Passports Office Avis 

I sent old passports to wrong office then gave wrong e mail for I'd verification 6 phone calls to Liverpool over a week. All were so helpful kind and understanding with my mistakes over the week polite so helpful absolutely fabulous every one

As an Australian resident needing to renew a UK passport, I found the entire process with HM Passport Office to be unnecessarily rigid and outdated. After paying the application fee and completing the required forms, I was shocked to learn that they demand original documents — including my birth certificate, my father's passport, and even my own. This requirement is completely unreasonable in today's digital age, especially for someone like myself who travels internationally for work and cannot be without a passport for weeks.

I asked if I could provide certified copies or upload scans through a verified channel, which is standard practice for many official processes. However, the response I received was dismissive and inflexible. The staff were rude, arrogant, and completely unwilling to consider any alternative — it was their way or nothing.

To make matters worse, there was no upfront transparency about the need for original documents. This lack of clarity feels like a trap — people pay the fee only to find out they cannot proceed without meeting unrealistic requirements. At the very least, they should warn applicants at the beginning of the process, instead of wasting time and money.

If this is how HM Passport Services continues to operate, I would strongly advise others to be cautious before applying, especially from overseas.

Received my passport exactly one week since sending application. Informed by text at each stage. Seamless process and just as it should be.

My partner was required to send his passport to this office, but after more than four weeks, it has still not been returned. Despite numerous calls and emails, the responses we receive seem scripted and unhelpful, showing no genuine attention to the case. It is clear that emails are not properly read or addressed. As a result, he has already missed one business trip and is now at risk of losing another big one tomorrow, all due to the team's lack of professionalism. It is deeply disappointing to experience such poor service, but unfortunately, this is the reality.

Absolute old fashioned way to process documents in this day and age. Coming on the third month and still they are requesting documents for my children’s. Why do they need the grandmothers birth certificate when they have the parents and there own birth certificates to prove there nationality. Constant emails saying the same thing when they are aware we will send the 100th document to them when we receive it. It seems like a convoy belt the pass it over to lots of different people with no communication. I’ve never had such a long winded process to apply for a passport and the costs are unbelievable.

I received my new passport this morning after sending in my old one and renewal application last week. Sent it last Wednesday, received new one this Thursday. 8 days ! Seamless.

From start to finish, all went through quickly and new Passports received within 10 days.

Thank you.

The uk passport office is an absolute disgrace. I missed my flight due to them delaying my passport because I asked for a refund on a previous application that they were taking long to submit. My application was submitted in march 13 and received tracked on the 14th. I genuinely made a mistake and sent my old passport to the wrong office, I called and informed them to which they said it wasn’t a major issue as it can linked online. I have called and called as it got to the end of march and nothing. The application wasn’t being processed and was on hold. No one knew why and when I asked to speak to senior staff or management I was refused help. I was advised by a member of staff to submit a new application and report the old one as lost. Once I done this it has been hell going forward. No help extremely rude staff. An alert was put on as I informed th my date that I fly as this trip was for my birthday. They have dragged this to the end I don’t make my flight. Two days before my day to fly is when my application wasn’t being processed approved and I was sent the email at 21:30pm. I was then sent an email on the 19th April that my application was finally approved(my fly date) the application has magically been done after my birthday which I should have been abroad for and missed. I’m confused as to how an application that had plenty of time to be processed couldn’t be done in with over a months time but was able to go through in the few days leading to my birthday so quickly. The staff all knew what they were doing and took it personal because I was calling to get updates which the a reason for the service.

Absolutely disgusting service.

Forced to get DNA which is illegal. Forced to get expensive documents. Told passport and birth certificate are fake. Told to withdraw my application. Threatened to burn my documents. Truly the worst

Not good service

I had to go to the passports office at Customs House London.
Exceptional service and very well organised.
Friendly staff and passport was ready in four hours.

Terrible customer service. These guys do not treat you with courtesy, nor respect. 7 calls to request document return. No action, no communication. No ability to connect to a human on the phone. Amazingly bad!

Excellent service to renew passport. Easy to apply online with photo from Tescos. Sent old passport back. Text messages kept me up to date with progress. New passport received a week later. Well done.

Application to renew passport from Malaysia made on- line. 20th March. Old passport sent to Hemel Hempstead 21st March and acknowledged 25th March.
Approved 27th March and Printed 28th March. Dispatched 29th March 2025. What an amazing service!
Thank you for such efficiency Passport Office Hemel Hempstead

Just been told by above ,after 4 weeks wife’s photo not good enough. My daughter and son-in-law helped with it , as being over 80 internet applications not easy
I luckily have Irish passport applied at same time , got it back within a week.
Passport officers not fit for purpose, probably to busy amusing themselves than working

What appalling careless mistake that they made to my father's BNOs renewal. A real shame to this passport office which took no responsibility whatsoever..
One day I received a very informal 'looks' scammed email in my inbox 3 months ago saying they are sorry to have made an error to my dad's passport (with the wrong immigration status) and that's all. I found the email very unclear such unprofessional outrage approach. Without any further response or assistance, my dad's new passport ON HOLD.

Wonderful service, had a massive conundrum with passports and phoned in urgently, spoke to Chelsea who was patient, friendly and brilliantly helpful.

Sons first passport and holiday ruined because passport office kept asking for more evidence which I had already sent off, ive spent over 20pound in postage for evidence and still they are asking for certificates I have sent off.

I attended a pre-booked appointment at the London passport office yesterday costing £166.50 for a 1 week fast track. After waiting for my appointment time I was told the systems were down. I could either wait to see if the system came back on line (same thing happened Friday and system didn't come back until Saturday) or they take my details and I will be contacted about another appointment this Wednesday or Thursday. I need my passport by the 28th as I have travel booked. Needless to say it is nearly midday on Tuesday and I have not had a phone call giving me an appointment tomorrow or Thursday. Why did they not send out an email to everyone with an appointment yesterday to say the system had failed giving the choice to rebook before travelling to the passport office. They sent appointment reminders so it was possible. They were also leaving people to queue before their appointment only updating people when their appointment time was called despite the queue for that part of the process being empty. I guess they were hoping the system would suddenly go live. I was one of the luckier ones in that I don't have to travel within the next couple of days. There are reasons why I couldn't update until now concerning my ill father if anyone was thinking why leave it so late. My passport doesn't actually expire until November this year but the issue date is the 31st March 2015 and airlines won't accept travel after that date for some reason no one can actually reasonably explain. Good luck to anyone needing to get a passport urgently as the system is clearly unreliable.

Friday I booked a fast track appointment for 11:10 today (Monday 17th March 2025). That cost £220. I have a flight booked for tomorrow. Today once at the passport office there were technical issues and the systems are down. Staff were not communicating effectively with every one waiting for their appointment. They could have kept things more organised by grouping us into our appointment times, and explaining to everyone, at a distance where we could hear, what was going on.
It transpires that another technical issue happened on Friday so some people had their appointments rebooked for today. Despite this they still allowed new applicants to make appointments on Friday and probably at the weekend to, for today. Currently I have a flight booked for tomorrow and an overnight stay at Gatwick Airport. I will not be getting the flight at 09:50 tomorrow. My partner is unwell in Egypt. He has been in hospital and I need to get out to see him. Absolutely devastated that I will not be able to get my flight tomorrow. What an absolute shambles. Everyone who attended today or who reattended should get their fast tracked fee reimbursed. I need my flight, hotel and travel expenses to get to London reimbursed. Clearly customer service is not a top priority.