British Passport application processing timelines (only)

[KimF]

[quote="KimF"][quote="KimF"]Application Timeline
Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (Naturalised)
Method of application: Check and Send Service
Date of application: 07/05/2014
Date application received by IPS: 09/05/2014
Date of SMS Received: 12/05/2014
Date of return of documents: 02/06/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: 28/05/2014
Date of Passport Appointment: 04/06/2014 Victoria
Date of Passport Receipt: 06/06/2014

Hooray! It was delivered this morning! A huge thanks to this forum for the information shared, and for keeping me sane! Good luck to everyone!

[asadulla]

Hi psTier1

I haven't recived any replay from HM office, expecting something next week. Hopefully.

[prokabungle]

Passport for: Adult First Time
Application Type: New
Method of application: Post Office C&S
Date of application: 6 May 2014
Date application received by HMPO: 8 May 2014
Date SMS Received: 12 May 2014
Date of receipt of interview letter: waiting
Date of return of documents: waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: waiting
Date SMS Received: waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: waiting

[UK British UK]

Anyone submitted their application around 23 April and still waiting for interview letter and documents?

[techie_09]

My Application Timeline:

Method of Application: Post Office check & send
Date of Application: 03/05/2014 (Post Office)
Date of Application Received by IPS: 08/05/2014
Date of SMS Received: None
Date of Fees deduction: N.A.
Date of Receipt of Interview Letter: 04/06/2014 (dated 02/06/2014)
Date of Return of Documents: 05/06/2014
Date of Interview booked: 06/06/2014
Date of Passport Receipt: TBC

[psTier1]

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: 15/05/2014
Date SMS Received: 19/05/2014
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of Passport Appointment:
Date of Passport Receipt:

Hi asadulla, Any update on your family application? My timelines are also same.

[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: TBC
Date of return of documents: TBC
Date of receipt of interview letter: TBC
Date of Passport Appointment: TBC
Date SMS Received: TBC
Date of Passport Receipt: TBC

NB: I wrote the details of my grandparents in a separate document and sent. The C&S did not ask for it but when I said incase you need it, they said "More documents, better" as it is a first adult passport. I think you don't need to send as it is via "Naturalisation".

For Parental Grandparents, wrote their names and other details as "Not Known". For Maternal Grandparents wrote their names and dob and Date of Marriage as "Not Known".

[Pvsc27]

Fantastic form and fantastic info and people
Application Timeline

Passport for: Adult First Time
Application Type: New
Method of application: Post Office C&S
Date of application: 2 May 2014
Date application received by HMPO: 6 May 2014 - i did send query using online help
Date of return of documents: waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: 29 May 2014
Date of Passport Appointment:3 June 2014, Reading
Date SMS Received: 4 Jun 2014 (not for application acknowledgement, but saying passport is being printed)
Date of Passport Receipt: 5 Jun 2014

All the best to other guys

[junk2014]

Application Timeline

Passport for: Adult First Time
Application Type: New (Registered Citizen)
Method of application: Online (BETA)
Date of application: 24 Apr 2014 online, 29 Apr 2014 posted additional form
Date application received by HMPO: 1 May 2014 (Signed For)
Date SMS Received: 4 Jun 2014 (after sending in additional paper form)
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of Passport Appointment:
Date of Passport Receipt:

Other Updates:
Date: 29 May 2014
Description: Received letter (dated 26 May 2014) saying that I had missed some sections of the form (which I don't think so as the online system says that you can't proceed to the next section without completing the current section). They sent a paper form and asked that I fill it in and send it back. Posted 30 May 2014
As mentioned by Skimatic, it was the parents section that turned out to be missing.

[Nkr0603]

Call the 03002220000 number and ask them. Or the delivery tracking from the post office

[akash08]

Guys,

How do you know which office is dealing with your application?

[Nkr0603]

I even called up last week and was told it should be printed the monday thats just gone wven thought its a first time adult they have no clue what theyre on about i sed dont i have to go for a interview and was told no.. Is there nothing i can do.!! Arrgh

[Nkr0603]

I also applied on the 7th may my application is at durham they are ridiculous ive called about 10 times and i am told something different each time i was told on the 30th june that there was a backlong and they were currently workin on applications from 28th april then i was told there isnt a backlog when i called yesterday is there any hope these people are a bunch of jokers. Its so depressing.

