British Passport application processing timelines (only)

[Jacob95]

Application Timeline
Passport for: 1 X Adult
Application Type: New (Naturalized Citizen)
Method of application: Post Office (Check & Send)
Date of application: 15th April 2015
Date application received by IPS: 16th April 2015
Date of start of reviewing/processing my application: 20th April (was told over the phone by a VERY nice lady)
Date of SMS received: No SMS received
Date of return of documents: 22nd April
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of passport printed: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

[shahmeer75]

Application type: First adult passport (Naturalized Citizen)
Method of application: 1st Class Signed For
Date of application: 16/04/2015
Payment method: D-Card
Royal mail delivery confirmation: 17-04-2015
SMS confirming receipt by IPS: 20-04-2015
Date of return of documents: waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: waiting
Date of Passport printing sms receipt: waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: waiting

[Rahel1984]

Hi huqqapani, this is just an approval letter. U have to wait for ur invitation letter b4 u book ur citizenship ceremony as it says on that letter. It is normal. I have seen some people in this forum who recieved approval letter b4 the invitation letter. U should recieve urs in next few days.

[huqqapani]

so I guess there is another wait of ceremony invitation letter from HO as per the approval letter.

for some reason your situation sounds very different from the others here. Are you sure you've got the approval letter rather than the acknowledgement letter? The approval letter should have the details of your council and how to contact them for the ceremony.

If you're in doubt, could you scan the letter and post it here for us to check?

See the attachment. I think this is HO approval letter for naturalisation. Ceremony invite is a separate thing which will come through in 2 weeks. not sure if this is different with what others have received.

[happyguy82]

so I guess there is another wait of ceremony invitation letter from HO as per the approval letter.

for some reason your situation sounds very different from the others here. Are you sure you've got the approval letter rather than the acknowledgement letter? The approval letter should have the details of your council and how to contact them for the ceremony.

If you're in doubt, could you scan the letter and post it here for us to check?

[huqqapani]

I called the council and they are requesting a POLL number. can someone please tell me which number is it. Apparently it is on citizenship approval letter but the only number I can find on it is the HO reference number?

If its invitation letter then u should have poll/ cover note number underneath the HO reference number.

so I guess there is another wait of ceremony invitation letter from HO as per the approval letter.

[Rahel1984]

* how long could I be waiting for ceremony invite and what are the charges for this

You can call your council to arrange this, but give them a couple of days because they need to have received the documents from UKVI first. Ceremony cost is included in the application cost so you won't have to pay anything.

I called the council and they are requesting a POLL number. can someone please tell me which number is it. Apparently it is on citizenship approval letter but the only number I can find on it is the HO reference number?

If its invitation letter then u should have poll/ cover note number underneath the HO reference number.

[huqqapani]

* how long could I be waiting for ceremony invite and what are the charges for this

You can call your council to arrange this, but give them a couple of days because they need to have received the documents from UKVI first. Ceremony cost is included in the application cost so you won't have to pay anything.

I called the council and they are requesting a POLL number. can someone please tell me which number is it. Apparently it is on citizenship approval letter but the only number I can find on it is the HO reference number?

[kunmun23]

Hi guys,

How easy/difficult is it to get the interview appointments in Victoria or Reading?

e.g. is it possible to get a slot on Fridays or if we need a slot sometime the following week?


Thanks.

Reading was quite easy...I called in on Monday morning and was able to get an appointment for Wed morning. If you know your way around, its easy to find free parking..and if you take the first morning slot it'll be 30mins max in and out.

[waitwaitwait]

Hi guys,

How easy/difficult is it to get the interview appointments in Victoria or Reading?

e.g. is it possible to get a slot on Fridays or if we need a slot sometime the following week?


Thanks.

If i can add to this and ask a question if anyone has experience of booking appointment at maidstone pp office for interview?
From forums it shows people are able to book victoria quite easily as i have checked their opening hours are quite long 6 days a week. Do they give you option to choose an office wherever the earliest possible interview is available or they decide it for us depending on where we live?

