British Passport application processing timelines (only)

[Muscovite]

Passport for: 1 Adult
Application Type: Naturalisation first British passport
Method of application: By post
Date of application: 29/5/14
Date application received by IPS: 3/6/14
Date of SMS: 4/6/14
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter:Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

Contacted passport office via official gov site form a few days ago and today received an e-mail back stating that my application is "under examination" at the Liverpool office.

[lamijm]

Application Timeline
Passport for: Adult naturalized
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send or Postal
Date of application: 20th May
Date of SMS received: 22nd May
Date of return of documents: tbc
Date application received by IPS: 21st May (Durham)
Date of receipt of interview letter: 21/06/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 20th June
Date of SMS printing passport: none
Date of Passport Receipt: 23/06/2014

Didn't receive an interview letter from Durham so i called on thursday the 18th and told them due to the nature of my job, i need my passport asap as i am going on company duties on the 6th of July. Yesterday the 19th a very nice lady called me from Durham which turned out to be an examiner who then said she was examining my application atm and gave me an interview reference number. As soon as i hung up with her i called and got an appointment for today the 20th. the examiner gave me her personal number ( an 0191 number)for her desk which i called to tell her my interview just went fine, she said good and she can now see that on her computer and will request for the passport to get printed asap.

what i found weird is that she called me back while i was driving home to tell me because i am not travelling until the 6th of July, to get my passport by Tuesday (24th of June) i can pay and upgrade which is 65 pounds or stay with the standard service and get the passport on wed-thursday (25th or 26th). I said one day wait aint gonna make a difference so i will stay with the standard service.

Seems like a money making ploy to me.

Took exactly 4 weeks from application to receipt. They said on friday when I had the interview if I needed the passport by monday I would have to pay 65 pounds for fast track or wait normal time and get it wed. I chose to wait and the passport came this morning at 7 am. I would have Wasted 65 pounds. Guys if you have done interview already dont get tricked into paying for fast track cause passport is only a day or two after doing the interview. If you are still waiting and you havent received interview letter or date and you are due to leave soon then maybe you can take that option. I also didnt receive sms that passport is being printed nor have I received supporting docs back as yet.

I am surprised the courier didnt even knock my door. I was just about to put my shoe on to go to work at 7am then saw a white envelope fall thru the slot of the door. And the man just walked away. Knew it was the passport so was overjoyed my long 5 years immigration process is fully to an end now.

Thanks to this forum and evreyone on it for the help from naturalisation to passport. It really helped a lot. Good luck to all who are waiting.

[Katie105]

My partner applied for his first adult passport on the 23rd April. He received a text to say it had been received on the 24th. He has heard nothing since! We are due to fly on the 12th July. He sent it using the check and send service too. So he started calling a few weeks ago to check what was going on. First he was just fobbed off with 'call back next week if you haven't heard anything' which then turned in to 'we can't see you on our system yet'. After reading these forums we followed advice of others and asked to be put through to the progress team. They escalated his case and was told his application was sent to an examiner on the 3rd of June - 3 weeks ago!
He's due to be called back today by an examiner who will hopefully give him the reference number needed to book his interview. Hopefully!! It seems that if you need your passport, you need to really press them for information...the 0300 number proves to be useless! We thought 12 weeks before flying would give plenty of time but apparently not. It looks like it's been sat in a pile for 5 weeks before even being looked at! Seeing others on here who applied after he did though who have received theirs back so hopefully it will be sorted soon...who needs the stress eh! Really frustrating as feel we can't look forward to our holiday as right now it seems so uncertain his application is in the Durham office btw.

[beebritish]

Passport for: 1 Adult
Application Type: Naturalisation first British passport
Method of application: Post Office: Check and Send
Date of application: 16/5/14
Date application received by IPS: 21/5/14
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: 18/06/14 (dated 16/06)
Date of Passport Appointment: 28/06/14 (I wanted a Saturday appointment at Crawley's office, they told me I can be as picky as I want!)
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

As I never received a txt from the Passport Office to confirm they received my documents, I rang them couple of times to check the status of my application. I called them 3 wks after I submitted my application, first call no one replied so I left my phone number for a call back. I tried again few minutes after I've left the message and got through. Spoke to a very nice lady, she told me they received my application and it was being examined in Peterborough office. Told me the process now takes 4-5 weeks and if I don't hear back from them by 23/6 to call back again. I also got a call back on the same day, from a guy that was polite enough, but very stingy in sharing specific information I was interested in with me, comparing to the lady I spoke with earlier in the day. So if you need to call, just be persistent and try to tease out information rather than accepting what they feel is the level of information you should know.

