British Passport application processing timelines (only)

[ABT]

Just called the general phone number 03002220000, not very helpful staff , I guess they work long hours. I decided to wait until the 6 weeks gone and contact my MP, i'm sure it will be helpful. Not bothered to speak to anyone who is not willing to help. Good luck to everybody here xxx

Application sent: 28/06/14
Application method: PO check and send
Arrived office: 01/07/14 (Durham)
SMS: 02/07/14
Interview letter: waiting
Interview date: tbc

Still examination process...

[pat208]

@akash08

Thanks.

[ali_asad_pk]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 30/07/2014
Date application received by IPS:
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of Passport Appointment:
Date of Passport Receipt:

[CD_April2013ILR]

Update from previous post

Passport for: 2 Adults (Myself and Wife)
Application Type: First time (Naturalised Citizens)
Method of application: PO Check and Send
Date of application: 23/06/2014
SMS received: 30/06/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of return of documents: 31/07/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of Passport Printing SMS received: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

[Ahem]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New
Method of application: Self Recorded Post
Date of application: 21 June 2014
Date application received : 23June
Date of return of documents: 31 July
Date of receipt of interview letter: 30 July
Date of Passport Appointment: 2 August


Interestingly made a call to customer center on 29th July (when the passport interview letter was already printed) and the guy on phone said there is no update yet...

[akash08]

@pat208

Yes, you have to submit your existing passport along with the application. You can get them back at various times. Earliest along with the interview letter , latest probably a week after receiving your british passport like my case. The interview letter will come in ordinary delivery. Not sure how the colour of envelope can be relevant and hence not trying to answer that. Rest all the things you have written about the process is correct. I do not remember there was any time limit to book the interview but i may be wrong.

[ooloncolluphid]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 12 June 2014
Date application received : 17 June
Date of return of documents: 25 July
Date of receipt of interview letter: 25 July
Date of Passport Appointment: 28 July
Date of Passport Printing SMS received: 29 July
Date of Passport Receipt: 29 July

I wrote to my MP's office after 6 weeks (23 July), since I wasn't getting much out of the enquiry/interview helplines. I managed to get my interview reference number, an interview AND my passport in hand within just a week of getting in touch with my MP, who was incredibly helpful. Read into that what you will. Thanks again to everyone on this forum, and good luck.

[mustafa.hamdani]

I have received the interview letter after a wait of bit over 6 weeks but now I'm struggling to find any interview date in London. London Victoria has no slots available. Although I managed to get interview appointment in Chelmsford but that is on 8th of Aug. Is there any specific time (or trick) to call to get an appointment at London Victoria? Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

Call them again tomorrow and and a few other times. Appointments become available all the time. I rescheduled mine thrice.

Thanks @BC_Applicant

[vnadgir]

Timelines
Date of appln. 20-06-14
Date of SMS receipt. 27-06
Date of interview letter 27-07.
Interview --- awaiting

Not bad considering I didn't follow up.
Apparently not many interview slots available at London Vic.
Will update once interviews are done.

[BC_Applicant]

I have received the interview letter after a wait of bit over 6 weeks but now I'm struggling to find any interview date in London. London Victoria has no slots available. Although I managed to get interview appointment in Chelmsford but that is on 8th of Aug. Is there any specific time (or trick) to call to get an appointment at London Victoria? Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

Call them again tomorrow and and a few other times. Appointments become available all the time. I rescheduled mine thrice.

[pat208]

Hello everyone. I have applied for my naturalisation last month and awaiting decision. I have a query regarding first time passport application if someone could be kind enough to answer please. I have a very important trip to make abroad in coming months and I was wondering is it necessary to send your current foreign passport along with your uk passport application and if yes then when does passport office return your current passport? Also what happens after you have applied for passport, I believe you get a letter asking to book an appointment and you have to call to book an appointment for interview. Am I right in thinking that? Also is this letter delivered by recorded delivery or ordinary delivery? and is it also a brown envelope? Is there any time limit in which you need to call and book an appointment for interview after you receive the letter?
Please post your replies they will help me a lot in deciding my course of action as at the moment I can not plan my trip abroad with so much uncertainty. Thank you all.

[mustafa.hamdani]

I have received the interview letter after a wait of bit over 6 weeks but now I'm struggling to find any interview date in London. London Victoria has no slots available. Although I managed to get interview appointment in Chelmsford but that is on 8th of Aug. Is there any specific time (or trick) to call to get an appointment at London Victoria? Any suggestions will be appreciated. Thanks.

[spike_UK]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 9th July 2014
Date application received by Liv: 11 Jul 2014
Date of return of documents: still waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: still waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: still waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: still waiting

For need of my documents regarding vacancy I had to ring yesterday and was told it's not even assigned to a case worker yet..........

[spike_UK]

Please can you guys leave this thread for timelines only as you can read from the Subject ...

Start a new thread for individual discussion ... keep it clean guy ...

It's regarding this tread tho!!!!! My application in process and I'm required to provide my certificate or British passport! it's solved now anyway............

[Ahem]

Please can you guys leave this thread for timelines only as you can read from the Subject ...

Start a new thread for individual discussion ... keep it clean guy ...

[spike_UK]

Agency keep texting and email and ringing me for what I'm going to do, I told them well, not much I can do but wait for home office to send you a copy of my certificate, she told me we really need u and company asking for you but I was just not showing interest anymore and she keep asking me what u gonna do, I told her I don't mind if you find some one as good as me for the position she is mind, and she asked me to ring home office again, I didn't then after half an hour she rang me again and said don't worry we will accept your temporary visa (Permanent Residence ) whilst I'm waiting for my passport. Job done

Thanks guys

[nehamanaktala]

I phoned a few times and MP chased 2 or 3 times using their hotline - my work requires frequent travel [pretty much weekly basis], so I couldn't send my foreign passport however included a covering letter from employer. Also involved local MP to ensure that processing isn't delayed due to that. I'm not sure if my application was expedited however passport came through today. I've updated posted my timeline in the last message.

