Passport Chaos!!

[MamaBear81]

Hi all, just a querie really regarding the passport delays. I'm booked to fly to Egypt in march next year, and it will be my 1st holiday abroad since I was 13.. But I'm hearing so many horror stories about these delays! I have to renew my sons passport which should be straightforward enough, but with my own I'm not sure what I should be doing. I had a child passport which my mother always kept, but she can't find it anywhere so I have no idea how long it's been lost. Should I be applying for a renewel, replacement or first adult passport? If it's a first adult, I've read that they're currently being turned away while the passport office catch up. But surely 7 months should be enough time?

I would wait until the end of the summer if I were you. Just so it doesn't get lodged in the backlog somewhere. Maybe apply in September time. I think you'll need to apply for a first adult passport as you can only apply for a renewal if any passport you previously held is undamaged. The form asks if you've ever had a passport which you can answer yes to, then it asks for the number (I think) and whether you've included it or it's lost. I think I've read that you have to attend an interview if your passport is lost or stolen but you'll have to do that anyway for a first adult. You could always do check and send if you're not happy with which one you should be applying for. Hope that helps.

I was planning on sending the application via check and send this week. Because what if they don't catch up over the summer, and the back log builds up even more? Surely if I apply now, they will get to it sooner than if I waited until September? The lady in the post office asked when I was going away (when I collected the forms) and I told her march 2015, and that I was worried about mine not being back in time. But she
Said I should receive it in plenty of time if I were to
Send it off asap? I've read posts on here by people saying they're worried about the same thing, except they've only applied 2 or 3 months before they're due to travel.. 7 months should give plenty of time surely?