Passport renewal delays

The warnings were the same last year, so I sent off my passport for renewal expecting 10-12 week wait, it arrived back in 2 weeks.

Granted they might lose a few months as the new passport takes immediate effect,

While I agree with the gist of your post I do think this change was a blooming cheek. What's the justification? You used to be able to renew early and have the months added on, within a certain limit. We always get an MOT on the car done a month early and that is still added on.

Rosie51

^Granted they might lose a few months as the new passport takes immediate effect,^

While I agree with the gist of your post I do think this change was a blooming cheek. What's the justification? You used to be able to renew early and have the months added on, within a certain limit. We always get an MOT on the car done a month early and that is still added on.

I wasn’t aware the extra months were added on?
I’m not sure that used to be the case. But I know you get one month on your MOT

Even pre-covid and pre-Brexit, we allowed 3 months for my grandson's passport.

I appreciate that sometimes, last minute things happen. But applying for a passport on July 16 and expecting to still travel in the school summer holidays seems awfully optomistic to me!

MawBe yes you definitely got the months added on, I took advantage of that myself.

Travellers who renew their passports face losing up to nine months' validity due to a little-publicised change to rules brought in by the Home Office. Up until last week, when British citizens renewed their passports, time remaining on the existing document was added to the new one – up to a maximum of nine months.14 Sept 2018

Rosie51

MawBe yes you definitely got the months added on, I took advantage of that myself.

^Travellers who renew their passports face losing up to nine months' validity due to a little-publicised change to rules brought in by the Home Office. Up until last week, when British citizens renewed their passports, time remaining on the existing document was added to the new one – up to a maximum of nine months.14 Sept 2018^

So hardly a recent change if announced in September 3 years ago.

We renewed DH’s online a month ago. We’re going nowhere for the time being, but thought we might as well get it just in case. It was a very quick, easy process and he had his new passport within the fortnight. His photo’s horrific, but I have to admit responsibility for that. I was so thrilled that the first one I uploaded was accepted that I neglected to try for a better one.

MawBe

Rosie51

MawBe yes you definitely got the months added on, I took advantage of that myself.

^Travellers who renew their passports face losing up to nine months' validity due to a little-publicised change to rules brought in by the Home Office. Up until last week, when British citizens renewed their passports, time remaining on the existing document was added to the new one – up to a maximum of nine months.14 Sept 2018^

So hardly a recent change if announced in September 3 years ago.

to a little-publicised change to rules brought in by the Home Office.
As it was little-publicised the first many will know of it is when they go to renew. You obviously had not seen the announcement to be unaware there had been a change.

Your point being...?

I recently applied online for a passport and received my new one in about two weeks.
My old passport didn't run out until April next year but, knowing that you need six months left on a passport before you can visit most countries, I decided to renew early.
I also knew that the extra months are not added on anymore.
Hopefully I may get to use the new passport next May when we are booked to stay in France.

MawBe

Your point being...?

My point being that I'd have liked the government to justify why there was this rule change and why that wasn't highly publicised. You didn't know about the rule change but made the irrelevant point it wasn't a recent change as if that somehow made it OK. I really don't know why you're being so snippy, I agreed with your first post

The wonderful passport office in Ireland actually called me to tell me roughly how long it would take, they didn’t want me to book a holiday and be disappointed.

Rosie51

MawBe

Your point being...?

My point being that I'd have liked the government to justify why there was this rule change and why that wasn't highly publicised. You didn't know about the rule change but made the irrelevant point it wasn't a recent change as if that somehow made it OK. I really don't know why you're being so snippy, I agreed with your first post

Sorry didn’t mean to sound snippy but I wasn’t aware of it because it didn’t apply to me when I last renewed my passport.
Being economical with information is par for the course for the Civil Service .
Social Media does a pretty good job of disseminating information, but the bottom line is that it is down to the general public to find things out for themselves - TG for te internet.

MawBe

Rosie51

MawBe

Your point being...?

My point being that I'd have liked the government to justify why there was this rule change and why that wasn't highly publicised. You didn't know about the rule change but made the irrelevant point it wasn't a recent change as if that somehow made it OK. I really don't know why you're being so snippy, I agreed with your first post

Sorry didn’t mean to sound snippy but I wasn’t aware of it because it didn’t apply to me when I last renewed my passport.
Being economical with information is par for the course for the Civil Service .
Social Media does a pretty good job of disseminating information, but the bottom line is that it is down to the general public to find things out for themselves - TG for te internet.

MawBe thanks, maybe I was a bit sensitive It's wrong though isn't it that we have to find out about rule changes when we don't know the rules have changed so don't know we need to find out? Does that convoluted sentence even make sense, I know what I mean? Too much is sneaked in under the radar, all rule changes should be widely publicised. Yes TG for the internet, and for being able to afford a computer and internet connection. For those who can't it must be much harder.

My passport is due for renewal. I suppose I’ll have to, though I resent the cost. I’m not going anywhere, but I don’t have a driving license so I need the passport for identification purposes.

It’s worth checking driving licences too, another backlog.

I renewed my passport very recently online and it took ten days .

I renewed my passport a few weeks ago expecting a long delay. The new one arrived less than 2 weeks later. Perhaps the delay is more for first applications?

The crunch came after Brexit - Europe would not accept passports over ten years old and required 6 months on the passport. My passport expired at the end of July this year but because it was issued in January 2011 and had had extra months added it was no good for travel since January - not a problem as I was not going anywhere. I applied on line back in June for a new one and my new style blue passport arrived 8 working days later.

I renewed my passport at the Post Office directly ....they take your digital photo, upload it, fill in the details on the form, send it digitally and I received mine back within 5 days (it was expensive, but was secure and saved time !)....you would need to find a post office near you that provides this service ...easy if you look under Post Office near..........proving digital passport applications.....good luck !

My passport ran out in 2012. I have no wish to renew it....

ALANaV

I renewed my passport at the Post Office directly ....they take your digital photo, upload it, fill in the details on the form, send it digitally and I received mine back within 5 days (it was expensive, but was secure and saved time !)....you would need to find a post office near you that provides this service ...easy if you look under Post Office near..........proving digital passport applications.....good luck !

Also perfectly easy to do oneself online (as is your Driving Licence renewal) - well it must be easy if I could do it!
My only problem was finding a plain background for tge passport photo which was also light enough, because with white hair and a fair complexion, all my “subtle Farrow and Ball” walls were deemed too close to my own colouring and I have so many paintings it was almost impossible to find an adequate wall space!
But anything is easier than a paper form IMO and it went through very smoothly.

DH went to Photo booth in Asda, had photo done for passport, it issues a code, add that to the on line form. It was accepted instantly, he sent old one back, which crossed with new one arriving within 4 - 5 days. Absolutely no problem

My daughter has waited 6 months to renew her driving licence and is still waiting. My granddaughter also waited 5 months for a provisional driving licence. Now. She has to wait another 5 months for an appointment to sit her theory test and that's all before she can commece her driving lessons.