Passport Renewal from Overseas - Experience (August 2015)
 

As I used this forum to get some sense of what's involved with renewing a UK passport from overseas, I thought I'd give back by sharing my experience from Singapore. The experience (so far) has been stellar.

Timeline ....

• Wednesday July 22 - applied online, paid the $$. Online "status" - waiting for documents
• Friday July 24 - sent declaration form, original passport by UPS to Liverpool
• Monday July 24 - package delivered to Liverpool office
• Monday July 24 - online status updated to "documents received, processing"
• Tuesday August 4 - online status updated to "dispatched"
• Monday August 8 - received brand new passport by DHL.

*** Note: have not received the original passport yet, it's supposedly sent separately. I'm happy to get the new passport so soon but am worried about the older one as it's got all my travel history over the last 10 years. Fingers crossed that it'll get here in time, will update.

Seems like the procedure has been streamlined a bit compared to last year. Thought folks would find this helpful to know.

Re: Passport Renewal from Overseas - Experience (August 2015)
 

You posted the above on Monday 3 August 2015, how do you know that the online status will change tomorrow and you get your new passport on 8 August 2015 (which is not a Monday!). Do you have a wee crystal ball in front of you?

Re: Passport Renewal from Overseas - Experience (August 2015)
 

I did think that myself... nice to have a crystal ball.

Re: Passport Renewal from Overseas - Experience (August 2015)
 

Apologies - mixed up the days and dates while looking at the windows calendar don't know why I did that. No crystal ball here unfortunately.

• Wednesday July 22 - applied online, paid the $$. Online "status" - waiting for documents
• Friday July 24 - sent declaration form, original passport by UPS to Liverpool
• Monday July 27 - package delivered to Liverpool office
• Monday July 27 - online status updated to "documents received, processing"
• Tuesday July 28 - online status updated to "dispatched"
• Monday August 3 - received brand new passport by DHL.

I emailed the UKPA to ask about the old passport and they said I'll receive it 2 weeks after getting the new passport.

Re: Passport Renewal from Overseas - Experience (August 2015)
 

My old passport/documents arrived two days after the new one. It will come and by DHL!

Re: Passport Renewal from Overseas - Experience (August 2015)
 

Oh, if your past travel history is important, did you not copy the relevant pages before you sent the old passport off? I did as it had my then resident visa stamps in and when I got the new passport , I had to have the latest one transferred to the new passport.

Re: Passport Renewal from Overseas - Experience (August 2015)
 

Yes I did scan the entire passport but when push comes to shove, it's having the original that's important

Re: Passport Renewal from Overseas - Experience (August 2015)
 

Update:

• Wednesday July 22 - applied online, paid the $$. Online "status" - waiting for documents
• Friday July 24 - sent declaration form, original passport by UPS to Liverpool
• Monday July 27 - package delivered to Liverpool office
• Monday July 27 - online status updated to "documents received, processing"
• Tuesday July 28 - online status updated to "dispatched"
• Monday August 3 - received brand new passport by DHL.
• Wednesday August 6 - received cancelled old passport by DHL.

Total time (door to door) 15 days (9 days to get the new passport). This includes time taken for me to send them my passport and declaration form by DHL. Pretty awesome service !

Re: Passport Renewal from Overseas - Experience (August 2015)
 

Well HMPO's service this year appears to be a lot better than this time last year!

Hongkongers caught in UK passport renewal chaos fork out HK$1.3m | South China Morning Post

Re: Passport Renewal from Overseas - Experience (August 2015)
 

Yes seems to be better. That's why I thought I'd post my experience, maybe helpful for some to know