The Lemon Fool

I've read lots of criticism in recent years about passport office backlogs and delays, so credit where credit is due.

On Monday I remembered that I needed to get a new passport because I was getting close to the 6 months left needed for travel to the EU. I took a sombre selfie, uploaded it to the government's passport office website, paid my money, posted off my own passport (just caught Monday collection) ... and my new passport arrived this morning! That really couldn't have been any quicker

My wife's passport renewal came across quickly..probably about 10 days. I was surprised by the short turn around time. She submitted the application online with her photo uploaded from a " photo me" (?) booth at the local Sainsbury store. Maybe applying online sped up the process?

I renewed during first "first lockdown". I think it took longer to get a photo they accepted than get the passport . Recently renewed driving license, it took less than a week to recieve new one, though they did not use the "photo" sent for passport, which I thought strange.

Impressive - I got my Driving Licence renewal notice a few weeks ago, but to do it online you need a passport, and mine had expired.

After finally getting a photo their system would accept, I think it was 9 days (sun to tues) before the new passport arrived, and the DL took under a week to arrive. The cheque for SORNing a car was with us within a week.

All this efficieny wil be giving govt services a bad name. I wonder if they can use the same people to write the HMRC systems.

Clariman wrote:I've read lots of criticism in recent years about passport office backlogs and delays, so credit where credit is due.

On Monday I remembered that I needed to get a new passport because I was getting close to the 6 months left needed for travel to the EU. I took a sombre selfie, uploaded it to the government's passport office website, paid my money, posted off my own passport (just caught Monday collection) ... and my new passport arrived this morning! That really couldn't have been any quicker

I was amazed at how much easier it is these days. Years ago, it meant filling in long forms, rechecking, getting photos signed etc. Now it's a doddle.

By the way, it's 3 months left that's required for the EU. This is simply due to the 90/180 day rule for TCNs. I think that 6 months may be the rule for places further afield, like USA etc. For the return trip to the UK, the passport simply has to be still valid, i.e. up to 10 years after issue.

Steve

Weill I just had much the same experience. Made the online renewal application at lunchtime on Friday 29th of December and posted in my old passport, 2nd class, a couple of hours later. Got email notification that they'd received it on Tuesday 2nd of Jan, another that it had been approved on Thu 4th followed a few hours later by yet another saying that it had been printed, and received both my new passport and cancelled old one today, Sat 6th.

8 calendar days all told, including a Sunday, a bank holiday and an extra day in the post 'cos I was being cheap!

But why does it need my mug shot in it four times ..... ?

mc2fool wrote:Weill I just had much the same experience. Made the online renewal application at lunchtime on Friday 29th of December and posted in my old passport, 2nd class, a couple of hours later. Got email notification that they'd received it on Tuesday 2nd of Jan, another that it had been approved on Thu 4th followed a few hours later by yet another saying that it had been printed, and received both my new passport and cancelled old one today, Sat 6th.

8 calendar days all told, including a Sunday, a bank holiday and an extra day in the post 'cos I was being cheap!

But why does it need my mug shot in it four times ..... ?

Ah, thanks. Noting your last point, does the passport office require 4 photographs then? I was planning to use a local photographic shop, rather than a temperamental machine in a local supermarket. I am therefore hoping that the photographic shop can still use the computerised system for submitting the photos online. Any knowledge if that is likely or the norm?

richfool wrote:

mc2fool wrote:Weill I just had much the same experience. Made the online renewal application at lunchtime on Friday 29th of December and posted in my old passport, 2nd class, a couple of hours later. Got email notification that they'd received it on Tuesday 2nd of Jan, another that it had been approved on Thu 4th followed a few hours later by yet another saying that it had been printed, and received both my new passport and cancelled old one today, Sat 6th.

8 calendar days all told, including a Sunday, a bank holiday and an extra day in the post 'cos I was being cheap!

But why does it need my mug shot in it four times ..... ?

Ah, thanks. Noting your last point, does the passport office require 4 photographs then? I was planning to use a local photographic shop, rather than a temperamental machine in a local supermarket. I am therefore hoping that the photographic shop can still use the computerised system for submitting the photos online. Any knowledge if that is likely or the norm?

No, they need just the one photo, but it's in your passport four times. You can see it three times here (if you don't spot it, the third is a tiny one on the right of the lower page), and there's another b&w copy on the reverse of the lower page, set vertically, which is the first one you see on opening the passport.

What's more the heptagonal shape on the right is actually a clear window through which you can see the colour photo on the third page from the first page!

I took my own mugshot so I can't answer your second question.


https://www.cityam.com/brexit-blue-passports-to-return-from-march-2020/

richfool wrote:

mc2fool wrote:Weill I just had much the same experience. Made the online renewal application at lunchtime on Friday 29th of December and posted in my old passport, 2nd class, a couple of hours later. Got email notification that they'd received it on Tuesday 2nd of Jan, another that it had been approved on Thu 4th followed a few hours later by yet another saying that it had been printed, and received both my new passport and cancelled old one today, Sat 6th.

8 calendar days all told, including a Sunday, a bank holiday and an extra day in the post 'cos I was being cheap!

But why does it need my mug shot in it four times ..... ?

Ah, thanks. Noting your last point, does the passport office require 4 photographs then? I was planning to use a local photographic shop, rather than a temperamental machine in a local supermarket. I am therefore hoping that the photographic shop can still use the computerised system for submitting the photos online. Any knowledge if that is likely or the norm?

I posted my experience of passport renewal on 'Travel Lounge' at the end of May, I had my photo taken in a Max Spielman franchise, from memory they took my email address and sent me the photo attached, which I just attached to the passport application.
As I said, it is seven months ago, but my memory is quite good! I recall no problems.

mc2fool wrote:

richfool wrote:Ah, thanks. Noting your last point, does the passport office require 4 photographs then? I was planning to use a local photographic shop, rather than a temperamental machine in a local supermarket. I am therefore hoping that the photographic shop can still use the computerised system for submitting the photos online. Any knowledge if that is likely or the norm?

No, they need just the one photo, but it's in your passport four times. You can see it three times here (if you don't spot it, the third is a tiny one on the right of the lower page), and there's another b&w copy on the reverse of the lower page, set vertically, which is the first one you see on opening the passport.

What's more the heptagonal shape on the right is actually a clear window through which you can see the colour photo on the third page from the first page!

I took my own mugshot so I can't answer your second question.


https://www.cityam.com/brexit-blue-passports-to-return-from-march-2020/

mc2fool, you are better looking than I imagined