gms

Does anyone have any recent experience of submitting an online renewal of a UK Passport using the standard service? I'm just interested to hear any anecdotal evidence as to how long it is actually taking at present.

They indicate that the standard time is 3 weeks. Normally this time of year is fairly quiet for Passport renewals, so you would expect processing to be much quicker. However, with Brexit looming, is that having an impact on the renewal processing times?

I don't need to use the express service assuming 3 weeks is realistic.

UKtravelbear

most of the brexiteers are waiting until they can get a guaranteed blue passport before renewing so this time next year will be a busy period!

But at this time of year renewals are very quick and on another board some one reported a less than a week turnaround a couple of weeks ago.

One thing that I think helps speed the process is completing the application form on-line as HMPO can then start the checks it does before actually getting the physical form back from you

gms

That's what I'm hoping for!

My pressure is the fact that my wife's passport expires in December, but since it had extra months added it will effectively be useless for intra-Europe travel post the end of March in the event of a no deal Brexit (since Europe will only accept the first 10 years of validity from the date of issue and you will need 6 months validity on Passports).

Let's hope too many people haven't realised this yet and hers gets in before the chaos!

UKtravelbear

Oh thanks for the reminder about the possible forthcoming 6 month validity for Europe. I'd best consider my renewal despite my PP not expiring until 2021 as it has credit from the previous one on it.

gms

For the benefit of others, the current Government advice can be found here. In summary, this is:

Rules for passports

The rules for travel to most countries in Europe change if the UK leaves the European Union (EU) with no deal.

After 29 March 2019:

1. You should have at least 6 months left on your passport from your date of arrival. This applies to adult and child passports.
2. If you renewed a passport before it expired, extra months may have been added to your new passport’s expiry date. Any extra months on your passport over 10 years may not count towards the 6 months that should be remaining for travel to most countries in Europe.

The new rules will apply to passports issued by the UK, Gibraltar, Guernsey, the Isle of Man and Jersey.

KARFA

UKtravelbear

Thanks @gms My current passport expires in March 21 it had 9 months added so the 10 years from issue would expire in August 2020

I've just checked and my current ESTA expires in June and I have a US trip planned for July so I'll need a new ESTA so I may just renew now as I travel to Europe quite regularly and don't want to get caught out with the possible 6 m rule.

ft101

I renewed mine on line the other week with electronic photo image and no physical form required. Once they receive the application they don't start processing it until they receive your old passport in the mail.

Posted old passport Monday. They received it Wednesday with email acknowledgement timed at 11:44. Approved and sent for printing Thursday 10:40. Printed and sent for delivery Thursday 21:44. Delivered by courier Monday late afternoon with the old one already received Monday morning from the postie. The courier has a 2 working day target.

expatboy

I renewed my son's passport (online application that you print and send) in January; I posted it it on a Monday morning with next day 1pm guaranteed delivery and his passport was back on the Saturday, so pretty good!

I've recently put in reminders in my calendar for when our passports have 7 months left, as my son;s passport expiry took me by surprise, as I'd got out of the habit of checking them since becoming an ex-expat!

flyingbee

I've just realised that my passport that I was hoping to renew for a blue passport later in the year will not have the required validity at the end of March if there is no deal. I will therefore be applying to renew my passport in early March, along with two other family members whose passports also now need to be renewed before the end of March. So we will be adding to the chaos with passports that were normally planned to be renewed in October possibly November to get a blue passport. Its a double whammy with added months not being eligible and requiring 6 months validity as well.

With two passports I should be OK even if there is an extended processing period but it means it will be 9 years before I can get a blue passport because my other passport was renewed last year. I'm nostalgic for the blue passports, nothing political!

gms

Just a quick update on my (wife's) renewal. In the comments above, it seems the current turnaround time is around a week. I've just had confirmation this morning that the passport has been printed and sent. So maybe just over a week in my case by the time the passport arrives, but still pretty speedy. Interestingly, the approval was date stamped as Friday at 8.54pm. Either the UK Passport Office is putting in some overtime in the expectation of a deluge of applications in the coming weeks or there is some degree of automation/delay in the final approval notification stage.

The full timeline for the process was:

Passport printed and sent 7:46am on 4 February 2019
Application approved 8:54pm on 1 February 2019
Joined processing queue 10:39am on 31 January 2019
Documents received 9:06am on 30 January 2019
Application received 4:25pm on 27 January 2019
Application submitted 4:25pm on 27 January 2019

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

The timings for my new passport were ( I live in central scotland)

Sat 2 : Get my photos taken, apply online and upload photos to online application
Mon 4 Post my old passport off ( just miss the post office cut off time)
Thr 7 SMS from passport office that the passport is received
Wed 13 am SMS-Photo and application approved
Wed13 pm SMS- Passport dispatched
Thr: Old passport received
Fri pm : New passport received

Overall very impressed with the speed of renewal and the new online process

Regards

TBS

UKtravelbear

Quick Q if you apply on line what documentation do you need to send with your old passport? I may do a renewal in the last week March between returning from AMS and a certain day that may not be mentioned! I'll do photos etc on line just not sure what physical docs they want.

KARFA

unless there is some other factor at play you shouldn't need to send any additional documentation other than your old passport.

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

I just also put in a piece of paper with the reference number on it ( although the reference number is also on the adress detailds provided to send it to ( so it is part of the address )

Regards

TBS