Passport renewal time

Nick_C

Last time I renewed my passport I queued at the PO in Trafalgar Square to send it recorded delivery. I got a hard sell at the counter from a clerk trying to tell me it would be processed quicker if I used check and send. Very annoying.

Ironically, my application was rejected by the passport office as the photos were more than a month old - not something check and send would have known.

(My brand new passport was lost or stolen on holiday. I applied for a replacement, and used the same photos as on the original application. They were about 10 weeks old. Pure pedantry on a document that is valid for 10 years.)

st999

as the photos were more than a month old

How did they know that?

Nick_C

st999 wrote: »

How did they know that?

I used the same photos for the initial renewal, and then for a subsequent replacement about 6 or 8 weeks later. Those 4 for £5 photo booth pictures.

peachyprice

st999 wrote: »

I never got anyone to vouch for me when I renewed my OH's and mine passports.

Filled out the details online, paid online, printed off the forms and signed and dated them and sent them with the old passports and new photos, without glasses, got the new passports a week later.

You don't need to get them signed if you are still look similar in the new photos compared to the old ones.

r2015

You don't need to get them signed if you are still look similar in the new photos compared to the old ones

I just got my passport renewed last month as well.

My photo looked nothing like me 10 years ago, this time, almost bald, no smile and no glasses.

My wife had long dark hair and wore glasses 10 years ago, this time it is very short white hair and no glasses. Looks nothing like what she was 10 years ago either.

Maybe they use facial recognition software to verify if the photo is the same person.

Cruiselover

TBeckett100 wrote: »

Blimey,

Did check and send Monday afternoon and received a text on Wednesday to say they have received it. Today (Thurs) they texted to say it's being printed so in theory it should arrive tomorrow.

Huge praise and there was me worried that my daughter wouldn't make New York for new year!

Me too. Used check and send last Wednesday afternoon. Received today. Six days. Brilliant service. By the way my husband sent his renewal off at the time of the Summer "crisis" got it back in 2 weeks.

dodger1

pimento wrote: »

The no glasses rule is funny. I look nothing like me without my glasses.

You can wear eye glasses as long as they are not tinted and the frames don't cover your eyes in any way and there is no glare from the flash.

dodger1

Cruiselover wrote: »

Me too. Used check and send last Wednesday afternoon. Received today. Six days. Brilliant service. By the way my husband sent his renewal off at the time of the Summer "crisis" got it back in 2 weeks.

Same here, two weeks in June.

Ebe_Scrooge

I've just done first-time passports for my 3 kids. Received the completed passports back within 10 days.

One helpful piece of information I will share. My local Jessop's do passport photos, it's only about a pound more than the photo booth. But it's taken by a man, not a machine, and they know all the passport rules and regulations, and make sure that the photos comply. In fact, they guarantee that if your photos are rejected for any reason, they'll re-do them for free ( ok, not much help if you're in a rush, I know ! ). But I thought this was very good. Not sure if all of their stores offer this - I guess they probably do.

I only found out about it because the photo booth that I went to initially was out of order, the lady in the shop suggested I try Jessops.

deeds

I must admit I was quite impressed with the fast service, I got mine back last week after ten days, I was thinking they might refuse it as my photo was a selfie but it went through fine.
I wish I'd touched it up a bit now though. Rocked a bit of filterage on it :cool: