New Passport

The newspapers are warning that millions of people who have delayed renewing their passports are all wanting to do so now and to allow plenty of time. The passport office says to allow 10 weeks.

Passports covering period from January 1982 to May 2031

I applied online last Monday afternoon. Less than one complete week later my new passport arrived at 10:15 today

Timeline

Monday 3 May (Bank Holiday) - Afternoon I pressed send on my online application for passport renewal

Monday 3 May (Bank Holiday) 17:27 - email from Passport Office saying they'd received my application and asking for old passport.

Tuesday 4 May - I posted old passport, 1st Class Post

Wednesday 5 May 16:58 - email from Passport Office saying they'd received my old passport.

Thursday 6 May 20:33 - email from Passport Office saying passport application approved and sent to print.

Friday 7 May 11:43 - email from Passport Office saying passport despatched with link to courier tracking

Monday 10 May 10:15 - new passport posted through letter box.

I applied online, took my photo using selfie function on mobile phone. Very simple, answer a few questions by radio button, fill in name, DOB, old passport no. and expiry date.

There's lots of info on their site and a video about photo requirements, and when you upload the photo their software rates it from poor to good. Ones not rated good are likely to be rejected, so you can take another and upload till you get 'good'.

Last time I renewed my passport I had to fill in a paper form, pay to use a photo booth, cut out and send off two copies of the photo with the form.

This was painless, easy and quick!

I am impressed