British Passport application processing timelines (only)

[asadulla]

Application Timeline
Passport for: 2 Adult + 2 Child
Application Type: New (Nationalised)
Method of application: Postal (Sent through Special delivery)
Date of application: 13/05/2014
Date application received by IPS: 19/05/2014
Date of return of documents: 25/06/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 21/06/2014 dated 19/06/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 05/07/2014
Date of Passport Receipt: 07/07/2014

[JPB]

They can keep your application on hold and return your Pakistan passport but it's not a straight forward process you think it's easy. In most circumstances they will need to priotise and u may get cleared . Call daily till u get it.

[BC_Applicant]

Can someone please confirm if the interview appointment letter address you as mr/mrs last name or is it supposed to be full name. I have got my letter but it addresses me as mr last name. Appreciate your response!

[himani]

Child UK passport renewal.
Please let me know after how many days of getting the child new passport, do I get the supporting documents back. I am waiting for the old UK passport which has the OCI stamp.

[Rain]

Application Timeline
Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New
Method of application: Postal
Date of application: 6/6/14
Date application received by IPS: 10/6/14
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


We are travelling on 24/7. Its only 10 days to go so decided to withdraw application to get the Pakistani passport back. Have been trying to call 0300 number and still waiting for a call back. Please help with how to withdraw an application. They can keep the fee. Any email address/ fax /phone number for Liverpool office as 0300 guys and online inquiry only give a generic answer.

[londonellebelle]

UPDATE - in bold
Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New, Naturalized
Method of application: Post Office Check & Send Service, Canary Wharf, London.
Date of application: 23/05/2014
Date of SMS received: Never
Date application received by IPS: Uknown- still waiting for reply to online enquiry
Date of return of documents: 24/06/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 21/06/2014 (dated 19/06/2014)
Date of Passport Appointment: 01/07/2014 (London Victoria)
Arrived for appointment only to be told that my profile had not been sent through and apologised as they were unable to proceed with interview. I had to then wait 24 hours before rebooking for Sunday 06/07/2014.
Date of SMS received passport is being printed: 07/07/2014
Date of Delivery: Missed DX delivery 08/07/2014, rebooked delivery online to work address for 11/07/2014

[Apparition]

LOL I knew I was right despite having limited experience. Some of you guys are still too naive when it comes to their BS 'Home Office speak' on their headed paper.

You guys should search for these passport office workers through Linkedin to see what they look like and their credentials. Might be an interesting experience for you.

[akash08]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (Citizen by descent)
Method of application: Online
Date of application: May 13th 2014
Date application received by IPS: May 19th 2014
Date of return of documents: Haven't received
Date of receipt of interview letter: Nothing
Date of Passport Appointment: Nothing
Date of Passport Receipt: (waiting)

I finally received a response from HMPO via e-mail:

Code: Select all

I can confirm that we received your application at our Liverpool office on 19/05/2014.

Your passport application is currently going through the examination process.

...

I am not sure if "examination process" means that it is laying in an untouched pile or if it is on someone's desk being looked at.

It means nothing. I received exactly the same reply after 3 weeks and at the end of 8 weeks my status was the same. Durham office told my application is yet to be picked by someone.

once your application is received, next status is going through examination process and the status remains the same till your interview letter is generated and then the status becomes waiting for interview authentication.

[Apparition]

I am not sure if "examination process" means that it is laying in an untouched pile or if it is on someone's desk being looked at.

Note "going through the". Examination is one thing, but "going through the" may include sitting on a pile in a locked room first. If it was being dealt with, they'd make that clear (and beef it up) in their reply.

Going on our experience, this does 'mean' something. I believe it means that the application is now part of the batch that they are currently actively working on to check the application and associated evidence. Hopefully won't be long for you now, but it might be worth chasing the passport office where the application is at directly if the Adviceline are still giving you the same answer in a couple of days. Whether you want to put yourself through that depends on how soon you need it.

Yes, could be part of a batch that's due to be examined. Still doesn't mean it's commenced any examination yet. All speculation of course.

[jotter]

I am not sure if "examination process" means that it is laying in an untouched pile or if it is on someone's desk being looked at.

Note "going through the". Examination is one thing, but "going through the" may include sitting on a pile in a locked room first. If it was being dealt with, they'd make that clear (and beef it up) in their reply.

Going on our experience, this does 'mean' something. I believe it means that the application is now part of the batch that they are currently actively working on to check the application and associated evidence. Hopefully won't be long for you now, but it might be worth chasing the passport office where the application is at directly if the Adviceline are still giving you the same answer in a couple of days. Whether you want to put yourself through that depends on how soon you need it.

[jotter]

Update: Passports printed

Passport for: Child
Application Type: 1st passport
Basis: Settled status of parent (EEA Permanent Residency)
Method of application: Postal
Date of application: 27/05/2014
Date application received by Passport Office (post tracking): 28/05/2014 (Durham office)
SMS received (application received): 30/05/2014
Payment taken: 30/05/2014
SMS received (passports printed): 08/07/2014
Date of return of documents:
Date of Passport Receipt:

Notes on our experience:
June 17th: Rang the advice line (0300 number) to chase up the application. Was informed that due to current high demand 1st child passports were taking 4-5 weeks and we should wait a little longer. Also informed that we could request a free upgrade to fasttrack if it got to within a week of travel. Left it at that since we were not due to travel until mid-July.
June 24th: Rang the advice line again. Essentially the same answer. We were advised to give it until 5 weeks.
July 3rd: Rang the advice line again. This time they acknowledged it was taking longer than expected even for current demand, so they mailed the 'Progress team'. This seems to be a new team that has been created in the last few weeks due to the unprecedented demand. They seem to be there to give value-add updates on progress that the front end team don't have access to. Got an email from the Progress team to say that the application was 'under examination'. I wasn't satisfied with that answer so I rang Durham directly on the number provided earlier in this thread. Got through after around 20 minutes. They weren't thrilled to help as the number is supposed to be response to letters only, but they agreed to check. I found out that the application had been sitting in a queue for weeks but had just been passed to the Examination Team in the last couple of days. The Examination team is responsible for checking the evidence for the application. I was told I would get a call back in a few days but should not depend upon the application being processed in the next fortnight as it was not straightforward (both parents born outside the UK).
July 7th: Received a call from the team leader of the Examination team in Durham to say that the passport checks had been done and he was pressing the button to get the passports printed and that I should have them this week.
July 8th: Received text that the passports have now been printed.
July 8th: Finally got the call back from the Progress team that had been requested on July 3rd. This just reiterated the information that I already had.

So, it seems we are almost there and the passport should come this week in time for us to travel. If I hadn't had the good news this week, my next actions were going to be:
- wait until late this week then write to my MP to weigh in on our case.
- if still no update by early next week, call the Adviceline back to ask for the free upgrade to Fasttrack.
Incidentally I'm not sure whether they are still offering the free upgrade now. They certainly were in June when the crisis peaked, but now they seem to be catching up a bit so I'm sure they'll pull this offer as soon as they think they can justify it. Worth arguing for if you are within 7-10 days of travel though.

[Apparition]

I am not sure if "examination process" means that it is laying in an untouched pile or if it is on someone's desk being looked at.

Note "going through the". Examination is one thing, but "going through the" may include sitting on a pile in a locked room first. If it was being dealt with, they'd make that clear (and beef it up) in their reply.

[Apparition]

Fresh news about the issue

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28194482

Cheers

lol, I waited a month for the backlog to clear, yet it's got worse. Offices report crisis and numpties assess applications. No chance I'm applying, with hugely important docs, at this period.

[absane]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (Citizen by descent)
Method of application: Online
Date of application: May 13th 2014
Date application received by IPS: May 19th 2014
Date of return of documents: Haven't received
Date of receipt of interview letter: Nothing
Date of Passport Appointment: Nothing
Date of Passport Receipt: (waiting)

I finally received a response from HMPO via e-mail:

Code: Select all

I can confirm that we received your application at our Liverpool office on 19/05/2014.

Your passport application is currently going through the examination process.

...

I am not sure if "examination process" means that it is laying in an untouched pile or if it is on someone's desk being looked at.

[Betitoo]

Fresh news about the issue

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-28194482

[sami01]

[quote="sami01"]Update in red

Application Type: first adult passport
Method of application: Check and Send
Date of application: 02/06/2014
Date SMS Received: never received- received by Durham office on 06/06/2014
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of interview appointment: 03/07/2014
Date of SMS that Passport is being printed:04/07/2014
Date of Passport Receipt:14/07/2014

My passport will have to be picked up at the Victoria passport office, since I am currently not in London to have it delivered to my home address.

I want to thank everyone for their input which has helped me and I wish you all the best of luck in your journey.

[BC_Applicant]

I don't believe I have one since I don't live there and I am a citizen by descent. I could perhaps harass my aunt and uncle that live there to put in a word for me but it probably wouldn't work.

Ur uncle and aunt dropping a line to the MP should definitely help! Ask them to copy you on the email.

[absane]

Have you tried contacting your MP?
Looks like other people got their cases moving by involving their MPs!

Good luck!

I don't believe I have one since I don't live there and I am a citizen by descent. I could perhaps harass my aunt and uncle that live there to put in a word for me but it probably wouldn't work.

[Daymohktim]

Have you tried contacting your MP?
Looks like other people got their cases moving by involving their MPs!

Good luck!

[absane]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (overseas... citizen by descent)
Method of application: Online
Date of application: May 13th 2014
Date application received by IPS: My guess is May 19th 2014. Online status site says "Declaration form received, being processed."
Date of return of documents: Haven't received
Date of receipt of interview letter: Nothing
Date of Passport Appointment: Nothing
Date of Passport Receipt: (waiting)

Just to update that nothing has happened thus far. I sent 3 messages to the inquiry page. The first two responses I received told me that I need to include more information (even though I gave them plenty of information). So I replied to those e-mails with the information and received nothing. I then sent a brand new inquiry with the "needed" information almost a week ago and they never replied.

*sigh*

[tunjy]

[quote="tunjy"]Passport for: A family
Application Type: First time (naturalised citizen)
Method of application: Post
Date of application: 21/05/2014
Date application received by IPS (post tracking): 22/05/2014
SMS received: 26/05/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 28/06/14
Date of return of documents: not all document received yet.
Date of Passport Appointment: 04/07/14
Date of Passport Receipt: 07/07/14

Thank U all.

[BC_Applicant]

Another Q; any guesses as to when this backlog may be cleared?

Don't think anyone here can answer that one to be honest!

[Apparition]

Makes sense. So Durham has been misrepresented somewhat in this thread, they're slow as of late due to re-routed applications.

Definitely deserves benefit of doubt mate!

Another Q; any guesses as to when this backlog may be cleared?

[BC_Applicant]

Makes sense. So Durham has been misrepresented somewhat in this thread, they're slow as of late due to re-routed applications.

Definitely deserves benefit of doubt mate!

[Apparition]

I think the issue was in peak times applications got sent to various passport offices and unfortunately a lot more applications have been stacked up in Durham and also they didn't expect as may applications hence it has been difficult.

Makes sense. So Durham has been misrepresented somewhat in this thread, they're slow as of late due to re-routed applications.