PASSPORT INTERVIEWS: You might need to confirm your identity after applying for a passport. If so, HM Passport Office will send you a letter.
The letter will ask you to book yourself a passport interview. You will need to phone for an appointment at one of the passport interview offices.
You can use your postcode to find a passport interview office near to your location in the United Kingdom.
The office that you attend is your choice. Even so, they do not make any guarantees about the exact time or the date of your choosing.
If you live in a remote area you should request a closer location when you phone HMPO. In some cases, they can arrange a passport interview nearer to where you live.
HMPO passport interviews are not needed for everyone. People born on or before the 2nd of September 1929 are unlikely to get asked. The letter will state whether you need to attend an interview or not.
Note: Passport interview offices are only for confirming the identity of an applicant. The staff will not provide you with a passport after asking you the questions.
Procedures at a Passport Interview
- In most cases, the discussion is unlikely to take more than thirty (30) minutes to complete.
- The staff will ask questions about you. The purpose is to confirm you are the person you claim to be.
- As a rule, they will process your passport application after finishing your interview.
Note: The staff will destroy any personal information used in the interview soon after issuing your passport.
Tracking a Passport Application
There are several ways to check the status of a passport after applying. The tracking service to use differs. It will depend on whether you want to track a new passport or the renewal or replacement of an existing one.
Applied Online: Posted the Application Form
You can use the existing passport application service by logging back in to the system. Tracking begins once you entered the application details into the online facility.
You will need to use the original username and the password given to you when you first saved the application. But, you will be able to reset the password if you have forgotten it.
Applied Online: Uploaded a Digital Photograph
Did you use the new online passport application service? If so, you can track a passport application immediately. You would have used the new service if:
- You uploaded a digital photograph for your application.
- Your application reference begins with PEX or POD.
Filled in a Paper Application Form
You will need to use the passport application tracker if you applied by postal methods. This would apply to your situation if you either:
- Filled in a paper application form.
- Applied at the Post Office using their Check and Send service.
You will need to enter your full name, home address, email address into the passport tracker and then either:
- A 10-digit barcode number written on your application form.
- A 9-digit number written on your receipt if you applied at the Post Office.
Note: The system will send you an email with information on the status of your application. But, you need to wait at least three (3) weeks after applying to be able to track your passport application.