Anyone renewed their passport lately - how long did it take?

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RevolutionaryEmu3971@reddit

I’m going away May 29th and can only start application on the 30th April. I’m only seeing a couple people saying it’s taken longer than 3 weeks or thereabouts most seem to be a lot quicker. Do I risk it and do the standard renewal which is saving me about £100 that I don’t want to have to fork out or should I play it really safe and do the one week fast track. Is there a way to do a standard renewal then when it is getting to close cancel that or change it or a fast track. Assuming not because they’d have your old passport and would maybe need to send back so you could send again for new application or that it would take longer than a week anyway as they’ve got to proceeding and setting up new application

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Stock_Replacement219@reddit

Also once you do standard there’s no option to fast track! You would have to cancel your application, wait to receive your old documents back and then start a new application so if you have an upcoming unmovable deadline then I would deffo say fast track it.

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Stock_Replacement219@reddit

Would not risk it! Seems everything is taking longer than usual. I made this same mistake.

Application made: 10/04/26 Documents Received: 13/04/2026 Application Approved: 19/04/2026

Still awaiting dispatch and print, getting more and more worried as I urgently need it for 24/04/26. I contacted them via webchat there’s nothing further they can do but they said it should dispatch soon and after that I am expecting to wait 24-48hrs for delivery

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imaaanee1@reddit

Has anyone renewed in the last few weeks? How long is it generally taking? I submitted mine on 2nd April and travelling end of April but worried it won’t come on time!

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pls_dont_mind@reddit

I submitted my application on 2 Apr, sent old passport off next day (48hrs tracked). Post office tracking says my passport was delivered on the 7 Apr however until now, my passport tracking site hasn’t updated. I have a trip soon too and hoping it comes on time. Are there updates for your application on the tracking site?

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imaaanee1@reddit

Hey! I also submitted mine on the same day. I’ve had the update to say they’re received my documents but that’s about it.. I hope they haven’t reverted back to slower processing times!

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WestTop7033@reddit

Hey! Any update on whether you’ve received your new passport? I sent mine around the same time and still waiting…

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imaaanee1@reddit

Yep, received mine yesterday!

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Visual-Warthog-7756@reddit

I renewed mine online on 21st Feb 2026 and still haven’t received yet 🤷‍♀️

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pls_dont_mind@reddit

Have you since received yours?

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AdLost1005@reddit

Just received my new passport after renewing:
- Application submitted 13th March (Friday). Posted it tracked delivery that day
- Documents received 19th March
- Application approved 27th March
- Passport printed 30th March
- Passport received in post 31st March

I paid for the regular service

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Deep-Purpose-1235@reddit

We sent off renewals and did the application 14th February, sending old ones off the same day. They marked as documentation received but there has been no update since and it’s been over a week, in fact almost two. Wish we’d paid for fast track.

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Present_Fox7074@reddit

Any updates mine has no updates too?

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silversurfer_75@reddit

Hi mate .. have you had any updates .. im worried i sent mine 24th aint heard nothing

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Present_Fox7074@reddit

Any updates ?

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Placestogo_58@reddit

Same here - sent 3 kids passports on the 25th and nothing apart from "documents received"....

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Placestogo_58@reddit

Since posting yesterday, the passports have been printed and dispatched. Delivery expected for tomorrow morning. In total that would be 12 working days or 17 days in total. Very happy :) Hopefully i get the foreign passports back soon as well.

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mtlwu@reddit

i’ve been scrolling through the comments and it has given me a slight hope, but i’m still worried that my passport won’t come in time. i’m meant to be going away with a friend on March 17th. i sent my old passport off on February 21st, they received it on Friday 27th, so they have had my documents for a week now. i rang the Passport Advice line and they said there was nothing i could do to speed up the process, so i’m just praying that my passport comes before March 15th really. thank you to everyone that has shared their experience, you’ve all given me a little more hope with this process.

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Theshamanicspoon@reddit

Did you get your passport?

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mtlwu@reddit

i’ve had a message to say that it should be coming between 11.05 am-3.05 pm today!

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Theshamanicspoon@reddit

I am in a similar position. Noticed air freshener had leaked on my in date passport on 28/02/2026. Online application made same day and posted 28/02/2026, officially logged with passport office on 05/03/2026. I fly to Malta on 28/03/2026. My anxiety is through the roof. But reading this has reassured me. They are also aware of my travel date as I emailed them. My status is sitting at old passport received.

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mtlwu@reddit

i received mine yesterday and i go away on March 17th! i sent my old passport off on 21st, and it sat at old passport received until March 10th (17 days) but you have to remember that weekends don’t count, so excluding saturday’s and sunday’s, my passport in total took 13 days to come! i’m sure that you will receive your passport on time, i understand your worry as i was exactly the same.

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Theshamanicspoon@reddit

The passport office only count your application starting from the moment your old passport was officially received and logged on the system going by your timeline it was 7 working days until status update and then delivered two days later that’s pretty much 9 working days which is pretty good. Weekends don’t count and like I say the clock starts when old passport received. Was yours an online or paper application?

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mtlwu@reddit

yeah it was pretty good in end! just going off overall days was the part making me a little anxious. i did an online application!

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Theshamanicspoon@reddit

Passport is arriving tomorrow 🙏 17/03/2026

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Extension_Sign_1525@reddit

I'm stressing cos I booked flights at the end of March for a surprise trip then realised husband's passport expired in Jan. Applied for renewal online and they received old passport one week ago today and heard nothing more so far. We fly in 3 weeks so in theory it should be fine just stressing hearing how quickly some are coming back. My husband submitted photobooth photos and the online form suggested there might be issues with it, which there weren't so he submitted anyway. Assume a human being it going to check it. But worried that could be causing a delay or put him lower down the pile! If they wait until the 3 week mark to say there's an issue we're unlikely to get it in time.

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Placestogo_58@reddit

can i ask what kind of emails you received? like how many steps?

on the tracking service, i can only see "we have received your documents" and that was 9 days ago....

Also does it take longer if kids have dual nationality - i also had to send their other passports as well as expired uk passports

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Placestogo_58@reddit

A few moments after this message i received confirmation that the passport had been approved and were being printed!

Really hoping to get them in time for our trip next week!

Timeline was: applied on 25 Feb, Documents received on 04 March and approved 12th march. I will update when ive received them. This was for expired children/adults UK passports and dual nationality (in date foreign passports sent along).

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gummibear853@reddit

Renewed my son’s recently and had his new one within ten days of starting the application.

Still haven’t had his old one back though, but that doesn’t surprise me. The people who deal with expired passports are really lazy - they’re always cutting corners.

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Moist_War_9911@reddit

Hahaha

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PsychologicalTomato7@reddit

Hahaha

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properchels57@reddit

Very good

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Soggy_Finish_7710@reddit

I lost my passport in Latvia, flying out to Hamburg in 3 weeks and 2 days time, anyone reckon I should risk the standard application ?

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Active_Eagle_9600@reddit

Nope. I'm nearing 3 weeks and still no update on mine since my old one was received the day after posting next day delivery.

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MyMoka@reddit

I submitted mine on the 12th marked as received on the 17th for some strange reason. I am hoping today tomorrow it will state it's been approved and receive it this week, as decided to take a trip having submitted my passport lol

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MyMoka@reddit

mine went to corby for some strange reason. I sent mine alongside my Childs passport so both are dealt together. I also submitted my mums passport as the same time but hers went to Hemel. posted the same day hers was marked as received the next day and was approved 20th and just waiting for it to be posted which usually takes like 24hrs.

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HopefulHighlight5805@reddit

Did the wife's application online (renewal) on the 10th Feb. Posted on the 11th Feb by RM Track 48. Nine working days on, RM tracking still saying we are expecting your parcel. Unable to contact RM by phone, so I submitted a Claim online. HMPO tracking says 'Send your old Passport'. Contacted HMPO by webchat this am, they denied receiving the passport and advised me to report it as Lost, which I did. They will process the application from today and now it will need a Countersignature as it a replacement for a lost passport. RM has either lost the passport or a scumbag at RM has stolen it.

FOICR 69332 Lauren Altria final response.pdf

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XyrenoHD@reddit

Mine went to corbys too and seems to be taking longer than other people report

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Starman53@reddit

If you can do it online, it may be quicker

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MyMoka@reddit

yes, its also cheaper and around £20 extra if you do it by post as they will have to then deal with loading the info onto the system. the website also says that the 3 week average window doesn't apply to postal applications.

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stickycoffeepudding@reddit

For all the people saying they got theirs back really quick, did you all send your old passport in before receiving new one?

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Particular-Youth-877@reddit

All online, kept my old passport. 13 day turnaround

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Particular-Youth-877@reddit

I did mine 13 days ago and received it today. Completed the online renewal, regular processing time. Insanely fast compared to 10 years ago.

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Sparky1498@reddit

Genuinely can’t shout out how easy and quick this was. Applied online on Sunday 2 weeks ago - form was simple to complete. Used passport photo online to upload a selfie - it changes background etc and makes your selfie comply with what’s needed- cost a tenner for the digital photo plus sent physical photos through the post. It generates a code which I input on the passport renewal form and happy days it links to the photo. Submitted on Sunday had a text from passport office the next day that application was received- they won’t process further until receive your old passport (mine expires April but I am going away in early May so was renewing early). Posted old passport off on Tuesday evening with the application reference. I received new passport on Friday - I cannot believe how quick and easy it was tbf as I am sure 10 years ago it was physical forms counter signatures and even signing the back of physical photos. Helps that it is February and not high season I guess but my youngest just did his as well this week and again new passport received in less than a week

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Sparky1498@reddit

To add old passport was received back to my address around 3 days after new one was delivered

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PresentationUnable39@reddit

Just renewed my UK passport. Applied online and posted old one on Monday. Received new passport (and return of old one) today. 4 days in total and totally stress free process. Very impressed 👍

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_ChiefBrody@reddit

We got ours at the start of the year. From filling in the form to having passports in our hands 4-5 days

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CurvePuzzleheaded361@reddit

Took a week for me, about 3 weeks ago.

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Heathxxx@reddit

I live overseas and used the online renewal application service, and to be honest I was quite surprised how quick the whole process was, plus it saved me time and expense going to the nearest local consulate.

From start to finish and receiving my new passport via courier service was about two weeks.

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MentalPlectrum@reddit

Renewed in late Jan, took 11 days. I believe new ones will not be issued until the old one is received.

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seven-cents@reddit

Did mine recently, it took 5 days.

Yes you need to return the old one before they will send the new one

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yearsofpractice@reddit

Hey OP. Did mine recently - everything was complete and received new passport within 10 days. It’s super efficient.

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whoatemycatfish@reddit

I got mine in October and it took less than a week to arrive after I applied online. It was a replacement for lost though so might be different.

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BG3restart@reddit

Mine was back within the week. I applied online and got an email at every stage of the process. I started the process on a Sunday. Posted my old passport on Monday and received my new one on Friday. I was blown away. My old passport with the corner cut off arrived a few days later.

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Lewis19962010@reddit

Not a renewal but I applied for my first one in September on the 15th and docs posted 16th. They were delivered the Friday that week. Tuesday the next week they had reviewed them and called me to book in an interview which was the next day. Passport approved and issued 24th Sept and in my hand the very next day with RM24

Standard application service, as was first 1 wasn't eligible for fast track

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topher2604@reddit

I did mine online in December 2023 and it took a week to come back.

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Commercial-Name-1853@reddit

Same I last did mine in dec 2023 and I had it back within in week

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LoudCar7846@reddit

Did in online at end of November 2025. They acknowledged receipt of my old passport on the Thursday, approved application and printed new passport on Friday, Royal Mail delivered to me on Saturday. They need to receive the old passport before they will process your new application.

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Amanensia@reddit

I did my daughter's recently. Applied on Jan 28; documents received by them on Jan 31; passport in my hands on Feb 6.

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mm42_uk@reddit

There and back in a week including posting my old one back. That was last month. Pretty impressive service.

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Esexboy101101@reddit

My renewal arrived on Friday. Ittook 2 weeks and I live abroad.

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atomicshrimp@reddit

I did mine about a month ago - it took less than 2 weeks to come back (just on the regular service option - none of the fast upgrades).

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Background_Fox@reddit

I did it in late Jan, passport turned up a week after they received my old one

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Famous_Specialist_44@reddit

January 11 days from posting to back home. Online with no post office check and a mobile photo uploaded. Renewal.

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E3JEN6@reddit

I did my husband's not long ago,it was super quick, just under 2 wks if I remember right.

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alpacinosbambino@reddit

It was so fast! Just paid the lowest amount for longest service and whole thing was done in about 10 days.

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ThatGuyWired@reddit

I renewed my daughter's recently.

Did it all online, sent my documents, got her new photo approved, and I had her new passport back within a week.

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skailantern@reddit

i did mine last year and got it back within a week. my best friend did hers just a couple months ago and same, she got hers back within a week.

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hunsnet457@reddit

Renewed mine online around Christmas last year and it took about a week from posting my old passport to get the new one. They’re very efficient nowadays.

IIRC as part of the process you have to send your old one off before they begin issuing the new one.

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