the old one was returned a few weeks later with the corner cut off

It is odd. I have never known this either. The official note that arrived with the old passport definitely says your passport application is being processed. The documents you sent in have been recorded and are enclosed.

But the odd thing is that there has been no update of the passport even arriving on the online tracker..

Are you travelling soon? If not I’d be inclined to just wait and see what happens? Just because it seems impossible at the moment to speak to someone who is actually knowledgeable.

I absolutely can’t believe how bad things have got. I feel like pre-Covid this just would not have been accepted but since Covid no one gives a shit anymore whether it’s HMPO or the bank call centre or whatever. I know the backlog is caused by Covid itself but still.

Yes hoping to travel fairly soon. It's a new one on me, and can't call now till Monday anyway. I am hoping the system online just hasn't updated and my new passport is on its way too

Are there any records at all on the online tracking of them receiving it? I would be worried the passport was intercepted as part of some kind of fraud or identity theft

No record of it online being tracked yet. This is the note that was enclosed with the old passport though. Picture attached.