@adeelmpk Would be great to understand the process you followed to apply for the british passport since my husband travels frequently for work as well and needs his foreign passport while the British Passport is being processed. I am not getting a proper response from UKBA on what we should do. At what stage did you involve the local MP before of after applying for the passport and did the UKBA advice you on sending the letter from employer on your need to travel for work along with a copy of the passport. Would really appreciate your advice on this.

[19eggs]

Thanks guys, well I've spoken to the helpline and she was very king, has emailed Liverpool to ask them send an email to work, confirming my citizenship and attach a scanned copy, that's what agency asked me to do but they still not sure if their head office accept it or not, the lady told me if I want it to be returned to me so I can show agency and send it back to home office which will be a delay again but I said to her, I rather to not take that job but finish the process and she said yes it might not worth to work for people like that.
I'm not interested in that job anymore if they don't accept the email from home office, then it is a joke to me not a job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mate, I think that recruitment agency is dodgy or the agent has no clue. When I was under HSMP, my recruitment agency took a copy of my Tier 1 visa page and that was it. It should be made illegal for them not to entertain a valid ILR card. Some people do not want to get British Citizenship, they are happy with ILR. There are some born and bred BCs who do not have a passport, what about them. It looks like only British Passport Holders, can get a job through the Agency. How utterly ridiculous. Care to name the Recruitment Agency.

[runie80]

Sorry to hear that mate. Let's hope they accept the evidence you provide them. I have emails from 2 recruitment companies asking me to contact them asap once I have a passport. You will be lucky if they take the trouble and accept other documents. Normally they think it's risky and at the risk of not loosing a client they would just hire someone else who has British passport.

Yes I don't think it's worth it to widthdraw your application for it coz at the end of the day they may still ask for British passport. I have just accepted it as a fate as there is not much one can do to expedite the process we will have to sit this one out.

Hope your alternative documentation works and they accept it. Bad feeling when you have the right and the skills for job but "not the passport".

Thanks guys, well I've spoken to the helpline and she was very king, has emailed Liverpool to ask them send an email to work, confirming my citizenship and attach a scanned copy, that's what agency asked me to do but they still not sure if their head office accept it or not, the lady told me if I want it to be returned to me so I can show agency and send it back to home office which will be a delay again but I said to her, I rather to not take that job but finish the process and she said yes it might not worth to work for people like that.
I'm not interested in that job anymore if they don't accept the email from home office, then it is a joke to me not a job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[spike_UK]

Thanks guys, well I've spoken to the helpline and she was very king, has emailed Liverpool to ask them send an email to work, confirming my citizenship and attach a scanned copy, that's what agency asked me to do but they still not sure if their head office accept it or not, the lady told me if I want it to be returned to me so I can show agency and send it back to home office which will be a delay again but I said to her, I rather to not take that job but finish the process and she said yes it might not worth to work for people like that.
I'm not interested in that job anymore if they don't accept the email from home office, then it is a joke to me not a job!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Haphazardeous]

Hi gyts, very urgent,,, is there any number for Liverpool office to ask for my British citizen certificate back, will it affect my application? The job is insisting to see my certificate and they don't accept my PR!!! Many thanks

Don't you have a scan or photocopy of it? It's the first thing they ask you to do when you're given it. Worst case, you'll have to cancel your application if the job's more important.

[runie80]

Don't think there is a way unless you widthdraw your application which will reset the whole timing again.
You can try with showing them citizenship invitation letter from home office and see if they for the time being
accept it. In my case nothing would satisfy recruitment people expect British passport so I have to take the whole pain. Few more weeks to go. I see it as a short term pain for long-term gain.

Hi gyts, very urgent,,, is there any number for Liverpool office to ask for my British citizen certificate back, will it affect my application? The job is insisting to see my certificate and they don't accept my PR!!! Many thanks

[spike_UK]

Hi gyts, very urgent,,, is there any number for Liverpool office to ask for my British citizen certificate back, will it affect my application? The job is insisting to see my certificate and they don't accept my PR!!! Many thanks

[northstar212]

Hi all! I am so eager to share my journey to British citizenship. Hope these can be helpful...

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 4/6/14
Date application received by IPS: 9/6/14
Date of return of documents: 22/7/14
Date of receipt of interview letter: 17/7/14
Date of Passport Appointment: 23/7/14 (Chelmsford)
Date of Passport Printing SMS received: 24/7/14
Date of Passport Receipt:26/7/14 (DX Secure)

Note: You can choose the passport office where you want your interview, as Victoria, London can be fully booked at times or you may need to find availability. DX said they deliver the passport within 48hrs as they receive it.

Best of luck!

[marrik]

Application Type: First Adult (naturalised citizen)
Method of application: PO Check & Send
Date of application: 07/06/2014
Date application received by IPS: 11/06/2014 (Peterborough) [Did not receive SMS so found out through online query. They responded within 3 days]
SMS received: Did not receive.
Date of receipt of interview letter: 19/07/2014
Date of return of documents: 21/07/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 24/07/2014 (Reading)
Date of Passport Printing SMS received: Did not receive
Date of Passport Receipt: 26/07/2014

Finally received our passport yesterday! Very relieved!! Thanks to all for your valuable inputs and support.