[Betitoo]

Application Type: First time
Method of application: Check and Send at Post Office
Date of application: 03/06/2014
Date SMS Received:
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of interview appointment:
Date of SMS that Passport is being printed:
Date of Passport Receipt:

[WHS]

I am also in the same position. Applied on 22 April through the Post Office and my passport ended up in Durham. I am a teacher and will probably miss a school trip to France next week because of their incompetence. I have requested them to suspend my application and return my South African passport as soon as possible - it will take apparently 48 hours for them to make a decision. Nothing else I could do.

[mcove]

Is this a general problem or is it only limited to Durham HMPO?

This is ridiculous. My application is with Durham Office as well. I applied on 7 May. Does it mean I have no chance to get my passport by 20 June when I need to travel?
Is there anyone on this thread who applied in May and whose application has already been processed by Durham HMPO?

[mgoblue]

By way of update on the details noted above, I have still not received any communication from HMPO other than calling and being told that my application is still "awaiting examination" and it is six weeks today when I applied.

The HMPO call centre have refused to transfer me through to the Durham passport office as they only allow call backs and the Durham passport office has not provided me with the requested call back within 48 hours on any occasion. They have also refused to allow me to turn up to Durham to cancel my application and collect my Australian passport advising that I will be turned away by security upon arrival without an appointment.

I have already written to my local MP with a complaint, I have lodged a complaint through the HMPO website, but neither has provided me with any tangible benefit.

As I am due to fly to Brazil next Friday (13th June) and there is absolutely no chance that I will get anywhere with HMPO before then, I will have to travel from Newcastle to London tomorrow to get an emergency concurrent passport (it will cost me about £200) and visit the Brazilian consulate as soon as I have my passport - potentially the next day - which should allow me just enough time to apply for a Brazilian visa in time for my flight.

I am thoroughly disappointed by the lack of transparency and accountability with the whole process, many people on the 0300 number have been unnecessarily rude and completely unhelpful, so my advice to anyone would be to take a train to a city where your passport won't be caught in the Durham passport office's catchment area.

This is an absolute outrage. How can they refuse to return your Australian passport? I am in the same position (Application received same day as yours - 23/4; Durham office; although not traveling until June 30) and I called the 0300 number this morning to request that my Australian passport be returned to me immediately so that my (company-funded) travel plans are not interrupted. The lady told me that she can only put in a request for such and couldn't guarantee anything would come of it. I adhered to their "minimum six week" timeline and sent my application in eleven weeks before my travel to be absolutely sure everything would be completed in time and still end up having to deal with this nonsense. Some people's livelihood involves regular travel and since HMPO refuse to offer an expedited passport application for international applicants, it effectively precludes these people from ever obtaining a British passport. I would love to complain to a MP, but live in the US. If you need any support for your cause, let me know - I will be happy to provide further evidence of their incompetence.

[emmaluck]

Is this a general problem or is it only limited to Durham HMPO?

[zombie]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First time (naturalised citizen)
Method of application: PO Check & Send
Date of application: 22/04/2014
Date application received by IPS (post tracking): 23/04/2014
SMS received: 24/04/2014
Payment taken: 22/04/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of return of documents:
Date of Passport Appointment:
Date of Passport Receipt:

I called the 0300 number today and my application is still "awaiting examination" at the Durham office, one month after applying. Based on posts over the last month or two it seems that the Durham office is not nearly as efficient as the other offices, which doesn't bode well as I'm due to fly on June 13th :-/

By way of update on the details noted above, I have still not received any communication from HMPO other than calling and being told that my application is still "awaiting examination" and it is six weeks today when I applied.

The HMPO call centre have refused to transfer me through to the Durham passport office as they only allow call backs and the Durham passport office has not provided me with the requested call back within 48 hours on any occasion. They have also refused to allow me to turn up to Durham to cancel my application and collect my Australian passport advising that I will be turned away by security upon arrival without an appointment.

I have already written to my local MP with a complaint, I have lodged a complaint through the HMPO website, but neither has provided me with any tangible benefit.

As I am due to fly to Brazil next Friday (13th June) and there is absolutely no chance that I will get anywhere with HMPO before then, I will have to travel from Newcastle to London tomorrow to get an emergency concurrent passport (it will cost me about £200) and visit the Brazilian consulate as soon as I have my passport - potentially the next day - which should allow me just enough time to apply for a Brazilian visa in time for my flight.

I am thoroughly disappointed by the lack of transparency and accountability with the whole process, many people on the 0300 number have been unnecessarily rude and completely unhelpful, so my advice to anyone would be to take a train to a city where your passport won't be caught in the Durham passport office's catchment area.

