brit_usa2014

Im gonna be in the UK in August for a month, so just wanting some opinions on best way to get passport within a week of going as I need to book an appointment at the US Embassy after getting my passport back.

So far from what I read my options are-
1) Get passport application form from the Post Office, fill it out and send it to Passport Office
2) Fill the form online, print the forms/declaration page pay the fee and send it to the post office
3) Call up the Passport Office make an appointment (I live in the North-East so Durham will be the nearest one) and have it sent back to me within 1 week.

From what I gathered, options 1 & 2 will take atleast 3-4 weeks, and only option 3 is the most viable option me at the moment!

For those who have renewed their passports recently, does this seem correct or am I missing something?

Is a counter-signatory a must for renewing passports?

Many thanks for any replies!

Englishmum

Hmmmmm - read this from today's "Daily Mail"

Passport chaos has got WORSE, MPs are told as backlog jumps 25,000 to more than half a MILLION applications | Mail Online

I think your only reasonable chance to get a new British passport is to get one in person (same day service) at a passport office.

I did this two years ago; I was living in New Jersey (but needing to do a lot of international travel) and set my alarm at 3am to phone the national UK passport office number as soon as their office opened for the day - I'd already phoned them a couple of weeks before and was told that they were only taking appointments 14 days ahead, so I had to time it for when I was going to be in London. (Note: this 2 weeks may have changed because of the huge backlog, I guess a lot of people are panicking and trying to do same day applications now).

However, when I phoned, all the London time-slots had already gone, so I decided to get a new passport at the Peterborough office in Cambridgeshire. I had to pick up a passport application form at a Post Office in England (the ones for overseas have different barcodes, apparently) and went to a photo booth at Gloucester Rd underground station. We ended up renting a car to get to Peterborough, but we made a long weekend of it (wedding anniversary, July 4th lol) and had a couple of nights at a lovely windmill B&B in Norfolk.

I didn't need a countersignatory as I was getting my new renewal of a passport in person. My appointment was at 11am - the procedure took only 10 minutes at most and I had to return at 4pm to collect my new passport. It was worth it to me to get my passport quickly. I had 10 months remaining on my old passport (some countries require 9 months, most 6 months of validity to enter) and this extra time was added on to my new passport.

Hope this helps....btw they will require you to give a UK residential postcode; I gave them my mum's.

Twitcher1958

I think you've missed option 4 described by Englishmum above - it's called premium service and you'll find it if you google 'renew UK passport urgently'. I'm planning on doing the same in August, the only difference now is that you have to make appointments 3 weeks in advance but you still get the new passport in 4 hours and get unexpired time, up to 9 months, added to your renewal.

Bob

Dont' need a counter sig if your appearance hasn't changed much and basically you're recognisable from the previous photo.

brit_usa2014

Thanks for all the replies,

I am now considering same day renewal.
One question- same day renewals cost £128, does anyone know if this is the total amount that needs to be paid (including passport fees), or do you have to pay £128 + passport fees?

BritInParis

If you're going to back in the UK for a month and have an address where the Passport Office can post you your passport then the one day service will be overkill. I renewed my passport last month using the one week service and it only took four days to be delivered.

If you look considerably different from last time then you'll need one otherwise it shouldn't be necessary. I didn't use a countersignatory despite the quality of my last passport photo being really quite poor and I didn't have any problems.

Twitcher1958

I'm assuming that £128 is the total cost - that is £50 more than a 'normal' renewal. Perhaps you could check when you call to book an appointment?

brit_usa2014

I will be in the UK for a month, but will need to book an appointment at the US Embassy in London too while I'm there, so will need my passport as soon as possible!

brit_usa2014

That is what I think so too, will be calling them tomorrow to make an appointment and ask them!

Will update later on once I find out..

BritInParis

£128 is the total cost. Takes about four hours to be processed. However given the current passport office chaos you might have difficulty getting an appointment slot so book as soon as possible if time is of the essence.

brit_usa2014

I found this site while searching online, and wondering if it was a legit site for booking appointments, or just another "passport service website"?

The prices seem legit, no extra fees, but still confused!

BritInParis

No, that's not an official website.

https://www.gov.uk/get-a-passport-urgently

brit_usa2014

Ok, so I called the Passport Advice Helpline today and got through quite easily! Booked an appointment for 1 day Premium Service (total cost is £128). Asked a couple of questions- DOB/Address/Is this a renewal? They also asked if I was born in the United Kingdom. After that they booked the appointment for my preferred date and gave me a reference number which I have to take with me along with the documents. Sent me a confirmation text as well.

Not going to take a risk with all the Passport Chaos going on, even though the media might be exaggerating. But from what I am reading here, it seems to be taking atleast 7-8 weeks, time which I don't have, hence the Premium Service!

sir_eccles

Lol seems legit :-)

I'm not sure how you missed the bit where they charge you an extra 98 quid or the bit at the bottom of each page that says "we are not the passport office".

Junebug72

Please make sure that the site you go on is passport site as there is another site that is very like it my husband paid for quick processing and site was a scam they never made appointment at passport office in London so when we turned up for appointment there was no appointment but we we're lucky after we showed letter they let us through