British Passport application processing timelines (only)

[happyguy82]

Hi guys,

How easy/difficult is it to get the interview appointments in Victoria or Reading?

e.g. is it possible to get a slot on Fridays or if we need a slot sometime the following week?


Thanks.

[kunmun23]

Passport for: 2 Adults and 2 Children (Naturalised citizen)
Application Type: First Passport
Method of application: Postal Application (NOT check and send, I picked up the forms from the post office and sent them special delivery after filling and checking it myself)
Date of application: 24-03-2015
Date application delivered to Passport Office : 25-03-2015
Date application receipt acknowledgement received : 30-03-2015 through Text message
Date of return of documents: 01-04-2015 through DX
Date of receipt of interview letter: 11-04-2015 (dated 30-03-2015) ...realize that there was a long weekend but still a bit surprised that it took 12 days to get to me !!
Date of Passport Appointment: 15-04-2015
Date of Passport Receipt: 20-04-2015 (dated 16-04-2015) ...HOWEVER, out of the 4 applications for myself, my wife and our two children, only my wife has received her passport...till date absolutely no clue about the others, it was only she that received a text message on Friday that said "Your new passport is being printed and should arrive in the next few working days..."

Is this normal? Have others received passports for the same family application at different dates?

[waitwaitwait]

Hi guys,

How easy/difficult is it to get the interview appointments in Victoria or Reading?

e.g. is it possible to get a slot on Fridays or if we need a slot sometime the following week?


Thanks.

If i can add to this and ask a question if anyone has experience of booking appointment at maidstone pp office for interview?
From forums it shows people are able to book victoria quite easily as i have checked their opening hours are quite long 6 days a week. Do they give you option to choose an office wherever the earliest possible interview is available or they decide it for us depending on where we live?

[kunmun23]

Hi guys,

How easy/difficult is it to get the interview appointments in Victoria or Reading?

e.g. is it possible to get a slot on Fridays or if we need a slot sometime the following week?


Thanks.

Reading was quite easy...I called in on Monday morning and was able to get an appointment for Wed morning. If you know your way around, its easy to find free parking..and if you take the first morning slot it'll be 30mins max in and out.

[huqqapani]

* how long could I be waiting for ceremony invite and what are the charges for this

You can call your council to arrange this, but give them a couple of days because they need to have received the documents from UKVI first. Ceremony cost is included in the application cost so you won't have to pay anything.

I called the council and they are requesting a POLL number. can someone please tell me which number is it. Apparently it is on citizenship approval letter but the only number I can find on it is the HO reference number?

[Rahel1984]

* how long could I be waiting for ceremony invite and what are the charges for this

You can call your council to arrange this, but give them a couple of days because they need to have received the documents from UKVI first. Ceremony cost is included in the application cost so you won't have to pay anything.

I called the council and they are requesting a POLL number. can someone please tell me which number is it. Apparently it is on citizenship approval letter but the only number I can find on it is the HO reference number?

If its invitation letter then u should have poll/ cover note number underneath the HO reference number.

[huqqapani]

I called the council and they are requesting a POLL number. can someone please tell me which number is it. Apparently it is on citizenship approval letter but the only number I can find on it is the HO reference number?

If its invitation letter then u should have poll/ cover note number underneath the HO reference number.

so I guess there is another wait of ceremony invitation letter from HO as per the approval letter.

[happyguy82]

so I guess there is another wait of ceremony invitation letter from HO as per the approval letter.

for some reason your situation sounds very different from the others here. Are you sure you've got the approval letter rather than the acknowledgement letter? The approval letter should have the details of your council and how to contact them for the ceremony.

If you're in doubt, could you scan the letter and post it here for us to check?

[huqqapani]

so I guess there is another wait of ceremony invitation letter from HO as per the approval letter.

for some reason your situation sounds very different from the others here. Are you sure you've got the approval letter rather than the acknowledgement letter? The approval letter should have the details of your council and how to contact them for the ceremony.

If you're in doubt, could you scan the letter and post it here for us to check?

