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My spouse applied for her first British passport following naturalisation over 6 weeks ago. A paper form was used and the application was sent via the Post Office check-and-send service. The form states that the processing times for a first-time passport application is up to 6 weeks. She contacted the Passport Office shortly after making her application and they confirmed they had received it.

Does anyone have any up-to-date official information on how long the process is now taking in the light of COVID 19?

Many thanks in advance.

https://www.gov.uk/apply-renew-passport

Passport applications and coronavirus (COVID-19)
It is taking longer than usual to process applications because of coronavirus.

Do not apply unless you need a passport urgently for compassionate reasons, for example if a family member has died, or for government business.

Phone the Passport Adviceline to find out what to do.

Passport office staff are being deployed to other government departments to help with backlogs there. I would guess that naturalisation and passport processing will likely be at the bottom of the processing queue.

Thanks for the feedback - it doesn't sound very encouraging!

matt1020 wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 22, 2020 1:07 am

Thanks for the feedback - it doesn't sound very encouraging!

The HMPO staff are human beings whose health and well being come should be put above any passport. So yes, the updates might not be encouraging, Covid-19 is affecting everyone one way or another. we all have to be patient.

I applied on 19/03/20. Received a call from HMPO yesterday apologising for delay in processing because of the COVID-19 and working with skeleton staff. She told me my application was approved yesterday and she will be sending out my original documents within 2 days but advised me to give some time for the passport to be printed due to skeleton staff operation but that I should receive my new British passport by beginning or end of next week. After the call, my application tracker was updated immediately to APPROVED.
So do bear with them, they are processing but slower than there average processing time before the pandemic. Mine was a first time adult application after naturalisation as well.

May I ask - which PO handled your application?

HMPO Newport.