British Passport application processing timelines (only)

[spike_UK]

I feel your pain in exactly same situation. I don't know why the naturalization certificate is not a valid document. I guess all we can do is wait. News out of Durham office is looking good just few more weeks and we will look at all this waiting and huffing and puffing with a grin on our faces I think it's ok to contact them after 3 weeks from what I have seen

Hi guys, I have an issue! I've applied for a job(Admin) through agency and I have given my permanent residence as I'm still waiting for my BT passport (it has been only 2 weeks since I applied for it), the agency is not accepting my PR!!!! I don't know what to do! Is it possible to contact home office?!! home office says if you call them in less than 6 weeks your process will slow down!.
I should start work on 04 August. Any idea please, many thanks.

Thanks for reply.

But regardless the naturalization certificate, I still have PR which is enough to confirm your state and eligibility for work!! and it's due to renew after 10 years!!

[chingomingo]

Passport for: 2 Adult+2 Child
Application Type: First time (Naturalised Citizen)
Method of application: PO Check and Send
Date of application: 09/06/2014
SMS received: 23/06/2014 (Liverpool Office)
Date of receipt of interview letter: 16/07/14(Called the enquriy office and also involved my MP)
Date of return of documents: 16/07/14 (Children documents have not received yet)
Date of Passport Appointment: 25/07/2014 - Chelmsford Office
Date of Passport Printing SMS received: Still waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

As i have no news about children passports .Called enquiry office and involved MP as i have travel plans soon.I was told if i did not hear anything after 27/06/14 then children are eligible for one day urgent service. Who know????????

The lady at interview was very welcoming .
The questions were.

Full name?
Spell ur name?
D.O.B?
Where you work?
When did you start this job?
Where you live?
Is your house near to train station?
was it easy to find out this office?
how many children u have?
What documents you sent with application?
Who was your signatory?
Do you have any other family member in uk?
How many family members are there in back home?
Their ages?
Do u have children?
How many bank accounts do u have?
Describe your route to nationality?
What was your first address in the UK?
Where will u go after interview?
Is it you day off today?
Where u want us to send your passport?
You will receive your passport within 10 days.

[runie80]

Here you go. Passport office staff and home office have gone on strike. Just when you thought this mess cannot get any worse.. More delays for us



Passport crisis: now civil servants go on strike risking people's holidays http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politic ... idays.html

[runie80]

I feel your pain in exactly same situation. I don't know why the naturalization certificate is not a valid document. I guess all we can do is wait. News out of Durham office is looking good just few more weeks and we will look at all this waiting and huffing and puffing with a grin on our faces I think it's ok to contact them after 3 weeks from what I have seen

Hi guys, I have an issue! I've applied for a job(Admin) through agency and I have given my permanent residence as I'm still waiting for my BT passport (it has been only 2 weeks since I applied for it), the agency is not accepting my PR!!!! I don't know what to do! Is it possible to contact home office?!! home office says if you call them in less than 6 weeks your process will slow down!.
I should start work on 04 August. Any idea please, many thanks.

[ashpan23]

Passport for: Adult+Child
Application Type: First time (Naturalised Citizen)
Method of application: PO Check and Send
Date of application: 01/07/2014
SMS received: 07/07/2014 (Durham Office)
Date of receipt of interview letter: 24/07[Called on 21/07 to Durham office for normal enquiry. 22/07 Caseworker called me and provided the reference number and advised I can book the interview straight away.]
Date of return of documents: 25/07
Date of Passport Appointment: 24/07/2014 - Edinburgh Office
Date of Passport Printing SMS received: 25/07
Date of Passport Receipt: 26/07 (Child : 23/07)

I can't believe that I received my passport with in 25 days from Durham office.
Thanks a lot to everybody on this forum for all your help over the years.

[spike_UK]

Hi guys, I have an issue! I've applied for a job(Admin) through agency and I have given my permanent residence as I'm still waiting for my BT passport (it has been only 2 weeks since I applied for it), the agency is not accepting my PR!!!! I don't know what to do! Is it possible to contact home office?!! home office says if you call them in less than 6 weeks your process will slow down!.
I should start work on 04 August. Any idea please, many thanks.

