Passport Renewal

[Xhavenjoe]

Just though I'd post about the positive experience I had recently.

In Ireland, you can get your photo taken in a booth in a shopping centre etc. You confirm that these photos are suitable.
You receive a code. When you apply on line, you enter the code as a reference. The passport office have the photos already.
I took photo in a booth on Tesco on a Friday afternoon, applied on line Friday evening and received full passport on the Monday and the 5 year credit card type passport on the Wednesday.
Pity I can't use the credit card one in UK but they are very handy when you are in Europe.

 

[Kazzydeyna]

Renewed mine recently, and like the OP, the process was seamless.
From applying to delivered was around 2 weeks. No dramas. I even uploaded the photo taken on my phone.
My advice is always to apply as early as practicable, just in case, and avoid peak season etc.

 

[East Level 2]

Isn't that just if people are travelling to the EU? Or is it for RoW too?

I think it's only EU (another Brexit bonus from the dickheads Johnson and Farage), however if it was an EU thing in the first place then it might have always applied to RoW.

 

[stonerblue]

Just though I'd post about the positive experience I had recently.

All four of our passports had expired, so even though we only go away later in the year, I was a bit concerned about the turnaround, so decided to get them in early.

Completed the online forms which took 45 mins max for all four.

Got email telling me to send off our old ones so sent them Tracked. They got there two days later and I got an email to say they had received them.

Five days or so later, got emails saying three had been approved, but one of the kids picture needed to be confirmed, so we asked someone to go online to confirm. Again, once that was done, got another email saying that had been approved.

Got emails telling me they were being printed a few days later.

Got emails telling me they were on the way and with tracking numbers.

In total, I reckon just over two weeks from initial applications to receipt of new passports.

The service was superb.

COSTS?

PASSPORTS: £88.50 (x4) = £354
NEW PICS: £50 approx. We did them at Max Spielman to ensure we had correct images (missus nagged me...I didn't want to!), but nothing stopping you taking your own.
SENDING OLD PP's back: £15

Not cheap, but just wanted to let people know it was a very positive and stress-free experience.

Easily the best govt electronic service I've used

 

[stonerblue]

In Ireland, you can get your photo taken in a booth in a shopping centre etc. You confirm that these photos are suitable.
You receive a code. When you apply on line, you enter the code as a reference. The passport office have the photos already.
I took photo in a booth on Tesco on a Friday afternoon, applied on line Friday evening and received full passport on the Monday and the 5 year credit card type passport on the Wednesday.
Pity I can't use the credit card one in UK but they are very handy when you are in Europe.

Asdas

 

[normskih]

Easily the best govt electronic service I've used

I agree, I did mine in March of this year and had my renewed passport returned in six days. Fantastic service.

 

[bumbleblue]

I have renewed mine recently. Unexpectedly seamless and fast turnaround.

 

[vmsuhail]

Meh. In India it can be renewed in less than a week, although we need to appear at the nearby passport office (for verification and cancellation of old passport) at a specific time slot selected at our convenience.

 

[INDEEDY DEEDY]

Just though I'd post about the positive experience I had recently.

All four of our passports had expired, so even though we only go away later in the year, I was a bit concerned about the turnaround, so decided to get them in early.

Completed the online forms which took 45 mins max for all four.

Got email telling me to send off our old ones so sent them Tracked. They got there two days later and I got an email to say they had received them.

Five days or so later, got emails saying three had been approved, but one of the kids picture needed to be confirmed, so we asked someone to go online to confirm. Again, once that was done, got another email saying that had been approved.

Got emails telling me they were being printed a few days later.

Got emails telling me they were on the way and with tracking numbers.

In total, I reckon just over two weeks from initial applications to receipt of new passports.

The service was superb.

COSTS?

PASSPORTS: £88.50 (x4) = £354
NEW PICS: £50 approx. We did them at Max Spielman to ensure we had correct images (missus nagged me...I didn't want to!), but nothing stopping you taking your own.
SENDING OLD PP's back: £15

Not cheap, but just wanted to let people know it was a very positive and stress-free experience.

I can only endorse what you have said. Mrs Indeedy and myself renewed ours last year using the same process. We applied on the Friday before the May Day Bank Holiday, and we received ours the following Friday. At the time there were plenty of stories of a 8 to 10 week wait. Fantastic service.

 

[MillionMilesAway]

I got mine a couple of years back, and it was as easy as others said.

A really useful feature of the online method was that the system rejected unacceptable photos made with the camera function - memory says by email within a day - very quickly.