British Passport application processing timelines (only)

reddy009 · Post by **reddy009** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 9:36 am

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send to Peterborough
Date of application: 31/05/2014
Date of SMS received: 04/06/2014
Date of return of documents: 05/07/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 05/07/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 12/07/2014 @Luton
Date of Passport Receipt:

I have been told Peterborough passport is not conducting any interviews now.

Thanks

keerthi · Post by **keerthi** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:22 am

It is been 4 weeks since I applied, I called the call centre and the guy informed me that he is sending a mail and someone will respond back within 48 hours with a reference no to apply for interview...?

This sounds too good to be true?

Anyone had a similar experience and did they call back with a reference no?

BC_Applicant · Post by **BC_Applicant** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:28 am

keerthi wrote: This sounds too good to be true?

Anyone had a similar experience and did they call back with a reference no?

well it would be great if they did call as I have been told thrice but haven't been called once!

antouk · Post by **antouk** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 11:54 am

Passport for:2 Adult + 2 children
Application Type: Naturalisation first British passport
Method of application: Post Office: Check and Send
Date of application:31/05/2014
Date application received by IPS: 04/05/2014 Liverpool
Date of SMS: NEVER
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of Passport Appointment:
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

After trying to reach the passport office on several different numbers, i finally decided to go to the MP for help. MP office was very helpful indeed.
I spoke to MP sec on Thursday and i got my daughters passport on saturday. Thats a real voodoo. Also i got back supporting docs of my son today.

I think my 4 applications must have been examined after receiving a call from MP office. I expect an interview letter anytime this week. fingers crossed.

UPDATE: Got my son's passport just now.

tryingforilr · Post by **tryingforilr** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 3:14 pm

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.

Sorry to hear about it. After calling them almost everyday to I receive a call from passport office with my reference nos. Honestly its too late for me...i have to forfeit a holiday for my kids. Anyhow a lesson learnt.

tryingforilr · Post by **tryingforilr** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 3:26 pm

I keep wondering why on this earth in this part of the world that I need to get MP's involved? So many phone calls? Why can't passport guys have defined steps & let us know the exact status? I believe this will help both the parties. This has happened at every step towards citizenship. I hope the last step is interview & that will end my madness to achieve perceived happiness

BC_Applicant · Post by **BC_Applicant** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 3:36 pm

Finally I am going to post my timeline and experience...

Passport for:1 Adult
Application Type: Naturalisation First British passport
Method of application: Post Office: Check and Send
Date of application:29/05/2014
Date application received by IPS: 02/06/2014 Peterborough
Date of SMS: 03/06/2014
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: Not yet received but posted on 4th July Friday
Date of Passport Appointment: Booked for 11/07/2014
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

So unlike most ppl out here I started chasing them from week 3 onwards kept getting standard reply. Spoke to a few nice people who wrote internal emails and assured me I will be called but nothing happened, no calls received. The involved MP just at the end of week 5 and they called up the passport office on Thursday 3rd July and were told my application will be dealt within the timelines! However, got an email from ukpa saying call the customer services and there I was told you shouldn't have got an email etc. Finally got put through to the team processing applications who mentioned your letter was sent on 4th July but couldn't provide a reference number. Hence, I called the line to book an appointment and told them that the letter was posted but I didn't' have the Ref no. They confirmed and I went ahead and booked by appointment for Friday 11th.

I am sure nothing would have moved if I hadn't contacted my MP and it's not a co-incidence that the MP's office called them on Thursday and the letter was sent out on Friday!

Hopefully this should give most people waiting some hope and hopefully sharing the experience will benefit a few over here.

BC_Applicant · Post by **BC_Applicant** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 3:38 pm

tryingforilr wrote:I keep wondering why on this earth in this part of the world that I need to get MP's involved? So many phone calls? Why can't passport guys have defined steps & let us know the exact status? I believe this will help both the parties. This has happened at every step towards citizenship. I hope the last step is interview & that will end my madness to achieve perceived happiness

I agree it should be a lot simpler than this. Also MPs have better things to do for sure. Hope the govt officials read this!

Apparition · Post by **Apparition** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 3:56 pm

I searched threads for opinions on best/worst passport offices, to my surprise I didn't find any. From a skim of the last 40 pages, it appears Peterborough's best.

That the consensus? Also as an immigrant or child of immigrants, you should avoid Liverpool and London.

Durham would probably be OK if it wasn't so rammed at this time of the year.

BC_Applicant · Post by **BC_Applicant** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 3:59 pm

Apparition wrote:I searched threads for opinions on best/worst passport offices, to my surprise I didn't find any. From a skim of the last 40 pages, it appears Peterborough's best.

That the consensus? Also as an immigrant or child of immigrants, you should avoid Liverpool and London.

Durham would probably be OK if it wasn't so rammed at this time of the year.

Maybe however, I don't think you have choice to decide where your application gets forwarded. Ppl from London have had their passports being sent to various places randomly.

Apparition · Post by **Apparition** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 4:03 pm

BC_Applicant wrote:
Apparition wrote:I searched threads for opinions on best/worst passport offices, to my surprise I didn't find any. From a skim of the last 40 pages, it appears Peterborough's best.

That the consensus? Also as an immigrant or child of immigrants, you should avoid Liverpool and London.

Durham would probably be OK if it wasn't so rammed at this time of the year.
Maybe however, I don't think you have choice to decide where your application gets forwarded. Ppl from London have had their passports being sent to various places randomly.

Agreed, I could send it to Peterborough but they could pass it anywhere. But I assume they only do this during peak times to spread the load, else why bother.

I don't understand why Durham is so busy, hardly in a densely populated part of the UK. I can understand London and to an extent Liverpool.

BC_Applicant · Post by **BC_Applicant** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 4:19 pm

I think the issue was in peak times applications got sent to various passport offices and unfortunately a lot more applications have been stacked up in Durham and also they didn't expect as may applications hence it has been difficult.

Apparition · Post by **Apparition** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 5:14 pm

BC_Applicant wrote:I think the issue was in peak times applications got sent to various passport offices and unfortunately a lot more applications have been stacked up in Durham and also they didn't expect as may applications hence it has been difficult.

Makes sense. So Durham has been misrepresented somewhat in this thread, they're slow as of late due to re-routed applications.

BC_Applicant · Post by **BC_Applicant** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 5:37 pm

Apparition wrote: Makes sense. So Durham has been misrepresented somewhat in this thread, they're slow as of late due to re-routed applications.

Definitely deserves benefit of doubt mate!

Apparition · Post by **Apparition** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 5:42 pm

BC_Applicant wrote:
Apparition wrote: Makes sense. So Durham has been misrepresented somewhat in this thread, they're slow as of late due to re-routed applications.
Definitely deserves benefit of doubt mate!

Another Q; any guesses as to when this backlog may be cleared?

BC_Applicant · Post by **BC_Applicant** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 6:20 pm

Apparition wrote: Another Q; any guesses as to when this backlog may be cleared?

Don't think anyone here can answer that one to be honest!

tunjy · Post by **tunjy** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 9:21 pm

[quote="tunjy"]Passport for: A family
Application Type: First time (naturalised citizen)
Method of application: Post
Date of application: 21/05/2014
Date application received by IPS (post tracking): 22/05/2014
SMS received: 26/05/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 28/06/14
Date of return of documents: not all document received yet.
Date of Passport Appointment: 04/07/14
Date of Passport Receipt: 07/07/14

Thank U all.

absane · Post by **absane** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:08 pm

absane wrote:Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (overseas... citizen by descent)
Method of application: Online
Date of application: May 13th 2014
Date application received by IPS: My guess is May 19th 2014. Online status site says "Declaration form received, being processed."
Date of return of documents: Haven't received
Date of receipt of interview letter: Nothing
Date of Passport Appointment: Nothing
Date of Passport Receipt: (waiting)

Just to update that nothing has happened thus far. I sent 3 messages to the inquiry page. The first two responses I received told me that I need to include more information (even though I gave them plenty of information). So I replied to those e-mails with the information and received nothing. I then sent a brand new inquiry with the "needed" information almost a week ago and they never replied.

*sigh*

Daymohktim · Post by **Daymohktim** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:23 pm

absane wrote:

Have you tried contacting your MP?
Looks like other people got their cases moving by involving their MPs!

Good luck!

absane · Post by **absane** » Mon Jul 07, 2014 10:57 pm

Daymohktim wrote:
absane wrote:
Have you tried contacting your MP?
Looks like other people got their cases moving by involving their MPs!

Good luck!

I don't believe I have one since I don't live there and I am a citizen by descent. I could perhaps harass my aunt and uncle that live there to put in a word for me but it probably wouldn't work.

BC_Applicant · Post by **BC_Applicant** » Tue Jul 08, 2014 6:09 am

absane wrote:
I don't believe I have one since I don't live there and I am a citizen by descent. I could perhaps harass my aunt and uncle that live there to put in a word for me but it probably wouldn't work.

Ur uncle and aunt dropping a line to the MP should definitely help! Ask them to copy you on the email.

sami01 · Post by **sami01** » Tue Jul 08, 2014 8:09 am

[quote="sami01"]Update in red

Application Type: first adult passport
Method of application: Check and Send
Date of application: 02/06/2014
Date SMS Received: never received- received by Durham office on 06/06/2014
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of interview appointment: 03/07/2014
Date of SMS that Passport is being printed:04/07/2014
Date of Passport Receipt:14/07/2014

My passport will have to be picked up at the Victoria passport office, since I am currently not in London to have it delivered to my home address.

I want to thank everyone for their input which has helped me and I wish you all the best of luck in your journey.

Betitoo · Post by **Betitoo** » Tue Jul 08, 2014 10:00 am

Fresh news about the issue

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28194482

absane · Post by **absane** » Tue Jul 08, 2014 12:35 pm

absane wrote:Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (Citizen by descent)
Method of application: Online
Date of application: May 13th 2014
Date application received by IPS: May 19th 2014
Date of return of documents: Haven't received
Date of receipt of interview letter: Nothing
Date of Passport Appointment: Nothing
Date of Passport Receipt: (waiting)

I finally received a response from HMPO via e-mail:

Code: Select all

I can confirm that we received your application at our Liverpool office on 19/05/2014.

Your passport application is currently going through the examination process.

...

I am not sure if "examination process" means that it is laying in an untouched pile or if it is on someone's desk being looked at.

Apparition · Post by **Apparition** » Tue Jul 08, 2014 12:37 pm

Betitoo wrote:Fresh news about the issue

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28194482

Cheers

lol, I waited a month for the backlog to clear, yet it's got worse. Offices report crisis and numpties assess applications. No chance I'm applying, with hugely important docs, at this period.

Immigrationboards.com: Immigration, work visa and work permit discussion board

British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)

Re: British Passport application processing timelines (only)