[kunmun23]

Passport for: 2 Adults and 2 Children (Naturalised citizen)
Application Type: First Passport
Method of application: Postal Application (NOT check and send, I picked up the forms from the post office and sent them special delivery after filling and checking it myself)
Date of application: 24-03-2015
Date application delivered to Passport Office : 25-03-2015
Date application receipt acknowledgement received : 30-03-2015 through Text message
Date of return of documents: 01-04-2015 through DX
Date of receipt of interview letter: 11-04-2015 (dated 30-03-2015) ...realize that there was a long weekend but still a bit surprised that it took 12 days to get to me !!
Date of Passport Appointment: 15-04-2015
Date of Passport Receipt: 20-04-2015 (dated 16-04-2015) ...HOWEVER, out of the 4 applications for myself, my wife and our two children, only my wife has received her passport...till date absolutely no clue about the others, it was only she that received a text message on Friday that said "Your new passport is being printed and should arrive in the next few working days..."

Is this normal? Have others received passports for the same family application at different dates?

[happyguy82]

Hi guys,

How easy/difficult is it to get the interview appointments in Victoria or Reading?

e.g. is it possible to get a slot on Fridays or if we need a slot sometime the following week?


Thanks.

[huqqapani]

I have received confirmation of naturalisation. I am told in that letter to wait to receive the ceremony invite.

Can someone please inform me of the next steps in terms of following questions:

* how long could I be waiting for ceremony invite and what are the charges for this
* is postal application service better than online in terms of speed, hassle etc.
* Parent details (what do I need from them as they are not British)
* Does every applicant has an interview and what sorts of questions am I expected to answer

Thanks in advance.

This is the wrong forum as it's only for Passport application. you should post these questions in the other forum which is for applications.

>I have received confirmation of naturalisation.
what confirmation is this? from your post I can't tell whether you've already applied and been approved.

Assuming it's already approved:

* how long could I be waiting for ceremony invite and what are the charges for this

You can call your council to arrange this, but give them a couple of days because they need to have received the documents from UKVI first. Ceremony cost is included in the application cost so you won't have to pay anything.

* is postal application service better than online in terms of speed, hassle etc.

Passport application? It tends to be slightly faster if you apply from Post Office, plus they'll check your documents to make sure it's right so it'll save you delays. You can't apply for your first passport online.

* Parent details (what do I need from them as they are not British)

Just their date and place of birth and date they got married.

* Does every applicant has an interview and what sorts of questions am I expected to answer

Yes everyone will have to have an interview. They'll ask you things like where you work, parents DOB, when you came to UK, etc. Things that you would already know. No preparation needed apart from memorising your parent's DOB.

Thanks. Yes I meant that the Citizenship application has been approved. So the question was on passport application. Which other forum do you refer to for my query?

[Julian11]

I read online that instead of sending other non-UK passports, we can photocopy every page in colour and send that in instead. Is this correct?

[Jde]

[quote="Jde"]Application Timeline
Passport for: 1 X Adult
Application Type: New (Naturalized Citizen)
Method of application: Post Office (Check & Send)
Date of application: 7th April 2015
Date application received by IPS: 8th April 2015
Date of return of documents: 16th April 2015
Date of receipt of interview letter: 13th April 2015( received 15th April 2014)
Date of Passport Appointment: 16th April 2015 (London Victoria)
Date of passport printed: 17th April 2015
Date of Passport Receipt: 20th April 2015

Got my passport in 13 days (9 working days) Very fast service. End of update

[cb13]

Application Timeline
Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New
Method of application:Postal
Date of application:20-04-2015
Date application received by IPS:
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of Passport Appointment:
Date of Passport Receipt:
I attended my ceremony today and sent off the passport application
so the wait has started!!!

[since_90]

Hi All,

I applied for my son's passport using Post office check and send service on 15/04/2015. since then i dod not recive any txt message from passport office saying that they have received applications.

Is it something to worry or as usual like some get the text and some don't ?

thanks

Nope I sent mine off two weeks ago and never received a text either. It looks like they only send them out at busier times of the year when processing times are slower. If you're worried best thing to do is ring up them up and ask to speak to the progress dept quoting your barcode number. Although it does say 3 weeks, if you state you haven't heard anything and are worried its been lost in the post then they should just tell you if its been received or not

[Since]

@Jacob95

Will do this.

