Passport documents and timeframe

I’ve got UK citizenship and need to get my British passport. We’re visiting family in California on 14 Jan, which is currently 9.5 weeks away. Processing time is 7 weeks (plus Xmas NY holidays). Am I cutting it too close?

I had to use my naturalisation certificate for my baby’s passport and I still haven’t received it back. I need this document for my own application! The home office received the documents on 13 Oct, I paid the extra £5 for secure document return, and I received baby’s passport on 03 Nov. I feel like I should have received them back by now especially as I paid the extra £5. Should I chase? Does anyone know the email address? All I can find is a hotline to call or submit enquiry form.

Worst case scenario - I don’t get my British passport in time but I have my USA passport. Will it be a problem to re-enter the UK with my US passport and naturalization certificate? I’ve read something  about needing to prove right to abode, will this really be a problem? I assume I’d have to talk to immigration officer (can’t use e-gates anyhow with a baby) but would they deny me entry? (Is this a totally bad idea that would get me in serious trouble or might I get away with it once considering the circumstances with documents not returned and needing to visit aging grandparents?)

Any opinions would be greatly appreciated thanks!

Your problem will be that HMPO require your current US passport to create your British one. It's a mandatory document. So if you apply for a British passport you will not be able to travel until it is processed and you receive your British and US passport. Supporting documents tend to come around 3-5 business days after receiving your passport (they're sent separately, as you're finding out with your naturalisation certificate).

The average time people are receiving their passports and supporting docs right now is 5 weeks.

I personally think you'll just be okay (albeit close) providing you receive your cert this week which is likely.

I’ve got UK citizenship and need to get my British passport. We’re visiting family in California on 14 Jan, which is currently 9.5 weeks away. Processing time is 7 weeks (plus Xmas NY holidays). Am I cutting it too close?

I had to use my naturalisation certificate for my baby’s passport and I still haven’t received it back. I need this document for my own application! The home office received the documents on 13 Oct, I paid the extra £5 for secure document return, and I received baby’s passport on 03 Nov. I feel like I should have received them back by now especially as I paid the extra £5. Should I chase? Does anyone know the email address? All I can find is a hotline to call or submit enquiry form.

I renewed my UK passport at the beginning of October and it took at least 1 week after receiving the new passport for my old passport to be returned (I also paid the extra £5)... just as I began to get worried that it wouldn't arrive, it appeared through my letterbox .

It's only been 4 working days since you received your baby's passport, so I would give it another few days for the documents to be returned before you try to contact anyone.

Also, although mine was a straightforward renewal (I'm a UK citizen from birth), it was processed much faster than I was expecting... the website said 5 weeks for standard renewals but mine was approved just 5 days after I applied online and 4 days after I mailed them my old passport... I got the 'old passport received' and 'application approved' emails within 30 minutes of each other!

Of course, as yours is a first passport application, it's likely to take a bit longer, but as the expected 5 weeks for my renewal was only 5 days in the end, you may find that it takes less than the time they are suggesting on the website.

Yes, my 5 week quote was real world data from people applying for their first passport. Also passportwaitingtime.co.uk quote 27 days (plus supported docs)

Hi @ksand24 and @Ben1989 thank you both for your quick replies, they are helpful Here’s an update and reply to a few points you’ve raised-

It’s now been two full weeks since I received baby’s passport and I still haven’t got my documents back…crap!

Yes I’ll need to get the new UK passport as well as receive my US passport back in time for travel mid January. Getting the US passport back worries me most about the timing as of course I can’t enter US with just my UK passport 

I called Liverpool passport office this morning (only took about 10 min on hold) and the lady said returning documents can take up to 3 weeks. She’s put a note in my application that my certificate is still with baby’s application and for them to check there (once they receive my US passport and check my documents). Also, if I do get my documents back in the meanwhile to post it right back to them. I should include a cover letter explaining all this when I send my US passport.

It took them a week from receiving my documents by special delivery to actually process that update on baby’s passport tracker. So I’m concerned if I send my US passport now, takes a week, get my certificate back next week, post that right back, takes a week, it’s now mid December and with holidays I’ll never get my US passport back in time (let alone the new UK passport) 

So you think this could still work out?
Or I could cancel the UK passport application (loose out on the fee) in order to keep hold of my US passport and naturalisation certificate and attempt to use those to reenter the UK. Any idea if that would work or get me in huge trouble?

Thanks very much x