See the attachment. I think this is HO approval letter for naturalisation. Ceremony invite is a separate thing which will come through in 2 weeks. not sure if this is different with what others have received.

[Rahel1984]

Hi huqqapani, this is just an approval letter. U have to wait for ur invitation letter b4 u book ur citizenship ceremony as it says on that letter. It is normal. I have seen some people in this forum who recieved approval letter b4 the invitation letter. U should recieve urs in next few days.

[shahmeer75]

Application type: First adult passport (Naturalized Citizen)
Method of application: 1st Class Signed For
Date of application: 16/04/2015
Payment method: D-Card
Royal mail delivery confirmation: 17-04-2015
SMS confirming receipt by IPS: 20-04-2015
Date of return of documents: waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: waiting
Date of Passport printing sms receipt: waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: waiting

[Jacob95]

Application Timeline
Passport for: 1 X Adult
Application Type: New (Naturalized Citizen)
Method of application: Post Office (Check & Send)
Date of application: 15th April 2015
Date application received by IPS: 16th April 2015
Date of start of reviewing/processing my application: 20th April (was told over the phone by a VERY nice lady)
Date of SMS received: No SMS received
Date of return of documents: 22nd April
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of passport printed: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

[noluck]

Application Timeline
Passport for: 1 X Adult
Application Type: New (Naturalized Citizen)
Method of application: Post Office (Check & Send)
Date of application: 16th April 2015
Date application received by IPS: 20th April 2015
Date of SMS received: Waiting
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of passport printed: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

This is the last stage of long journey, good luck to everyone.

[happyguy82]

Hi huqqapani, this is just an approval letter. U have to wait for ur invitation letter b4 u book ur citizenship ceremony as it says on that letter. It is normal. I have seen some people in this forum who recieved approval letter b4 the invitation letter. U should recieve urs in next few days.

Ahh I didn't realise this type of letter existed. Mine is totally different as it had the ceremony contact details on the same page. It said to wait a few days before contacting them because it will take time for the council to receive the documents from UKVI.

[happyguy82]

Mine looked like this:

[Rahel1984]

Mine looked like this:

Invitation letter looks like this. Most of the people get that letter straight away. But few people recieve the approval letter first. I don't know why they do that for?

[Jacob95]

Mine looked like this:

Invitation letter looks like this. Most of the people get that letter straight away. But few people recieve the approval letter first. I don't know why they do that for?

Yes, my invitation letter came after 2 weeks :O

[helen_oz]

Re the posts above about citizenship and invitation letter, I got the same letter as the person above - approval plus invitation all together.

Onto business of passports;
Passport for: 1 X Adult
Application Type: New (Naturalized Citizen)
Method of application: Post Office (Check & Send)
Date of application: 9th April 2015
Date application received by IPS: 11th April 2015
Date of return of documents: 16th April 2015
Date of receipt of interview letter: 16th April 2015
Date of Passport Appointment: 18th April 2015
Date of passport printed: 20th April 2015
Date of Passport Receipt: 21st April 2015

Crazy fast! 8 working days.

[happyguy82]

Hi guys,

How easy/difficult is it to get the interview appointments in Victoria or Reading?

e.g. is it possible to get a slot on Fridays or if we need a slot sometime the following week?


Thanks.

Reading was quite easy...I called in on Monday morning and was able to get an appointment for Wed morning. If you know your way around, its easy to find free parking..and if you take the first morning slot it'll be 30mins max in and out.

Great news!! I'll take the train there as I have a direct one from my place

[happyguy82]

Thanks. Yes I meant that the Citizenship application has been approved. So the question was on passport application. Which other forum do you refer to for my query?

