Passport nightmare

[TheWayOfTheWorld]

Argh! Submitted DC passport applications on Monday but friend hasn't verified the photos yet and now I'm panicking they're not going to be back by end of May for our holiday abroad

From what I can tell on the passport website, we can't just "upgrade" to a fast track application (even though I still have the old passports) but we can make an application 2 weeks before travel if the passports are still not back.

Does anybody have any experience/advice on this?

Have you not started the process yet? It has been well known to be roughly 10 weeks wait for a long time now.

OP you can change the countersignatory very easily. Just ask someone else to do it and explain that you need them to do it literally right now because your other person let you down and you've lost a week.

Has your friend done it yet?

I did a renewal for DS, sent old passport back which they received Mon 20th, had text this morning to say its been sent off for delivery.

Hi!

Looks like we're going to be fine, more than fine in fact.

So my friend verified on Sat 18th (the day after the strike was announced) and I posted them by special delivery.

Tues 21st passport office acknowledged receipt

Friday 24th passport office approved them

Sat 25th passport office said passports had been printed

Today (Mon 27th) DPD say they waiting to receive the passports and will confirm delivery slot.

So all in all should be less than 2 weeks from verifying to having the new passports in my clammy mitts.

<wipes brow>

@ImAGoodPerson very similar time line here.

Hopefully it's the media making a mountain out of a molehill - my application was in with more than 10 weeks to go.

OP I assume renewals take priority over new passport applications then as I sent my daughters birth certificate off ages ago and when I tracked her application online it’s still saying “send your documents” I sent it by signed next day delivery and have confirmation and picture that they have received it but the application hasn’t moved on the system since 15th March when I began the application online 😖 we fly end of May. We all have passports except the baby 🫣

Oh no, how frustrating... you do still have time and, as long as your application was submitted at least 6 weeks prior, if your passport isn't received within 2 weeks of travel you can apply for a fast track.

That's good news op

I didn't get notification that my daughters needed verification when I did my submission. I think because she's 12. I'm guessing that when they reviewed it she's changed so much they then sent me an email asking for someone to do it.

We had a very similar turn around to you and got ours back last week. Remember all the drama last year when the narrative was that it was taking 12 weeks to get a passport back ? We got 2 renewals back in 3/4 weeks.

I am am going to guess that every year from now until the day i die there will be drama in the news march/april time about passport delays (that don't affect 99% of people).

I sent my renewal off last Monday and my passport was in my hand by Friday morning. Its your friend not counter signing those photos where the hold up is.

Yes I get that - the panic was more it was going to get stuck in the system once the id verification had been carried out because of the strike announcement (and subsequent deluge of passport applications)

As per update they should be with me very soon <breathes again>

They’ve just asked me for a photocopy of my second passport as they can’t find the details. The DVLA used it quite happily when I needed a photo for my new driving licence a few weeks ago.