First adult passport nightmare!!!

[Kitkat1912]

Hi all, I'm new to this but I need some advice as I'm worrying myself Ill! For the last three weeks we have been trying two send off for my OH first adult passport after family sprung a surprise holiday on us after the last five years of me being seriously I'll with Crohn's disease. They had no idea my OH had no passport. Every time we have gone to send it off via post office check and send. First it was the wrong birth certificate so we had to travel back to his hometown for the original. Then we were told the photos from a passport approved photo booth were not suitable due to the background being a blue colour instead of light grey?! Next booth we went to were printing on blue backgrounds too. Now yet again we are going to get his photos done again tomorrow and finally get it off. But we travel on 17th June which is just under 5 weeks away and the passport agency states to allow six weeks. The whole process has cost us a fortune, travelling etc. We have all his parents full details incl passport numbers and he was on his parents passport as a child so I'm hoping this May speed thinks up. Is there anything else we can do to speed things up as we need this holiday with our daughter so badly, daughter is 11 and not been abroad since age 6. I'll do anything to get it back before we go. Any help or advice greatly appreciated :)

Can you pay for a faster service? There are other threads on here where some passports have taken much longer than expected - especially first adult ones.

I don't want to worry you, but don't want you to miss your holiday either.

Is there any way you can go to the passport office and get it done on the day. Also snappy snaps do passport photos.

The photos are really difficult to get right. I recommend going to a photographer / photography studio rather than taking them in a booth. There is one called Snappy Snaps near where I live (I don't know if they are a chain, maybe search on line to see if there is one near you?) They will make sure that they get it exactly right so you don't have to keep redoing it.

Also read the leaflet that comes with the passport application form as it tells you about things like the colour of background etc.

Lastly, use "check and send" at the post office. They will make sure that everything is correct before it is sent off, including the photo.

You can pay extra I think if you need it sooner than 6 weeks but post office will tell you how quickly passports are coming back at the moment.

Do you and your daughter have passports?

Hello, I applied for my first adult passport a year ago. I did it through check and send at the post office and because it was my first ever 10 year passport I had to attend an interview at a government office in Manchester. Even with the interview I still received my passport 3 weeks after taking it to the post office.

Max Spielman are good for passport photos as well. Unfortunately you can't use the Fast Track or premium passport services if you are applying for a first passport. The government website states that it takes 6 weeks.
www.gov.uk/apply-first-adult-passport

Sorry, not what you wanted to hear.

Thank you for the replies all. I was aware that you can't fast track a first adult in anyway, although I've read on here you can pay extra to get it dispatched quicker I don't know how true that is? I think we are going to try boots as I believe they come out on a cream background. It's just been difficult as my car is off the road at the moment (typical when I need it most). I've heard all different stories about how quickly they are coming back some say there's an 8 week delay at Liverpool (we are based in Manchester) Funanbulist myself and my daughters passports have expired so need renewal I've been told three weeks on that. I'm just hoping there are cases of people receiving their passport within four weeks including the interview. will he definitely need an interview having already been included on his parents passport?

Bunny 27 that sounds reassuring :) I don't want to have to postpone it as it will cost a fortune to change dates etc

Hi kitkat, I had been on my parents passport and also I have had a few one year passports as an adult - a long time ago ! But I still needed an interview. I was invited for interview approx a week after using check and send and received my passport within a week of interview. I was surprised how quick the whole process was. At interview I was asked about parents and where I banked etc etc.

Really, that's very quick. Can I ask what time of year it was? We are going to do it today but my OH has completely lost heart and thinks he won't be coming on holiday. Its approx 4 weeks 4 days til we go, I know its pushing it but I've just got to hope the interview comes through quickly as it seems the passport arrives not long after

They may ask to interview him, equally they may not.

Its a great pity that these other people did not check beforehand with you that you all actually had valid passports.

Would not use the likes of Boots for passport photos, use a shop like Snappy Snaps or Kodak instead. They get the photos right.

Or Max Spielmann who are also one of the few places that issue photos the correct size for Indian visas.

Pls I need to knw after the passport interview what next?

Because I have been for the interview a month ago and I was told that I will be contacted but no contact yet