Online Passport Application First Passport

[Northerner2]

Hi folks,

I live in the North of Ireland and currently in the process of obtaining my first passport, I work in the South and was told I would be travelling to Germany in the summer to work. My application has now moved on to "Your application is being processed", after spending about 5 weeks at "we have received your documents we are now verifying these documents"

After verifying my documents does that mean they are happy with everything and moved me on to the next stage or is there still more checks to do? Would anyone know what they do during these steps? My target date was given as 18th March. My application went in 10th December. Pretty long process.

Thanks

[_pikachu]

I read on the passport website that it'll take 20 business days to process new applications. Dec to March is a long time. The end of Dec-thebfirst week of Jan, things are usually closed due to Christmas. The passport department verified your documents, but did they return your current passport?

[Northerner2]

Hi thanks for the reply.

It's my first passport so more stringent checks are done I believe and takes much longer than a simple renewal. My mum, for example, put a renewal application in 12 days ago and it arrived on Friday.

[G Dog]

I read on the passport website that it'll take 20 business days to process new applications. Dec to March is a long time. The end of Dec-thebfirst week of Jan, things are usually closed due to Christmas. The passport department verified your documents, but did they return your current passport?

My application went in 23 September, and I'm still waiting. Estimated date 8 March.