Renewal of British passport in Poland (how long does it take?)

Any Brits know how long it takes to renew a British passport in Poland?

The Warsaw embassy doesn't do it anymore - you have to apply from the UK and pay for delivery by courier:
gov.uk/overseas-passports/y/poland/renewing_new/adult

I got mine via the Dusseldorf embassy, they were and probably still are handling all outside UK European British passports. Took about a week and they DHL it back to you.

No longer - they're doing it all centrally in the UK. So in other words, you pay significantly more money to send your passport to the UK than someone actually living in the UK pays. The old argument that it cost more money to process abroad is now null and void. Thieves.

Completely and totally illogical and downright thievery.

I sent mine off by courier to the UK last month, it was printed off and sent back within a day ! Craziness I know. There is no need to go through any embassy, Just print off the app form for applying outside UK and send it to the Liverpool Passport office (all stated in the form) and they'll post it back to you.

Did you get your old passport back, out of interest?

If you want a second one, you need to go in person. I did it last month - a quick flight to Liverpool and all done in one day.

No, I just don't want to give them my old one as it's quite full of stamps from all over the place - so I want to keep it :)

that's very fast ....... they can renew it that quick?

If the new photo's recognisable from the old one, they can do it within 4 hours.

And for only £21 more than it costs to have your passport done in four weeks by post.

Haha, the guy on the other end of the phone was shocked when I called just to check if they had received it and he told me that its already on its way back! The even stranger thing was that I received it back without even paying for it yet. They had a problem taking funds from my account but still sent me the passport........ I think I'm just that 1 lucky one..


Yes got it back, they just snip the corner off it. It came back a couple of days after the renewed one

Quick, easy and cheap.

I booked an appointment by phone, popped over with a couple of photos to Liverpool (direct on one of those low-cost airlines - a strange experience), arrived at the office round lunchtime, paid 137gbp and popped back a couple of hours later to pick up a 40 page second passport. Very good service and pleasant people to deal with.

Sorry, got that completely wrong. What I meant to say is that it costs £21 less than having your passport done in four weeks by post.

you certainly are :)


I don't think I look too much difference than 10 years ago .... but too bad it's holiday season and I wonder they can still renew it faster than 4 weeks ....

I did mine in mid June. The important thing for them is that the photos for your new passport look enough like the photos in your old passport.

Depends on your budget, but try the one day service in L'pool, fly over Wizz Air, get a cheap hotel and fly back the next morning on Ryan Air (or vice versa). It can be quick, and if they have any issues to raise they can do it there and then with no waiting since the one day service is by appointment.

edit. Needs to be 2 different airlines since both do the Warsaw-Liverpool flights on alternate days. Very very cheap if you book online. You'll need your old passport with you (they clip the corner off) and show it if they ask at the gate - this is due to Ryanair liking the passport number to match the booking card. Or get the new one as a second passport if you can get/make a credible letter from an employer saying you travel on business and need it due to visa applications.

I have sent it out already by Polish Post registered letter. just hope that it'll come back more faster than 4 weeks

I think you can call them to check the progress - might be worth doing.

@Jon

Do/see anything nice in Liverpool whilst you were there ?

Last time I was there was years ago and not a great period in time for the city, so I had a good look round and enjoyed it. It's seems a lot posher than I remember.

I went to the Tate Gallery, had a good look round the shops and came back loaded with cheddar etc and lamb.

The Adelphi was only 35 quid, which wasn't bad.

thanks jon


I have received my old passport back with the corners cut..... does it mean the new one on the way with in few days time?

Croggers.... you received your new one before the old one was back?

Your new passport should be with you within 3 days.
If you are able to sign for the packet so much the better if not it is entirely up to the delivery driver what they feel is appropriate. They are allowed to leave it with no signature so long as they feel it is safe to do so and cannot be picked up by someone else, otherwise you will be asked to collect from their depot.

That is something they used to do with expired Belgian passports as well. Now they remove the first page (with your personal data and photo)

But I have to get my new passport from our embassy here in Warsaw.

thanks mcm1

Hello Croggers, Did you send it to UK without an appointment or calling to notify The Passport Office? and Please explain process exactly. It will help ease the confusion as to which route to take and to decide which is more effective.

Thank you kindly

for passport renewals from overseas go here: gov.uk/overseas-passports pretty self explanatory from there on in.

The Government has actually been listening to somebody - I can't believe it.

Passport DOWN from 170 quid last year to 102 quid.

I just put my beer down and had to re-focus. Am I missing something here? Does the passport self-destruct at the press of a Home Office red button?

Obviously Dusseldorf has claosed and cost cutting has sent the work back to Blighty. I might even vote Tory! Or perhaps not :)

Still ridiculous and a con compared with the cost for a Polish passport, but we have to pay proper wages to our civil service workers 'suppose.