[bilalazeem]

Passport for: Minors (Daughter & Son)
Application Type: First Passports
Method of application: PO Check & Send (Mansfield)
Date of application: 25/06/2014
Date application received by IPS: 30/06/2014 (Durham)
SMS received: 30/06/2014
Date of return of documents: 25/07/14
Date of Passports Printing SMS received: 24/07/14
Date of Passports Receipt: 24/07/14 - DX Secure

[veenas127]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First time (naturalised citizen)
Method of application: PO Check and Send
Date of application: 07/06/2014
SMS received: 12/06/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 19/07/2014
Date of return of documents: waiting - received the documents on 22/07/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 23/07/2014 - London Victoria
Date of Passport Printing SMS received: 24/07/2014
Date of Passport Receipt: 25/07/2014 DX Secure

Thanks a lot to this forum which has been really helpful and inspirational.


My interview experience:
My appointment was at 9.45am, but I reached London Victoria office by 9.15am. Normally they would not allow before 15mins from the allotted time, but the security allowed me to follow the queue. I went to information desk, they took my details and asked me to wait. Surprised that I was called within 5 mins for the interview. It lasted for 10 mins. So I finished my interview at 9.30am even before my allotted time slot.

The questions were as follows:
1. How do you commute to work?
2. What do you see on the way you walk from your home to the station? Not a difficult one though..
3. My full name with spelling, my DoB, PoB
4. My husband's name & DoB
5. My children's name & age & which school they go to
6. How long I have been living at the current address and whom do I live with
7. How do I know the countersignee, where does she work, what is her age, what is her profession
8. How many bank accounts & credit cards & loans I have
9. Am I registered on electoral register?
10. My parent's full name, DoB & PoB.
11. Where do I work currently and since when
12. When did I first come to UK & when I got the indefinite leave to remain.
13. When did I get naturalisation, who accompanied me to the ceremony and what happened during the ceremony.
14. Is finding HM passport office today easy or difficult?

[northstar212]

Interested members can post their passport application processing timelines here for the benefit of others.

Please include the following details when posting in this topic:

Application Timeline
Passport for: Adult / Minor
Application Type: New / Replacement / Renewal
Method of application: Check & Send or Postal
Date of application:
Date application received by IPS:
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of Passport Appointment:
Date of Passport Receipt:


Other Updates: If you wish to provide interim updates (e.g. - when you called UKBA for status, and what information you were given), please edit your original post to include the following:
Interim Updates
Date: Description



To ensure that your "entire" timeline history can be viewed by others at one single location and that there are no multiple posts of one case spread across the entire topic:
1. please do not make new (duplicate) posts in the topic to provide updates (e.g. - a new post with original post in "quotes").
2. to post updates (timeline / interim), please edit the original post you've made.
(Tip: Remember the page number of your initial post, to help you find it to edit it for posting updates).





Please refrain from chattering in this topic. To keep it high-value, please just read it and only post when you have an update to provide (timelines only).
Duplicate posts, multiple posts relating to the same application, pleasantries, off-topic posts, queries, posts enquiring about current timelines, etc. will be deleted without notice.

We thank you for your understanding and co-operation.

How to edit? I can only see "quote"

[phospholipid]

Adult application
Applied 08/06/14
Interview date 23/07/14
passport received 25/07/14

thanks all

[bilalazeem]

Passport for: Minors (Daughter & Son)
Application Type: First Passports
Method of application: PO Check & Send (Mansfield)
Date of application: 25/06/2014
Date application received by IPS: 30/06/2014 (Durham)
SMS received: 30/06/2014 (1 sms only)
Date of receipt of interview letter: N/A
Date of return of documents: WAITING
Date of Passport Appointment: N/A
Date of Passports Printing SMS received: 24/07/14
Date of Passports Receipt: 24/07/14 - DX Secure
- 21/07/14> countersignatory received letters from HM Passport office to reconfirm if he knows the applicants and if he actually signed the applications.
- 22/07/14> Received a call from Durham office that they are ready to print the passports and if we need the passports urgently we can collect in person on 23/07/14

[Haphazardeous]

Passport for: Adult (Naturalised Citizen)
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 02/07/2014
Date application received by IPS: 04/07/2014 (Received an e-mail from ukpa@reply.co.uk on 15/07/2014 after enquiring on-line)
SMS Received: Never received.
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: TBA
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

UPDATES
-----------
25/07/2014
Called the 0300 number again and after my details were taken I was told it's still in examination progress and I should hear from them in about a week. I, then, asked if that was for the interview letter, the woman on the phone asked me if this was my first application and I said yes. So it seems like they take your details and do nothing with them at all. They must have got given guidelines to make you feel like they are looking into things but in actual fact, they're trying to fool you.

