The Post Office offers a comprehensive Passport Application Checking Service that facilitates submission of your application to the HM Passport Office.
This service is designed to provide assistance in filling out the forms correctly, and can also help to ensure that the necessary documents are included with the application.
This is an invaluable resource for those who need help with the application process or are renewing an existing passport, however it does come with some downsides and misconceptions, see below:
If you need your passport within four weeks we strongly recommend booking one of the following urgent services:
In order to use the urgent services you will need to book and attend an appointment at a local passport office.
You can book urgent passport appointments by phone (during office hours) or online 24hrs.
It is important for holidaymakers to be aware when opting to use the Post Office Check and Send Service can, in certain cases, lead to un-realistic timescales as many customers often assume that it is a fast track service.
Subsequently this can lead to issues for customers who need to travel in less than 4 weeks, as this service simply checks your forms to errors and sends the application via standard post.
The service in many cases is carried our by untrained staff who are unaware of the processes involved in passport applications, and have simply been advised on checking the passport application form from collegues and the passport guidebook which comes along with the application form. Overall these misconceptions and knowledge of average Post Office staff means that they are likely to make the situation worse if you are travelling urgently.
The average turnaround expected with any post sent passport application is 3-4 weeks for renewal of passport and 4-5 weeks for first-time passports.
See more information about The Post Office Check & Send Service