Passport office delays?
We often hear about various government agencies taking ages to process applications, so I thought I would share my recent experience with the Passport Office.
We’re going to Switzerland in the summer. I knew my passport was coming up to its expiry date, but I thought it had enough time to run for our visit – until it was pointed out to me that Switzerland require 3 months validity beyond the dates of the visit. I checked the Passport Office website, and found that a passport application could take up to 10 weeks. Panic. That would be barely enough time – so I got on with it straight away, with the following result:
Wednesday 20 April. Online application submitted. I was very taken with the fact that when you have your photo taken, you get a code number, so you don’t need to send an actual photo; you just quote that number and they access your photo online.
Wednesday 20 April.. Email acknowledgement of receipt of application.
Thursday 21 April. Email reminder to send my old passport. (it was already in the post).
Tuesday 26 April. Email acknowledgment of receipt of old passport so they could start processing my application.
Wednesday 27 April. Email to say my application had been approved, and my new passport was being printed.
Thursday 28 April. Email to say it had been printed and would be transferred to their delivery supplier in the next few days.
Friday 29 April. New passport received. !!
Nine days start to finish, with the only significant delay being several days for my old passport to each them. Exemplary in speed and provision of feedback, But it does make you wonder why there are such problems with visas for Ukrainian refugees.
Jeremy Dale 