23/07/2014
Called the 0300 number to get a status update but was told the application was received on the 4th so I should call Friday morning. Post office check&send is clearly not a great service as they don't deliver it next day.

[muzammil1124]

Hi, something which I have not read yet on this forum.

I called up the 0300 number and asked for status. They said they can try and upgrade my application by sending an email to the passport office.

If the passport office agree to upgrade, they will charge me an upgrade fee.

Is this normal, any idea how much will they be charging?

[nickduk]

Today (24/07/14) I received the 1st SMS saying that it has been reached the passport office

I have been calling the call center everyday like clock work with every time promising they will send an e-mail, Travel booked for 1st Week of August...escalated to MP also...no response....God Help me...

Sorry, but I don't think you will even receive an interview time before the first week of August let alone your passport!

You should probably cancel or amend your holiday and not book anything until you have your passport.

[veenas127]

[quote="veenas127"]Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First time (naturalised citizen)
Method of application: PO Check and Send
Date of application: 07/06/2014
SMS received: 12/06/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 19/07/2014
Date of return of documents: waiting - received the documents on 22/07/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 23/07/2014 - London Victoria
Date of Passport Printing SMS received: 24/07/2014
Date of Passport Receipt: not yet received

My interview experience:
My appointment was at 9.45am, but I reached London Victoria office by 9.15am. Normally they would not allow before 15mins from the allotted time, but the security allowed me to follow the queue. I went to information desk, they took my details and asked me to wait. Surprised that I was called within 5 mins for the interview. It lasted for 10 mins. So I finished my interview at 9.30am even before my allotted time slot.

The questions were as follows:
1. How do you commute to work?
2. What do you see on the way you walk from your home to the station? Not a difficult one though..
3. My full name with spelling, my DoB, PoB
4. My husband's name & DoB
5. My children's name & age & which school they go to
6. How long I have been living at the current address and whom do I live with
7. How do I know the countersignee, where does she work, what is her age, what is her profession
8. How many bank accounts & credit cards & loans I have
9. Am I registered on electoral register?
10. My parent's full name, DoB & PoB.
11. Where do I work currently and since when
12. When did I first come to UK & when I got the indefinite leave to remain.
13. When did I get naturalisation, who accompanied me to the ceremony and what happened during the ceremony.
14. Is finding HM passport office today easy or difficult?

[sancsan]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First time
Method of application: PO Check & Send
Date of application: 13-June-2014
SMS received: None
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of return of documents: 24-July-2014
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of SMS passport printing: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

I've received my documents today however not yet received interview letter. Is that the normal process??

[phospholipid]

I thought I'd share my interview experience:

Was asked:

My name and spelling
DOB
Mothers name and spelling
What I study
Plans for after my study
How long I've been at my current address - when did I move in
Why did I come to the UK
Siblings
Who lives at my current house
What university I go to
How my summer has been
What I've done this summer
What grades I've gotten at university
Countersignatory information
etc etc

Was hardly an interview, we just spoke about our lives and he told me a few stories of his university days and it was over in about 15-20 minutes. Expecting the passport tomorrow or next week Monday/Tuesday. Hope this helps someone!

[akash08]

Passport for: Adult First Time
Method of application: Post
Date of application: 12th June
Date application received by HMPO: 16 June
Date of return of documents: -
Date of receipt of interview letter: 25 July
Date of Passport Appointment: 26 July (Plymouth)
Date SMS Received: -
Date of Passport Receipt: -

Not sure why my documents haven't been returned yet - I paid extra for them to be returned securely.

I received my documents 1 week after getting my passport and my wife's documents came 2 weeks after her passport receipt.

