How long do British passports take with coronavirus?

[finy]

Just out of curiosity,

 

How long does it take to recieve your UK passport from the day you apply?

 

And will the coronavirus slow everything down if the passport offices are shut.

 

Cheers.

[BritTim]

If passport offices close, that is obviously going to affect turnaround times. Excluding that real possibility, I would expect the process to be faster because fewer people are preparing for trips.

[finy]

Do you know how long the current turnaround time is?

[BritTim]

5 minutes ago, finy said:

Do you know how long the current turnaround time is?

Commonly two to three weeks.

[finy]

Amazing, thanks.

[jesimps]

I'm due to do mine around May time to give myself a full year on my passport before doing my next one year marriage visa extension. I'm watching the thread to see if anyone has a comment. 

[Mr Smithy]

It is highly unlikely that HMPO will close or stop issuing passports. Up to date information will be found on the Gov.UK website

[meinphuket]

Depends on it....it needs to be quarantined for 14 days, and it may recover or perish, but given its under attack from Brexit, Corona the outlook is not very bright.

[Chicken George]

Being made same day as received. So in UK 7 days. Maybe two weeks in Bangkok.

[donnacha]

Could conceivably be faster than usual. Relatively few people planning to travel anytime soon, and many waiting until the summer for the new blue ones anyway.

Also, as a backup plan, worth checking if you are entitled to an Irish passport. Never hurts to have multiple passports, especially at times like this.

[Hugh Jarse]

On 3/16/2020 at 6:21 AM, finy said:

Do you know how long the current turnaround time is?

Let us all know how you get on with this. I tried a couple of months ago and gave up with the new hybrid process!

[Theyreallrubbish]

Took 10 days for me.  Got Passport mid February this year.

[finy]

They emailed within 24 hours saying business as usual.

[pontious]

On 3/27/2020 at 11:09 AM, finy said:

They emailed within 24 hours saying business as usual.

But now VFS is closed for passport applications.

[blackcab]

The VFS Passport Application Centre is now closed until further notice. If you have a passport ready for collection then you must collect it by tomorrow at 3.30pm.

 

If your passport is still in process then you will have to wait until VFS opens again to collect it.

[pontious]

That begs the question on what to do.  On another thread on the same subject the reply from HMPO was wait till they reopen or go for a ETD.  

1. Nobody knows how long they will be shut for.

2. If the system for getting a ETD was/is a trip to Bangkok that will also not be possible.

 

[theoldgit]

23 minutes ago, pontious said:

That begs the question on what to do.  On another thread on the same subject the reply from HMPO was wait till they reopen or go for a ETD.  

1. Nobody knows how long they will be shut for.

2. If the system for getting a ETD was/is a trip to Bangkok that will also not be possible.

 

You can apply for an ETD online but you still need to visit the Embassy to submit the application and collect the ETD, they are designed for travel purposes and the details of the planned travel are printed in the ETD, not all countries allow holders to travel through their borders with one, it's a mute point at the moment with the lack of flights available.
I'm not sure that one would be accepted by the Thai authorities to legalise a stay in Thailand, for reasons better known to themselves Thai Immigration offices are sticking to their interpretation of the rules.
 https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document

[finy]

13 hours ago, pontious said:

But now VFS is closed for passport applications.

Things will probably change day by day.

[pontious]

2 minutes ago, finy said:

Things will probably change day by day.

I think you are being optimistic. For many people they cannot travel to Bangkok anyway.

[finy]

2 minutes ago, pontious said:

I think you are being optimistic. For many people they cannot travel to Bangkok anyway.

I'm talking about everything in general.

[pontious]

9 minutes ago, theoldgit said:

 

You can apply for an ETD online but you still need to visit the Embassy to submit the application and collect the ETD, they are designed for travel purposes and the details of the planned travel are printed in the ETD, not all countries allow holders to travel through their borders with one, it's a mute point at the moment with the lack of flights available.
I'm not sure that one would be accepted by the Thai authorities to legalise a stay in Thailand, for reasons better known to themselves Thai Immigration offices are sticking to their interpretation of the rules.
 https://www.gov.uk/emergency-travel-document

As you say ETD,s are not available for non travel online. For many they cannot travel to Bangkok. If it goes on for a lengthy time they will have to devise another system for renewal.