British Passport application processing timelines (only)

I contacted them on this number: 0300 222 0000

B1

Passport for: 1 Adult
Application Type: Naturalisation first British passport
Method of application: Post Office: Check and Send
Date of application: 3/6/14
Date application received by IPS: 6/6/14 Durham
Date of SMS: 9/6/14
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: 9/7/14
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

Called many times for an update and a realistic timescale as I have travel plans at the end of the month. The phone lines were always busy or they cut me off and couldn't get back through to anyone. The one person I managed to speak to just gave me generalised info and nothing specific to my case! I contacted my MP who immediately contacted them to give me an update and they called and gave me the reference number to book the interview.

Application Timeline
Passport for: 2 Adults +1 Child
Application Type: New (Nationalised + Registered)
Method of application: Post Office Check and Send
Date of application: 14 /05/2014
Date application received by IPS Durham :20/05/2014
Date of return of documents of Minor: 20/06/2014
Date of return of documents of Adults:
Date of receipt of interview letter: 27/06/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 01/07/2014
Date of Passport Receipt of Minor: 18/06/2014
Date of Passport being printed SMS:02/07/2014
Date of Passport Receipt of Adults:03/07/2014

Well well well, a journey of a thousand miles must start somewhere and end somewhere. Today marks the end of the immigration journey for me and my family. All glory and praise to God Almighty who made success possible. My profound gratitude goes to the Admin and Gurus for their help in the course of the journey. For those still on the race do not forebear but keep up the hope, you shall overcome. Thank you all and good bye.

emmaluck wrote:Application Timeline
Passport for: 2 Adults +1 Child
Application Type: New (Nationalised + Registered)
Method of application: Post Office Check and Send
Date of application: 14 /05/2014
Date application received by IPS Durham :20/05/2014
Date of return of documents of Minor: 20/06/2014
Date of return of documents of Adults:
Date of receipt of interview letter: 27/06/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 01/07/2014
Date of Passport Receipt of Minor: 18/06/2014
Date of Passport being printed SMS:02/07/2014
Date of Passport Receipt of Adults:03/07/2014

Well well well, a journey of a thousand miles must start somewhere and end somewhere. Today marks the end of the immigration journey for me and my family. All glory and praise to God Almighty who made success possible. My profound gratitude goes to the Admin and Gurus for their help in the course of the journey. For those still on the race do not forebear but keep up the hope, you shall overcome. Thank you all and good bye.

well said emmaluck , good luck for a happy and successful life ahead and my best wishes for the one still waiting .

Hi guys...never thought such things happen in developed nation. Anyhow..here is my story...

Date of application: 14/05/14
Date application received by IPS: 18/05/14 Durham
Date of SMS: 19/05/14

No update there after. I am, calling them almost every day. They say they required for escalation but no update. This is 7th week.

Anyhow I have a quick question - does signatory get contacted as part this passport process?

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 28th June 2014
Date application received by IPS: SMS received 3rd June 2014.
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of Passport interview:
Date of receipt of passport:

tryingforilr wrote:Hi guys...never thought such things happen in developed nation. Anyhow..here is my story...

Date of application: 14/05/14
Date application received by IPS: 18/05/14 Durham
Date of SMS: 19/05/14

No update there after. I am, calling them almost every day. They say they required for escalation but no update. This is 7th week.

Anyhow I have a quick question - does signatory get contacted as part this passport process?

Hold on mate. you are not alone. I have applied on 10/05 and waiting.

akash08 wrote:

tryingforilr wrote:Hi guys...never thought such things happen in developed nation. Anyhow..here is my story...

Date of application: 14/05/14
Date application received by IPS: 18/05/14 Durham
Date of SMS: 19/05/14

No update there after. I am, calling them almost every day. They say they required for escalation but no update. This is 7th week.

Anyhow I have a quick question - does signatory get contacted as part this passport process?

Hold on mate. you are not alone. I have applied on 10/05 and waiting.

I applied on 29/05 and still waiting...However, I understand that the signatory may or may not get contacted usually after the interview before the passport is printed.

customer service is rubbish as they just keep on saying it not been 6 weeks. However, I have seen many applications not being returned in this time frame at all. I have also involved my MP and am hoping something happens!

I've had people sending me private messages subject sending an email to my MP...I don't know why but it says I'm not authorised to view private messages? Anyway, I didn't follow a template, I just gave my name, address, date of application, barcode number and explained the situation that I'm travelling soon. Also had a mini rant that the timescales given on their gov.uk website are misleading as the 6 weeks timescale is given to first adult and first child passport applications even though children don't need an interview! The whole waiting for the letter and booking the appointment can add at least 2 weeks onto the process and if I wait until 6 weeks is up and then start chasing them, I probably won't be able to travel! I just asked if there is anyway they can try and help me to make sure I get the passport before my date of travel - I wasn't being unreasonable allowing nearly 8 weeks from start to finish! MPs can't directly speed the process up but can just ask the passport office if they can- it's at the passport office's discretion in the end. Luckily it worked for me.

B1-B wrote:Application Timeline
Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First time
Method of application: Check & Send (Liverpool office)
Date of application: 13/05/14
Date application received by IPS: 16/05/14
Date of return of documents: N/A
Date of receipt of interview letter: N/A (Sorted over the phone)
Date of Passport Appointment: 02/07/14
Date of Passport being printed SMS: 03/07/14
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

I fly out in 10 days so wish me luck, good luck to everyone else still waiting!