[sian.b]

Passport for: 1 Adult
Application Type: Naturalisation first British passport
Method of application: Post Office: Check and Send
Date of application: 3/6/14
Date application received by IPS: 6/6/14 Received at Durham
Date of SMS: 9/6/14
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter:Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

Due to travel on 27th July....everything already booked. Hoping 7 and a half weeks from application to receipt will be long enough. My heart dropped when I found out today it was received at Durham, as that's the one that's been in the news and everyone here has been complaining about. I live nowhere near Durham so I'm not sure why it would be sent there?

[jmehmud]

Hi Haidi!

This section is for those people whose grand parent were born in England but their parents were born abroad and became british because of their parents. I hope it works for you.

[Haidi5]

Thanks Lamijm,
In section 4 it says clearly that if parents were born after 1982 then need to provide grandparents details?

[lamijm]

Hi Guys,
Just need a quick info regarding passport form please.
When it ask about providing details about grand parents, does include grand parents from both father and mother side or only father's side is enough?

Thanks

Dont need to provide grandparents info just your parents. All i provided was my parents information and it all went ok, passed interview and just now waiting for passport to arrive.

[Haidi5]

Hi Guys,
Just need a quick info regarding passport form please.
When it ask about providing details about grand parents, does include grand parents from both father and mother side or only father's side is enough?

Thanks

[londonellebelle]

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: Awaiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: 21/06/2014 (dated 19/06/2014)
Date of Passport Appointment: 01/07/2014 (London Victoria)
Date of Passport Receipt: Awaiting

Phoned to book the appointment today, got through immediately on the appointment line.

Thanks for all the updates and advice on this forum

[adnanmirza]

Hi guys
Does any one know the number of Liverpool office?

Thanks

[Daymohktim]

Congratulations guys!
Looks like May applications are being dealt with;)

[AndyAndy]

2 passport applications:

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: 28/05/2014
Date application received by IPS: 28/05/2014 by Peterborough Passport Office, I had to do online equerry
Date of return of documents: awaiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: 21/06/2014 (dated 19/06/2014)
Date of Passport Appointment: 23/06/2014 (London Victoria)
Date of Passport Receipt: awaiting


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: 27/05/2014 by Peterborough Passport Office, I had to do online equerry
Date of return of documents: awaiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: 21/06/2014 (dated 19/06/2014)
Date of Passport Appointment: 23/06/2014 (London Victoria)
Date of Passport Receipt: awaiting

[psTier1]

Passport for: 1 Adult and 2 children
Application Type: First
Method of application: Spl Del
Date of application: 13/05/2014
Date application received by IPS: 16/05/2014
Date of SMS Received: 19/05/2014
Fee Deducted: 19/05/2014
Date of email Received for Application Approval: 11/06/2014
Date of SMS Received for PP Printing: 12/06/2014 (Children)
Date of return of documents: 12/06/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 13/06/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 16/06/2014
Date of Passport Receipt: 13/06/2014 (Children) & 18/06/2014 (Adult)

Thanks and Good Luck to everyone.

[cnmmt]

Hi

I havent received anything till now..please can some one gv me number for durham office?

0845 601 5175

[ssingh6]

Hi

I havent received anything till now..please can some one gv me number for durham office?

[cnmmt]

Hi guys

Is there anyone here who has applied around 6th May and still not receive a interview letter ?

[cnmmt]

Hi Guys

Please can you provide me contact number fro Durham office..i applied on 2nd may still nothing....

Hi ssingh6


Have you recieved anthing from the passport office yet ? did you manage to call durham office?

[Castro32]

Passport for: 1 Adult and 1 child
Application Type: New (adult Naturalized and Child is British)
Method of application: In person via post office
Date of application: 20/06/2014
Date application received by IPS:
Date of SMS Received:
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of Passport Appointment:
Date of Passport Receipt:

[C0sta]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-27937962


The Passport Office is having to deal with a backlog of 53,000 applications - higher than previously thought.

