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Postal strike – how will it affect passport applications?
- Published: Thursday, 5 November 2009
Postal services may still be disrupted because of the mail strikes. You are advised not to book any travel arrangements until you have received your passport from the Identity and Passport Service (IPS).
Sending a passport application or other correspondence to IPS
IPS recommends that customers use the Post Office Check & Send service for passport applications.
The service is available at over 2,500 Post Office branches and uses Royal Mail Special Delivery, which is less likely to be affected by the strike.
You can also leave your application in the 'post boxes' at any of the seven Regional Passport Offices. There is no charge for doing this but you cannot include cash with these applications.
Applications sent by First or Second Class post are likely to be delayed. Please allow extra time for IPS to receive and process the application.
Please allow at least three weeks to receive your passport, whichever method you use to send it to IPS.
If you urgently need to reply to correspondence from IPS, you should use Royal Mail Special Delivery. You could also take the response into your nearest Regional Passport Office to have it attached to your application.
Waiting to receive a new passport or an application form in the post
Don't book any travel arrangements until you have received your passport
All new and valid UK passports are delivered to customers by DX Secure. You can also choose to pay £3.00 for the return of your supporting documents by secure delivery. There will be no delay to these services.
If you have not paid for the secure delivery of your supporting documents, these may be delayed as they are sent out from IPS by Second Class post.
If you have completed the application form online and are waiting for the pre-printed form to be sent to you, please allow at least a week, as these are sent by Second Class post.
