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Passport renewals - given the strikes, which is likely to be faster - digital or postal?

8 replies

GlomOfNit · 15/04/2023 12:57

We need to renew an adult and a child passport for this summer. Stupidly only realised this shortly after the strike action started. Apparently the government advice is to allow ten weeks, regardless of strike action, but that most applications were taking a lot less than this before the strike action. About a quarter of the passport workforce are on strike. We know this will obviously entail delays, but it seems that passport applications are still being processed.

In trying to mitigate the delays, is it going to be better to apply digitally for our renewals, or postally? I've got this mental image of postal applications sitting around in piles and more vulnerable to getting lost the longer they sit in the system, as opposed to a digital queue of online applications, but what do I know?! 😀

And have just realised that if digitally, I'll have to get ANOTHER set of passport photos taken of myself with a digital code because I got print-outs the other week...

OP posts:
THNG5 · 15/04/2023 13:21

I did a child renewal digitally. It's taken 3 weeks and that's with me having to send extra documents twice. So pretty fast I would say!

SpongeBobJudgeyPants · 15/04/2023 13:23

Did a digital renewal recently. Was pretty straightforward, and took about 2 weeks. Cheaper online too.

dementedpixie · 15/04/2023 13:23

Do it digitally. Get someone to take your picture on your phone against a light background. You don't need to pay for passport photos.* *

BelindaMelinda · 15/04/2023 14:21

We've just done 4 of ours. Applied online 23rd March for 1 adult renewal, two child renewals and 1 new child.

The adult renewal, one child renewal and the new child flew through and were received them on day 12. One child renewal appears to have had a random check and they wanted a letter from me confirming my consent to issue it - even with that extra faff, that one was received yesterday so only about a week added on.

GlomOfNit · 15/04/2023 20:41

thanks - think digital application will be the way forward.

I've tried taking photos for passports at home and the only white wall is in a really dark part of the house! 😂 it's never worked for us, anyway.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 15/04/2023 20:51

Hang a light coloured sheet or towel over a door in a lighter part of the house

Iizzyb · 15/04/2023 20:52

Did one adult & one child online service - back in less than 2 weeks (after strikes announced)

Howmanysleepsnow · 15/04/2023 20:58

Did a child renewal 29th March online. It arrived 13th April. All processing/ request of documents etc was during the strike.

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