The agency released the new figures after pressure from Home Affairs Committee chairman Keith Vaz.

He said the data proved the backlog was caused by the closure of overseas posts and the transfer of work to the UK.

"This decision was clearly the wrong one and has been poorly managed. The public have been badly let down," said the Labour MP.

He also accused the Passport Office of "profiting from public hardship" by making a surplus of almost £13 on each application.

Passport Office chief executive Paul Pugh this week apologised to the public for the delays that have put thousands of peoples' holiday plans at risk.

'Wake-up call'
He told MPs on the home affairs committee that his office knew a surge in demand was on its way because the Foreign Office had decided to close seven posts in foreign embassies. He had expected to have to deal with 350,000 more applications.

But even though that figure would be closer to 400,000, he said, adequate preparations had been made.

He admitted the agency had failed to predict the scale of the increase but insisted it was not just down to the extra work from the closure of the overseas centres but other factors, which have yet to be identified.

The report released by the Passport Office identifies a sudden surge in demand for passports in January this year - 70,000 higher than at the same time last year.

Mr Pugh spoke about this when he was being grilled by the committee and said he had added extra shifts and redeployed staff to cope with it.

But Mr Vaz says the spike should have acted as a "wake-up" call to managers.

"A comparison of the 2013 and 2014 figures for January would have told the management of Her Majesty's Passport Office (HMPO) and ministers all they needed to know," said Mr Vaz.

"The 70,000 additional passport applications, received five months ago, should have provided the wake-up call.

"It is baffling why immediate action was not taken to alleviate the impending disaster that has now engulfed HMPO."

[Jordiie]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First Adul Passport
Method of application: Online
Date of application: 14th May
Date of Fees deduction: N/A
Date application received by IPS: 14th May
Sent documents the following day: 15th May
SMS recieved: Never
Date of receipt of interview letter: 19th dated 17th June
Date of return of documents: 19th June
Date of Passport Appointment: 23rd June (In derby which is 2 hours from me as Peterbourgh passport office are not doing interviews)
Date of Passport Receipt: TBA

I fly out on the 2nd of July so now I'm very hopeful I should make it,
Good luck to all

[powerfox]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First time (naturalised citizen)
Method of application: PO Check & Send
Date of application: 21/05/2014
Date application received by IPS (post tracking): 23/05/2014
SMS received: 26/05/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 20/06/2014
Date of return of documents: 20/06/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 30/06/2014
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

Finally, got my interview appointment!!Special thanks for good posts and help.

Congratulations powerfox!

Thank you, your prognosis on that email was bang on Time to book tickets

[Spidery_thread]

Passport Office is making £13 profit on each passport application.

[lamijm]

Application Timeline
Passport for: Adult naturalized
Application Type: New
Method of application: Check & Send or Postal
Date of application: 20th May
Date of SMS received: 22nd May
Date of return of documents: tbc
Date application received by IPS: 21st May (Durham)
Date of receipt of interview letter: never did
Date of Passport Appointment: 20th June
Date of SMS printing passport: tbc
Date of Passport Receipt: tbc

Didn't receive an interview letter from Durham so i called on thursday the 18th and told them due to the nature of my job, i need my passport asap as i am going on company duties on the 6th of July. Yesterday the 19th a very nice lady called me from Durham which turned out to be an examiner who then said she was examining my application atm and gave me an interview reference number. As soon as i hung up with her i called and got an appointment for today the 20th. the examiner gave me her personal number ( an 0191 number)for her desk which i called to tell her my interview just went fine, she said good and she can now see that on her computer and will request for the passport to get printed asap.

what i found weird is that she called me back while i was driving home to tell me because i am not travelling until the 6th of July, to get my passport by Tuesday (24th of June) i can pay and upgrade which is 65 pounds or stay with the standard service and get the passport on wed-thursday (25th or 26th). I said one day wait aint gonna make a difference so i will stay with the standard service.

Seems like a money making ploy to me.

[itattowa]

Passport for: 1 Adult
Application Type: Naturalisation first British passport
Method of application: Post Office: Check and Send
Date of application: 04/06/14
Date application received by IPS: 10/06/14 (4 working days to receive the application!!)
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter:Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting