HM passport office

[Sageadvice21]

Has anyone seen / heard anything regarding when the HM passport office is likely to start accepting new applications online again?

Or does anyone know / has anyone recently applied via the paper route with an application form from the Post Office and received their passport back?

I know they are dealing with very urgent ones at the moment, but just wondered whether they was any information around about standard application. Thanks

I applied last week for my sons new passport. It kept giving me warnings online to say they would prefer I applied at a later date if for leisure but I ignored it as submitted it anyway. It has been progressing as usual but don't know how long u will wait to receive it

@Pootle40 How were you able to apply? I can't seem to get to the point where it lets you!

I don't know I did it online just over a week ago! It was to renew a child's passport and I said reason was 'for leisure purposes'. It tried to put me off but I just kept pressing the progress with application button (or similar) and at the end I was given my tracking number. Unless they have since put a stop on it online?!

They received my daughters renewal on the 25th April. No sign of it yet. It has been approved though . I applied because we have a holiday booked and although it was unlikely we would go, not having a passport would make that a definite that we wouldn't go

My sons renewal form was received on 19th March and new passport was posted on 7th May

It lets you do it here. You need to scroll down and click the green button, www.gov.uk/renew-adult-passport/renew

do it online only! The site accepts your own digital photo, it is a faff to get it right but if it is 'fair' or above it should work - ours did. No need even to leave the house except to post them the expired one.

it arrived in two weeks, this was around 3 weeks ago. Needed it to renew a photocard driving licence which came back in a week. (Validity on those has FINALLY been extended).

don't send paper or ID docs to any government office at the moment, you won't see them again for months.

My daughter's arrived today. Took about 6 weeks for a child's renewal in our case. Did it all digitally and was easy.

Did our adult renewal s online 2 weeks ago. They run out this month and I wanted to get renewed on the off chance we can go on our holiday next month. Mine came back in a week and DH arrived today. They are blue but at least we have them.
I just clicked through on the "are u sure you want to submit" buttons and said it was for leisure.

I applied online recently for adult renewal and child renewal. Adult back in 12 days (including 2 weekends). Child not back but only two weeks. @passportwaiting on Twitter has regular updates on length of time to expect. Much easier online than paper form.

I applied for my daughter's last week and just selected leisure and for travel purposes. It warned me it could take several weeks but still let me apply. It was verified last Monday and I sent off her documents on the Tuesday then I had a text this Monday to say they had been received so it looks like it's being processed pretty fast.

Thanks all!! Have managed to apply online & sent off supporting docs so just a waiting game now! It's a new child's passport so expecting it may take a while.

I posted the old passport yesterday 1st class from Scotland and was flabbergasted to get a txt today saying they had received it. I'm hopeful the new passport won't actually take that long.

I submitted a child renewal on 4 June, sent it special delivery next day and it wasn’t even received (or marked received) by the passport office until 9 June... We are hoping to travel on 8 July, I’m not hopeful of our chances of having it back by then :(

Has anyone managed to get their application sped up/prioritised due to upcoming travel? (not compassionate).

Mine was a simple child renewal. The photo had a 'good' rating. No detail to change I even wrote a cheery cover note to butter them up lol. Still took 6 weeks. Our flights got cancelled on Monday and the passport arrived Tuesday - so we are not going anywhere. Minipie- I think you'll have to get in touch with them although I'm impressed you still have potential travel plans

We've done our whole family passport applications online during lock down, 2 adult renewals which came in 2 weeks, a first child application, took about 6 weeks and a child renewal with a name change which we still haven't received back, currently at about 8 weeks.

Thanks IamMummy. I’ll call them but suspect there will be no bumping up the queue. I have no idea whether our travel will be able to go ahead or not... maybe not, but would be so dreadful if it was permitted and the passport stops us going! Flights are easyjet and they are only cancelling the week before, so I guess they may still be cancelled.