Passport Renewal - Good, Bad or Ugly?

So my passport was due to expire a few weeks before my Big Trip next year and wanted to get starting on booking stuff, thought I would get it renewed early.

I had 9 months left on it, but since its my birthday soon, I am likely to dart across the Channel on Eurostar for a weekend and with a week of annual leave this week, I thought I would take the time to sample the Premium service from HM Passport Office - only I might add because I am impatient and I didn't want to not be able to go to Paris or Brussels at the drop of a hat!

I booked the appointment, which was friendly and seamless enough, the call centre I am guessing is in the North East as it was a fellow Geordie who I spoke to on the three times I needed to ring, as I needed to rearrange my appointment at short notice due to an unplanned trip to Blackpool (I shall spare you the TR on that one, but needless to say Virgin Trains First Class was good - Blackpool ... not so much!) and the re-arrangement was quick and efficient.

I live in Peterborough, so my nearest office was only a 20 minute walk into town. There was a little queue outside waiting to get in and there was a little bit of a farce over where to wait and what you needed to do dependant on what your circumstances were (i.e. interview for first time, renewal) but once through the process was simple and very smooth.

The advisor that dealt with me was lovely, she looked through all of the details, even noticed that I had lost weight between my photo 10 years ago and now, and the whole thing took less than 10 minutes.

Promptly arrived back at my designated collection time, 13:37 and not a moment before, and there my passport was ready and waiting!!

I know a lot of people have had nightmares with Passports with how much it has hit the headlines, how have fellow V-Flyers found them lately?

Good post ColOrd thanks, really useful to know the nitty-gritty of what happens. I'm halfway through my ten year passport, never had a problem with renewal but others may need this information.

I used the Peterborough office some years back, and it was efficient at that time. More recently I renewed our passports over a Christmas period and had a four day turnaround by post. There have undoubtedly been service 'enhancements' since then though....

Slightly OT but one thing that seems to me to have been a success is on line renewal of car tax. And nowadays if you need a new photo ID card for your driving licence, and have renewed your passport since the new style came in, you can opt to have the passport picture used.

We live about 10 miles down the A1 from Peterborough and have used the office there many times. Hubbys passport was due in August but as I like to be well prepared got him to renew in March. The only problem was he used one of those digital machines just located inside the door at Tesco v(

Sent off everything got the text they had received it, then 4 Weeks later got a letter saying they did not like the photo and could he do it again. So some more money into a different machine used the one in BOOTS an older machine sent off then another 4 weeks and passport duly arrived. This was all before the delays kicked in, it went from Newport to Liverpool on its journey, luckily we were not in any hurry. Linda

Always done it by post and never had a problem.
I don't even know where my nearest passport office is.

Dick D

Have used the Passport Office in London, back of Victoria station. Was 3 years ago and don't remember anything negative about the experience, not sure if it was same day or I had to come back later in the week. Now renewing Driving License was a different matter. 10 weeks before a West Coast Driving Holiday discovered my DL had expired, only arrived right at the end of the trip. Mrs had to do all the driving which was not the best for both of us. (Your drifting, your drifting!)

[preiffer]

For the past 15+ years, I've never been able to afford to have my passport away from me for more than 10 days or so - as such, I've always used the 1 days service.
I've heard horror stories about the postal route, but I can honestly say I've never had the slightest issue with the guys who do it there and then, same day. y)

I have a little bit of a different experience, not a nightmare but not as good as it should be.

I called three weeks before my arrival and was told this was too early and I should apply for the passport to be sent to my home. I explained it was in Dubai and I was then referred to the embassy. I called back a week before due to scheduling and the only 2 days I wanted were fully booked in London and I was told I could go up north or into wales. Neither sounded great, I was told I should've called sooner! After a consulting a map, Google decided Newport South Wales was closer than conquering the pennines.

I travelled on the train, arrived and then had about a 30minute walk to an industrial estate with modern offices. A large crowd outside and some seats inside, I was told to wait outside until the time on your booking. I was waiting for around 20mins but others had arrived 45mins early. There wasn't any shelter or seating.

The forms were checked - asked about five or six times did I REALLY require the jumbo/extended -, photos cut up and I was told to come back in 5hrs. There is NOTHING in Newport SW. Most it was closed, I found a Starbucks and asked if there was somewhere for lunch. I ended up in a taxi to the Celtic Manor (called by a very nice girl in Starbucks), which is Ryder Cup famous -it's OK. Pretty nice steak sandwich later I was back in a taxi to the industrial estate.

Another queue outside (in the rain) and then let in, to sit and wait again. I collected the passport within a few seconds and thanks to the same taxi company deposited on the train in a few minutes.