B1

UPDATE

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First time
Method of application: Check & Send (Liverpool office)
Date of application: 13/05/14
Date application received by IPS: 16/05/14
Date of return of documents: N/A
Date of receipt of interview letter: N/A (Sorted over the phone)
Date of Passport Appointment: 02/07/14
Date of Passport being printed SMS: 03/07/14
Date of Passport Receipt: 04/07/14

B1

well done B1-B. Hope you enjoy your holiday / trip.

Hello Friends

Do we have person in this forum who has applied for the passport through the Belfast Office and is still waiting to receive a response? I applied on the 04th June 2014 and they received it there on the 09th June 2014.

I live in London and don't know why even the application is gone there.

Thank you

juliemjohn wrote:Hello Friends

Do we have person in this forum who has applied for the passport through the Belfast Office and is still waiting to receive a response? I applied on the 04th June 2014 and they received it there on the 09th June 2014.

I live in London and don't know why even the application is gone there.

Thank you

I think it gets assigned randomly. My application has gone to Peterborough and I live in London but have seen instances like yours as well.

juliemjohn

I also applied on the 4th June.
I live in London and my application ended up in Durham;)

Few days ago I contacted them and was told to wait a bit more;)

as mentioned in my earlier post I had written to my MP yesterday and I got a call and an email response today....my application date 29th May received in Peterborough on 2nd June and it will be 6 weeks on 8th July

Hoping I will hear some positive news next week...

Dear Mr XX

This is to confirm my telephone conversation with you this evening that I have been told by the Passport Office that your application reached them on 2 June and that it would take up to six weeks to complete. However, I have informed them that you require your passport urgently. I have also been informed that they will contact you directly about the completion process.

Best wishes.

XX XX
Parliamentary Assistant to
XX XX MP
ILFORD SOUTH

MP1982 wrote:Hi Sian.b,

I was thinking on the same lines because they just mention 'may' . But eeverycase I have seen in this forum and have heard of have gone through the interview process. I can only wait and see when I get the PP hopefully in next few days. In terms of my name It is very unique and will only be one of us in UK for sure . I will keep this forum updated anyway.

Thank you,

P.s: May be people who have got it with out an interview just kep quiet. With this backlog I can understand HMPO clearing applicaton which doesnt look suspicious with out an interview.

Hello MP1982,
Have you received the passport yet?

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First Adult Passport (Naturalised)
Method of application: Check & Send through Post Office, London
Date of application: 13-May-2014
Date of Fees deduction: N/A (Fees taken at the Post Office)
Date application received by IPS: 16-May-2014 at Peterborough (Checked through online enquiry)
SMS received: NEVER RECEIVED
Date of receipt of interview letter: 17-June-2014 (Dated: 14-June-2014)
Date of return of documents: 18-June-2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 24-June-2014 at London Victoria
Date of Passport Printing SMS: Never Received
Date of Passport Received: 04-07-2014 ; Missed delivery on 27-06-2014

Good Luck to everyone.

Finally got through Durham office and apparently our application has not been touched since 20th May, guy said he would leave note on our application to be looked at asap as it has been over 7 weeks now.

Looks like we need to chase them as with everything else.

BC_Applicant wrote:as mentioned in my earlier post I had written to my MP yesterday and I got a call and an email response today....my application date 29th May received in Peterborough on 2nd June and it will be 6 weeks on 8th July

Hoping I will hear some positive news next week...

Dear Mr XX

This is to confirm my telephone conversation with you this evening that I have been told by the Passport Office that your application reached them on 2 June and that it would take up to six weeks to complete. However, I have informed them that you require your passport urgently. I have also been informed that they will contact you directly about the completion process.

Best wishes.

XX XX
Parliamentary Assistant to
XX XX MP
ILFORD SOUTH

Lucky you. Your MP is not from the party in power or else you would have received justification of why this can jot be called a delay.

Well to be fair the phone conversation started by saying your 6 weeks are not up yet and they are busy! I told her yes 6 weeks are not up but it will be 6 weeks on Tuesday next week. Also, in 6 weeks we r expected to have new passports and here after 5 n half weeks I haven't even been contacted for interview. To which she said I have spoken to them and they will try and speed up your application.

All parties are same mate!

Passport for:Adult
Application Type: Naturalisation first British passport
Method of application: Post Office: Check and Send
Date of application:14/05/2014
Date application received by IPS: 19/05/2014 Durham
Date of SMS: 20/05/2014
Date of return of documents: 03/07/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 02/07/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 12/07/2014
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

I had to involve my local MP, he contacted passport office on my behalf and straight away I got the interview letter.

Hi sian.b, SMS I received was for sons passport. so it was premature celebration. Anyway exactly after 6 weeks of posting and few helpful HMPO call centre staff recieved the invitation letter for an interview for both myself and wife. Can see light at end of the tunnel in this immigration journey.

thnks all,
MP

Application Timeline
Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (FIRST)
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 30/06/14 (application for 2 adults, me and my wife)
Date application received by IPS: my wife received SMS on 04/07, I have never received one
Date of return of documents: N/A
Date of receipt of interview letter: N/A
Date of Passport Appointment: N/A
Date of Passport Receipt: N/A

Guys, I have two questions
- we applied together with my wife and she received text message already but I didn't - does it mean that our applications went to different offices?
- how can I check which office did mine/my wifes application go?

Thanks

yachtingcrew wrote:Application Timeline
- how can I check which office did mine/my wifes application go?

Thanks

https://passportofficeforms.service.gov ... ation.ofml