theramblingman

I know there are a few threads on this already but just wondered if there were any updates on passport renewal. Has anyone tried doing it online this year? It says it takes at least 6 weeks but that's cutting it too fine between two trips I have planned.

Really I just need extra pages. Is there a fast track option for overseas? If I'm pushed for time is going back to the UK the only option?

Cheers,
Stephen

scrubbedexpat141

No fasttrack for overseas.

I did it online, printed the shit, paid for the bigger one and sent everything off via courier.

It said to me minimum 4 weeks. I got it back in about 10-12 days...but this was back in May I think.

Other option, as you say, is to fly home and do it.

I was really impressed with the speed though. The tracking online is nice and simple too, three stages - we're waiting for your shit - we're processing your shit - we've sent your shit back. I had the last one in about 8/9 days I think.

Most impressed.

Mogs

I renewed my child's passport from Dubai about a month. Took about 3 weeks to get the new one back (someone else in the office got his renewed in about 2 weeks total).

6 weeks should be more than long enough

DianneB52

Just a word of warning, in 2014 my friend in Bahrain used the online system but because she had previously renewed her passport overseas the uk did not have any record of it and it took 5 MONTHS to get hers back....even though she phoned them twice a week and each time they said they were processing it..Good luck

Mogs

The UKPA had loads of issues in 2014 when they changed from issuing passports in Germany to the UK. My own passport took about 3 months to be renewed in 2014 from March through to June.

They seem to have this all sorted now.

theramblingman

Ah sounds promising then. That's why I started a new thread - the most recent ones were from last year and sounded like everyone was having issues then.

Standanista

I can well believe that, I was sweating on my renewal to come out here back in May/June 2014. Just as a caveat to that though, this time last year there was a front-page-news backlog for getting a UK passport renewed, a combination of last minute applications for holiday season, overseas processing having become a budget cut without resources being put in at UKPA, plus no doubt some old fashioned public sector slackness. Processing times have improved since then though. Good luck.

quiltman

Did mine in March. Sent on 6th, received new passport on 26th. Easy to track as well.