Since you haven't had your ceremony yet, it should really be in this forum

http://www.immigrationboards.com/britis ... -6860.html

[waitwaitwait]

I'm shocked but very impressed with superfast progress of my application. I can't believe that i had to wait 6 months for naturalisation certificate but my pp application is moving fast.
I sent my application on last Thursday so it would have been received on Friday, then they printed the interview letter on Monday and i got it today. 2 working days, thats amazing. I wish all other HO departments were efficient like this.
Only confusion was that lady on the phone kept telling me she was booking me for Maidstone office tomorrow but when i got confirmation email it said 23rd. I called them back and guy confirmed she booked it for 23rd on previous call but might have mentioned tomorrow by mistake. I hope there is no complication on the day as it is 1hr20 min drive from my home.
Application type: First adult passport (Naturalised Citizen)
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 16/04/2015
Payment method: Credit Card
SMS confirming receipt by IPS:
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter: 21/04/2015
Date of Passport interview Appointment: 23/04/2015
Date of Passport printing SMS receipt:
Date of Passport Receipt:

[Tangie]

Application Timeline
Passport for: 1 X Adult
Application Type: New (Naturalized Citizen )
Method of application: PostOffice (Check & Send)
Date of application: 16 April 2015
Date application received by IPS: 21st April 2015
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of passport printed: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

Application Timeline
Passport for: 1 X Adult
Application Type: New (Naturalized Citizen on the 16th April, Bristol. )
Method of application: Portishead, Post Office (Check & Send)
Date of application: 20 April 2015
Date application received by IPS: TBA
Date of return of documents: TBA
Date of receipt of interview letter: TBA
Date of Passport Appointment: TBA
Date of passport printed: TBA
Date of Passport Receipt: TBA

[noajthan]

Update

Application Timeline (2 of 2 applications)
Passport for: Adult
Application Type: New (1st time: naturalised citizen)
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 11 Mar 2015 (resubmitted after correcting form)
Date application received by IPS: 12 March 2015
Date of return of documents: Waiting
Date of receipt of interview letter: Waiting
Date of Passport Appointment: Waiting
Date of Passport Receipt: Waiting

*** Note: Initial application (on 7 March) rejected by PO clerk as countersignatory's date on photo didn't match date used by countersignatory (witness) on the form itself.

Check & Send fee includes multiple submissions of same application (within 1 month) so able to resubmit a corrected form with matching dates

18 March: Passport official phoned my wife to say a British passport cannot be issued to her as she has applied for her 1st British passport in her married name & her current (Filipino) passport (which has not been cancelled) is in her maiden name (!).
(She was naturalised in married name & full supporting docs were ofcourse supplied both for naturalisation & in the passport application).

...

The official advised she will be taking advice from the PO legal department & will contact us again soon on next steps.

This is worrying & disturbing to say the least; (it appears to be a side effect of the requirement to submit all uncancelled passports from all countries).

...

9 April: Called help line again;
told to expect a call back from Durham office inside 2 working days.

20 April: Received letter from HM PO blocking issuance of a passport due to a 'Dual Identity' issue.
Whole story here:
british-citizenship/passport-refused-un ... 83170.html

[Jacob95]

I'm shocked but very impressed with superfast progress of my application. I can't believe that i had to wait 6 months for naturalisation certificate but my pp application is moving fast.
I sent my application on last Thursday so it would have been received on Friday, then they printed the interview letter on Monday and i got it today. 2 working days, thats amazing. I wish all other HO departments were efficient like this.
Only confusion was that lady on the phone kept telling me she was booking me for Maidstone office tomorrow but when i got confirmation email it said 23rd. I called them back and guy confirmed she booked it for 23rd on previous call but might have mentioned tomorrow by mistake. I hope there is no complication on the day as it is 1hr20 min drive from my home.
Application type: First adult passport (Naturalised Citizen)
Method of application: Check & Send
Date of application: 16/04/2015
Payment method: Credit Card
SMS confirming receipt by IPS:
Date of return of documents:
Date of receipt of interview letter: 21/04/2015
Date of Passport interview Appointment: 23/04/2015
Date of Passport printing SMS receipt:
Date of Passport Receipt:

What?! Thats amazing :O well done iv sent mine on wednesday last week and didnt receive any letter yet, im hoping it will come tomorrow as my application has been reviewed on monday.
However you deserve this because you waited 6 months for the naturalisation and I only waited 2 months

[king hassi]

Guys wat questions they ask on interview? I got interview on thursday applied on 14th got appointment letter today...