Mine is in Dhuram HMPO too and I applied on the same date. I used the online tracking system and it says the application is still "currently going through the examination process". I got an SMS on the 24th of April. No interview letter, no return of documents, nothing. I think they have a heavyduty backlog. I am waiting patiently.

[Pvsc27]

I have seen many people asking about SMS not received when passport application has been sent, even i did not receive for passport application, but i think they will send SMS when passport is being printed. So SMS seems to be working only after interview saying your passport is being printed.

To track the application whether received by HMO office or not, i have used the below link:
https://www.gov.uk/track-passport-application

[BCMN1]

@akash08

Have patience. I applied on 10/05 and received SMS on 16/05. SMS process has to be an automated process triggered when your data is entered in the system, means it took 6 days for me. You are following up very soon. Just let the process take its own time unless you have an urgent requirement to travel.

Thanks for your support

I finally got SMS acknowledgement today.

[UK British UK]

Date of Application: 23/04/2014
SMS received: 28/04/2014
Return of Ducument: Awaiting
Interview Invitation: Awaiting
Interview Date: Awaiting
Passport Receipt: Awaiting

[akash08]

Hi Seniors,

As previously quoted I have applied for my first British Passport on 29 May 2014, and was waiting for text message acknowledgement from IPS.

How ever when I call the passport office today they had no record of my application.This makes me really concerned by my supporting valid passport and ILR card. I went to the post office and they assured me that the application was sent on that day...!!!!

So why IPS doesn't have any record of my application and the bar code which is replaced by post office's reference number is not correct.....~!!!!

Does any one been in this situation?

I'll appreciate valuable comments.

Have patience. I applied on 10/05 and received SMS on 16/05. SMS process has to be an automated process triggered when your data is entered in the system, means it took 6 days for me. You are following up very soon. Just let the process take its own time unless you have an urgent requirement to travel.

[aag]

So I applied on 22nd April, Received SMS text on 25th April but still no interview letter.

I rang Durham Office today and the lady said she's not sure I will even get a letter by next week she said if you lucky properly I should get something week commence 9th June. That means over 6 weeks of applying.

Anyone is this situation or know what I can do. This is just really frustrating

Hello, am in the same situation as you. Applied through post office check and send on 22nd April and got a txt on 25th. I called the durham office this morning and was told they currently looking at applications received on 22nd April so hopefully mine will be looked at in the next couple of days. Am soooooo frustrated and anxious as am due to travel on 19th....am just hoping for good news. Please let me know of any progress with yours. Thanks

[shaunc]

Passport for: Adult
Application Type: First time (naturalised citizen)
Method of application: PO Check & Send
Date of application: 22/04/2014
Date application received by IPS (post tracking): 23/04/2014
SMS received: 24/04/2014
Payment taken: 22/04/2014
Date of receipt of interview letter:
Date of return of documents:
Date of Passport Appointment:
Date of Passport Receipt:

I called the 0300 number today and my application is still "awaiting examination" at the Durham office, one month after applying. Based on posts over the last month or two it seems that the Durham office is not nearly as efficient as the other offices, which doesn't bode well as I'm due to fly on June 13th :-/

By way of update on the details noted above, I have still not received any communication from HMPO other than calling and being told that my application is still "awaiting examination" and it is six weeks today when I applied.

The HMPO call centre have refused to transfer me through to the Durham passport office as they only allow call backs and the Durham passport office has not provided me with the requested call back within 48 hours on any occasion. They have also refused to allow me to turn up to Durham to cancel my application and collect my Australian passport advising that I will be turned away by security upon arrival without an appointment.

I have already written to my local MP with a complaint, I have lodged a complaint through the HMPO website, but neither has provided me with any tangible benefit.

As I am due to fly to Brazil next Friday (13th June) and there is absolutely no chance that I will get anywhere with HMPO before then, I will have to travel from Newcastle to London tomorrow to get an emergency concurrent passport (it will cost me about £200) and visit the Brazilian consulate as soon as I have my passport - potentially the next day - which should allow me just enough time to apply for a Brazilian visa in time for my flight.

I am thoroughly disappointed by the lack of transparency and accountability with the whole process, many people on the 0300 number have been unnecessarily rude and completely unhelpful, so my advice to anyone would be to take a train to a city where your passport won't be caught in the Durham passport office's catchment area.