First British passport - delay

Hi All, I got naturalised as a British citizen in April and applied for a UK passport in May. HM Passport office received my documents on 13th May. They sent me another message saying “Documents received” on 18th May, and my application changed to “Application being processed” the next day, and it hasn’t changed its status since then. I realise it hasn’t been long since then, but I’m confused by very fast application processing timelines from another topic in this forum. It looks like people who post here receive their passports just in 10 days. I’m now worried if my application is lost or something. Has anyone had any delays when applying for their first British passport?

Processing times vary across the HMPO offices - the timelines are individual indications and not everyone posts on the thread. Suggest you contact the HMPO Helpline: https://www.gov.uk/passport-advice-line

alterhase58 wrote: ↑

Mon May 31, 2021 11:40 am

Processing times vary across the HMPO offices - the timelines are individual indications and not everyone posts on the thread. Suggest you contact the HMPO Helpline: https://www.gov.uk/passport-advice-line

Thank you for the advice, I’ll try giving them a call. I should’ve mentioned my HMPO office - it’s Bootle which seems to be a very quick one based on the timelines posted in the forum.

My husband has the same timeline as you, documents received on the 18th and then processing. Since then, nothing. It seems to be very random since him and I submitted ours at the same time and mine was approved on Sunday and sent out today.

I have sent my application since 6th of May, documents was received byHMPO on the 12th and another on the 25th which from other peoples timeline suggest it was taken to another HMPO office, however since then no update on my application, it looks so absurd. I have spoken to them several times and they said it’s on queue. Whatever that means. I also sent complaint, they said I should send evidence I need the passport urgently, so you are right it’s just been done randomly.
My wife applied a day after me, she got it in 10days. My children got theirs in less than 10 days so I’m surprised they are taking this long on mine. It’s really a shame.

Husband has just now had his approval through at 8 pm, so hopefully yours won’t be too far behind!

I have the exact same story - documents were received on the 18th of May, then another email about documents being received on the 24th of May. Then changed the status to Processed on the 25th of May.

I am so anxious and nervous, I really need my passport

Thank you very much guys for sharing your experience here and reassuring. My passport application finally got approved! It took about 16-17 days from the moment HMPO started processing the docs. So everyone who’s seeing the same longer processing time for their application, stay hopeful - you’ll get your passports soon! Good luck to everybody!

Lime43 wrote: ↑

Fri Jun 04, 2021 9:36 am

Thank you very much guys for sharing your experience here and reassuring. My passport application finally got approved! It took about 16-17 days from the moment HMPO started processing the docs. So everyone who’s seeing the same longer processing time for their application, stay hopeful - you’ll get your passports soon! Good luck to everybody!

Happy for you!

Is anyone else who is waiting got their approval?

Still nothing for me documents were received on the 18th

It can take up to 6 weeks. Also note, some applicant’s can be called for an interview also so it might delay it further.

Can someone please help me. When I entered into the U.K. in 2002, I used an emergency travel document. This document is laminated and was issued by the Zimbabwean government. I did not have a passport upon my entry. Would the passport team allow me to send my emergency travel document?

Thank you

bizman wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 02, 2021 10:23 am

I have sent my application since 6th of May, documents was received byHMPO on the 12th and another on the 25th which from other peoples timeline suggest it was taken to another HMPO office, however since then no update on my application, it looks so absurd. I have spoken to them several times and they said it’s on queue. Whatever that means. I also sent complaint, they said I should send evidence I need the passport urgently, so you are right it’s just been done randomly.
My wife applied a day after me, she got it in 10days. My children got theirs in less than 10 days so I’m surprised they are taking this long on mine. It’s really a shame.

Hi! Have you received any updated?
Mine has been processing since the 25th of May, I just had an online chat with them and they said to contact them next week, meaning, I guess, it won't be completed this week :'(

Yes I got the approval this afternoon at 1.32pm. It’s likely you get yours this week that’s why they said you should check next week if you don’t get it this week. All the best mate.

KathyR wrote: ↑

Mon Jun 07, 2021 9:20 am

bizman wrote: ↑

Wed Jun 02, 2021 10:23 am

I have sent my application since 6th of May, documents was received byHMPO on the 12th and another on the 25th which from other peoples timeline suggest it was taken to another HMPO office, however since then no update on my application, it looks so absurd. I have spoken to them several times and they said it’s on queue. Whatever that means. I also sent complaint, they said I should send evidence I need the passport urgently, so you are right it’s just been done randomly.
My wife applied a day after me, she got it in 10days. My children got theirs in less than 10 days so I’m surprised they are taking this long on mine. It’s really a shame.

Hi! Have you received any updated?
Mine has been processing since the 25th of May, I just had an online chat with them and they said to contact them next week, meaning, I guess, it won't be completed this week :'(

Those advisors we talk with over the phone and chat are only given general information and I'm sure they don't know anything about your application. On HM Passport Offices website they say application can take up to 10 weeks so I guess all we can do is wait and pray to get an update soon. They received my application on the 28th of May and since then is been silent I don't even know if they are processing my application

Today HM Passport sent me a text and email to send someone to confirm my identity even though I already did that. Anyone had the same experience? If so how how long they took to approve you application after the second person confirmed your identity? I read a similar post but I can't find it now

Send it immediately. It shouldn’t take time.

It means your application is moving.

Thank you Bizman. Yesterday one hour after I received the text and email another friend confirmed my identity. Now fingers crossed I will get the approval soon

Yes hopefully. Look out for another text and email. They will confirm identity received.

Does anyone knows what question are sent to the person who confirm your identity? I called HM passport offices and the person told he can see in the system that the first person who confirmed my identity was rejected but he said he couldn't see why.. I just wondering what the question are and why he was rejected.

It might be a little error from the caseworker in HMPO, they will resolve it but it will take time and might delay your application process. In my case they initially said my names does not align when I first called them. Three weeks after they said the names has matched. It’s a shameful thing really.

I just got a message from HM passport telling me that they received my Documents? They in fact got them last month on 28th of May... any advice? I'm so frustrating, is now been 3 weeks since I applied and that is the message I just got from them

I suspect it will progress fast now. 3 weeks is still ok. Just hope they will decide on it quickly now

Thank you bizman for all your advice and support. Hopefully you are right

Hi, first time poster!

I've found myself in a similar position where I seem to stuck in a loop of providing the same information over and over again. It's the identity confirmation, to be more specific.
First, I tried with my manager. Didn't work. Apparently she didn't meet the conditions even though she was one of my referees while applying for naturalisation.
I was asked to find someone again and it was my landlord this time. He's known me for over 10 years, owns a VAT-registered company and is also an accountant, so technically everything checks. He got approved. Or so it seemed.

Same day, I got an email that now my application has been received and I should send my documents. I did that, got a confirmation when they got delivered and 2-3 days later I was asked again to find someone to confirm my identity. Repeated the process with my landlord, HMPO didn't ask any questions. And today, 2 days after last "Ask someone to confirm your identity" email I received another message asking to find someone to confirm my identity.

I don't know anyone else as qualified as my landlord to do this for me. HMPO has had no objections so far when I used him twice so far, even though they inform that you can't use the same person more than once. I'm sure their system would inform them if this was the case here and would let me know of any problem. But nothing so far.

Is this all normal or is there a glitch on their side?