You will get it someday!!

and yes, I also received my interview letters on the same day I got my passport. The whole system is a joke. So, do not worry.

[keerthi]

Applied on June - 16th ( Appln reached Peterborough )

Today I received the 1st SMS saying that it has been reached the passport office

I have been calling the call center everyday like clock work with every time promising they will send an e-mail, Travel booked for 1st Week of August...escalated to MP also...no response....God Help me...

[Daymohktim]

Final update.

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First time (naturalised citizen)
Method of application: PO Check & Send
Date of application: 04/June/2014
SMS received: 10/June/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 18/July/2014
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: 22/July/2014

Date of SMS passport printing: 23/July/2014

Date of Passport Receipt: 24/July/2014




I applied without previous passport and without any ID. When applying I included ILR and a hand written letter.

More info here: http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... 65087.html


And the best of luck to you all!

[Dassie]

Passport for: Adult First Time
Method of application: Post
Date of application: 12th June
Date application received by HMPO: 16 June
Date of return of documents: -
Date of receipt of interview letter: 25 July
Date of Passport Appointment: 26 July (Plymouth)
Date SMS Received: -
Date of Passport Receipt: -

Not sure why my documents haven't been returned yet - I paid extra for them to be returned securely.

[19eggs]

Passport for: Adult First Time
Application Type: New
Method of application: Camden Post Office C&S
Date of application: 5th June 2014
Date application received by HMPO: 10th June 2014
Date of return of documents: 24th July 2014 (DX tried to delivery on the 22nd)
Date of receipt of interview letter: 19th July 2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 23rd July
Date SMS Received: TBC
Date of Passport Receipt: TBC

Update (24th July):

Yesterday, went to for an interview at London Victoria, but my profile was not transferred to them. When I asked why, they said some people who booked the appointment on certain date(s) and time, have not had their profiles transferred to them and they don't know why. It could be a glitch, they reckon, so a manual interview would take place. They took a photograph of me and the interview took about 10 mins.

The interviewer was a nice lady and she was given what looked like a checklist. She asked questions from there and ticked as I answered.

All she asked were:

1. My address.
2. If I was known by any other name.
3. My and my parent's full name.
4. My and my parent's place of birth.
5. My and my parent's date of birth.
and then we talked about the opening times, on how other's have been asked invasive questions..shes smiled and said, it is a short interview..and I should hear in the next 10 working days.

When I enquired about my application online last week, they said it was received at the Durham office. However, yesterday, just before the interview at the reception office, they wrote a note --"Peterborough Office" on the form while filling my form.

Today, I received my document via DX courier, even though they tried to deliver it on the 22nd

Update (19 July):
Got the appointment letter and booked the interview at London Victoria on the 23rd

Update (17 July):
Got a call from the team. They said to wait till 22nd July to receive the appointment letter. I called in later in the day and they could not get through to the Progression Team.

Update (16 July):
HMPO received on the 10th June. I wonder why it took that long to reach them. I thought the Post Office would send it as "Next Day Delivery", so they should have received on the 6th of June which is a Friday.

Anyway, called the 0300 number and was answered almost immediately. The agent told me that since it has been more than 3 weeks, he will contact the "progression team". Was put on hold for another 15 mins and then he told that he cannot get hold of them so he will email them and they will contact me within the next 24 hours.

[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 Receipt:pending

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.

Best of luck!

[nickduk]

Today I sent an email to track my application. I did get an answer after couple of hours saying that my papers are in Durham office since 01/07/14. (22 days now) Next week I plan to call them to enquire about the interview reference number.
wish all the best to everyone who booked holiday...

If you take a look back in this thread, you will see that the Durham office is taking the full 6 weeks (40-43 days on average) currently to turn applications around. At 22 days, you still have a good 3 more weeks to wait for your letter.
No point calling them as they will just tell you to wait until 6 weeks have passed.

Don't worry, you will get it around week 6.

[nickduk]

it might be possible to get an earlier appointment by phoning again as appointments keep becoming available after cancellations. I rescheduled mine thrice!

It's ok, my holiday is booked at the end of August so no rush. I'll leave the earlier appointments open for people who really need them.