I don't see why they need to skimp on the seating and have people outside? They know how many people to expect per day and how long they are likely to stay. Also why they've chosen Newport and not Cardiff I'll never know.

[mitchja]

Even using the standard postal method (refuse to pay for the over-priced check & send service as there's only about 4 sections of the form you need to fill in for a re-newal), mine only took around 10 days earlier this year (April I think it was).

Being in the North West, my nearest passport office is Liverpool I think.

When I last renewed I used the on-line form which made it simpler as it contained some internal verification checks - plus they didn't have to read my appalling writing!

From receiving that form in the post so I could sign it to getting the passport back was less than two weeks - and a week of that was down to arranging for the courier to deliver it to work and not home. And this was in August.

I have a couple of friends who work for HMPO and they tell me that a many of the delays in the normal processing of passports is down to applicant error - poor handwriting, not sending the right documents (including the old passport) and the photo not passing muster.

I renewed mine earlier this year, just before the news item about how big the backlog was.

The photo machine at the PO was out of order so luckily I found one in the nearby shopping centre.

I chose the Post Office check and send service so I knew it wouldn't be rejected. Whilst I was in the PO two other people had theirs rejected due to one wearing glasses in their photo and the other's photos not being identical (the colour was weaker on one or something like that). They told me it would take around 3 weeks and lo and behold three weeks later my shiny new passport arrived. All pretty painless!

.....then I heard the news items about the backlog and considered myself very lucky!

Thanks for this - likely to have to use myself in 2 years time. Not due to expiry but due to lack of pages for stamps and visas. Hoping US will reduce stamps used in future, as India still want 2 stamps per visit.

Foolishly renewed a thin passport this time thinking travel would stop, 1 year in and 30% used. And I've got 2 full page visas to request next month.

Never thought I'd need the "bigger" passport.

The Peterborough and Newport Passport Offices have both been efficient; in and out in 15 - 20 minutes for an application (Lauren) interview and a replacement (Lauren; don't ask(.

On the flip-side; Peterborough is a grim place to spend time waiting for the Passport to be prepared, and the Office in Newport might be rather better sign-posted.

Whilst I was in the PO two other people had theirs rejected due to one wearing glasses in their photo ...

You can wear glasses in your passport photo. I am clearly wearing mine But I won't shock any of you my posting a pic!

But there should not be any glare / reflection from them and you definitely can't wear sunglasses or ones with tinted lenses or of the frames hide your eyes.


Passport photo requirements

Must have been glare or something then (they were a bit away from where I was so didn't hear the whole conversation). I just remember the man wasn't particularly mobile and was going to have to walk the length of the shopping centre to get his photos taken again - he wasn't a happy bunny!

Used the same day service at the London one 3 times now and it does what it says on the tin. People on the phone have always been helpful too.

Regarding passports and glasses I think it's changed in the last ten years. When I got my first in 2005 I was actively encouraged to wear them for the photo as I normally wear them all of the time, whereas this recent renewal it was the opposite. I think it is to do with automated facial recognition technology.

[mitchja]

Had no issues having my passport renewed with an up to date photo of me wearing my glasses. I believe as long as your eyes are clearly visible and there's no glare there's no issues wearing glasses for the photo if you wear them all the time as I do. It did take a few attempts in the photo booth to avoid any glare though (I was down to my final attempt!)

I've been asked to remove them a couple of times for the U.S. immigration photo though.

Also used the biometric automatic immigration arrivals gates for the first time at LHR with no issues last month whilst wear my glasses (my previous passport wasn't a biometic chipped one)

I've had a trouble free renewal.
Form completed online and printed on the 23rd Sept.
Posted the form after the Bank Holiday on the 27th Sept.
New passport received today.

[honey lamb]

I've had a trouble free renewal.
Form completed online and printed on the 23rd Sept.
Posted the form after the Bank Holiday on the 27th Sept.
New passport received today.

It took over 11 months to renew???? :0 :0 :0

Ha! Glad someone is on the ball 8D

It should read:
Form completed online and printed on the 23rd AUG.
Posted the form after the Bank Holiday on the 27th AUG.
New passport received today.

Must remember to not drink and post

[honey lamb]

Ha! Glad someone is on the ball 8D

It should read:
Form completed online and printed on the 23rd AUG.
Posted the form after the Bank Holiday on the 27th AUG.
New passport received today.

Must remember to not drink and post

I knew that is what you meant!

And I must remember not to drink and respond - although others would have replied similarly! ):

Ha! Glad someone is on the ball 8D

It should read:
Form completed online and printed on the 23rd AUG.
Posted the form after the Bank Holiday on the 27th AUG.
New passport received today.

Must remember to not drink and post

Well, I did mine yesterday online and it's 'out for delivery' according to the Special Delivery tracking. Will update when it comes back.