Thanks

Hi All,

I applied for my son's passport using Post office check and send service on 15/04/2015. since then i dod not recive any txt message from passport office saying that they have received applications.

Is it something to worry or as usual like some get the text and some don't ?

thanks

Hi, i have posted my application on the same day as you using the check and send service and didnt receive any text either.
Let me know when you get any letter or any text back regarding your application, ill let you know if i receive anything as well

[happyguy82]

I have received confirmation of naturalisation. I am told in that letter to wait to receive the ceremony invite.

Can someone please inform me of the next steps in terms of following questions:

* how long could I be waiting for ceremony invite and what are the charges for this
* is postal application service better than online in terms of speed, hassle etc.
* Parent details (what do I need from them as they are not British)
* Does every applicant has an interview and what sorts of questions am I expected to answer

Thanks in advance.

This is the wrong forum as it's only for Passport application. you should post these questions in the other forum which is for applications.

>I have received confirmation of naturalisation.
what confirmation is this? from your post I can't tell whether you've already applied and been approved.

Assuming it's already approved:

* how long could I be waiting for ceremony invite and what are the charges for this

You can call your council to arrange this, but give them a couple of days because they need to have received the documents from UKVI first. Ceremony cost is included in the application cost so you won't have to pay anything.

* is postal application service better than online in terms of speed, hassle etc.

Passport application? It tends to be slightly faster if you apply from Post Office, plus they'll check your documents to make sure it's right so it'll save you delays. You can't apply for your first passport online.

* Parent details (what do I need from them as they are not British)

Just their date and place of birth and date they got married.

* Does every applicant has an interview and what sorts of questions am I expected to answer

Yes everyone will have to have an interview. They'll ask you things like where you work, parents DOB, when you came to UK, etc. Things that you would already know. No preparation needed apart from memorising your parent's DOB.

[Jacob95]

Hi All,

I applied for my son's passport using Post office check and send service on 15/04/2015. since then i dod not recive any txt message from passport office saying that they have received applications.

Is it something to worry or as usual like some get the text and some don't ?

thanks

Hi, i have posted my application on the same day as you using the check and send service and didnt receive any text either.
Let me know when you get any letter or any text back regarding your application, ill let you know if i receive anything as well

[Since]

Hi All,

I applied for my son's passport using Post office check and send service on 15/04/2015. since then i dod not recive any txt message from passport office saying that they have received applications.

Is it something to worry or as usual like some get the text and some don't ?

thanks

[nk6891]

[quote="nk6891"]Passport for: Adult (Naturalised Citizen)
Application Type: New
Method of application: online
Date of online application: 02/04/2015
Date documents received by IPS: 08/04/2015 (delayed due to Easter holiday)
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: 16/04/2015
Date of Passport Appointment:20/04/2015
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

[huqqapani]

I have received confirmation of naturalisation. I am told in that letter to wait to receive the ceremony invite.

Can someone please inform me of the next steps in terms of following questions:

* how long could I be waiting for ceremony invite and what are the charges for this
* is postal application service better than online in terms of speed, hassle etc.
* Parent details (what do I need from them as they are not British)
* Does every applicant has an interview and what sorts of questions am I expected to answer

Thanks in advance.

[Tangie]

Application Timeline
Passport for: 1 X Adult
Application Type: New (Naturalized Citizen )
Method of application: PostOffice (Check & Send)
Date of application: 16 April 2015
Date application received by IPS: Waiting
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of passport printed: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

Application Timeline
Passport for: 1 X Adult
Application Type: New (Naturalized Citizen on the 16th April, Bristol. )
Method of application: Portishead, Post Office (Check & Send)
Date of application: 20 April 2015
Date application received by IPS: TBA
Date of return of documents: TBA
Date of receipt of interview letter: TBA
Date of Passport Appointment: TBA
Date of passport printed: TBA
Date of Passport Receipt: TBA

[Jacob95]

Ahhh not good... yeah they're inconsistent. If I were you, I'd call again (hide your number by entering #31# followed by the phone number above). Say you are worried because you did not receive SMS confirmation and worried that your documents may be missing, etc.

All the best.

Thanks ill call them tomorrow from my mobile phone as i called from the landline
That was some mean guy tho I hope he didnt get angry and put my application on hold haha lol