# Passport Turnaround Time



## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

hi guys and girls

Sorry, not been around for a while – been really busy with a few work-related things and I've neglected the forum's please accept my apologies… I will try and have a more active input again from now on!

Just a quick query to start me off again… Unfortunately just over a week ago I rather foolishly left my passport in a bag in the boot of my car and yes – you guessed it the car was broken into and not only did my passport go missing but so did several other personal belongings including my driving licence, credit cards etc.

I have today sent by courier the necessary paperwork to report my passport stolen – police report, identity, applications etc – to Madrid but I was wondering if anybody has recently replaced lost or stolen passport and has any idea of the current turnaround times? The website says 4 to 6 weeks but I've heard a few other things I'm kind of hoping that they tend to turn them round a little bit quicker – it says that if it's stolen passport the turnaround time is longer – I can only assume that this is whilst they check that nobody is trying to pretend to be me – not that they would want to LOL – but with an elderly mother in England it's always a worry in case I have to hop on a plane. I know that if I have to I can get an emergency passport but this one is costing me €200 really want to go to that expensive I need it – if anyone has recently replaced a lost or stolen passport has any idea of turnaround times I would be most grateful for your feedback.

Many thanks!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

steve_in_spain said:


> hi guys and girls
> 
> Sorry, not been around for a while – been really busy with a few work-related things and I've neglected the forum's please accept my apologies… I will try and have a more active input again from now on!
> 
> ...


hello stranger!

I don't think it makes any difference if it's a replacement for a lost/stolen passport or a straightforward renewal, as long as you have all the paperwork - & you do from what you say

good news is people local to me are reporting a 10-14 day turnaround recently - so fingers crossed!


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

My passport renewal took 3 weeks,in March this year, I used the courier service many shops provide, I should imagine because it is winter passport offices will not be that busy, good luck.


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

thanks guys – like is a little bit of hope! Actually, I did use a local courier service – easy post – and it's worth giving them a plug here because I use them now to send everything to the UK. Their costs are far cheaper than using the Spanish postal system and what they do is ship everything in bulk as cargo and then dispatch it through UK courier companies or Royal mail and I found the service to be absolutely superb. They offer a service of checking and sending the passport application and they have told me that it will be in Madrid probably tomorrow. According to the website for the passport authorities they have to do "extra checks" when replacing a lost or stolen passport so I can only assume that this is to make sure that nobody has been trying to enter the UK on my old passport – hopefully all being well it will come through in the next two or three weeks!


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## snikpoh (Nov 19, 2007)

steve_in_spain said:


> thanks guys – like is a little bit of hope! Actually, I did use a local courier service – easy post – and it's worth giving them a plug here because I use them now to send everything to the UK. Their costs are far cheaper than using the Spanish postal system and what they do is ship everything in bulk as cargo and then dispatch it through UK courier companies or Royal mail and I found the service to be absolutely superb. They offer a service of checking and sending the passport application and they have told me that it will be in Madrid probably tomorrow. According to the website for the passport authorities they have to do "extra checks" when replacing a lost or stolen passport so I can only assume that this is to make sure that nobody has been trying to enter the UK on my old passport – hopefully all being well it will come through in the next two or three weeks!



But don't they only post FROM UK to Spain and not from Spain TO UK?


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

snikpoh said:


> But don't they only post FROM UK to Spain and not from Spain TO UK?


 If you're talking about the passport – it is my understanding that the passport applications are sent to Madrid and all of the processing etc is done there. Previously they used to print the passport in Madrid and send it back to you but I understand now that the passports are produced in the UK. *I believe however (and somebody, please correct me if I'm wrong) that the actual application is dealt with and approved in Madrid and then they send by computer in order for a new book to be printed in the UK *which is what gets sent across. this I believe is changing soon and by 2014 all passport applications will have to be sent to the UK and they will close the Madrid and all other regional processing offices.

If you're talking about the postal company – in general – they offer both services. I regularly take items of post or parcels to the local shop and they send them to the UK for me and likewise if I want to make purchases in the UK – for example online – they have a UK address that things can be sent to and then they fly to cross here and deliver it to my local shop for me – I can't speak highly enough of them!

I recently needed to send some documents back to the UK and I used the Spanish postal system and spent nearly €40 on their fastest most secure service. The documents took three weeks to arrive! I have done similar things with this company and spent less than half of that – in fact I think last time it was €15 and in 48 hours the item was securely signed for by Royal mail special delivery!


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

steve_in_spain said:


> If you're talking about the passport – it is my understanding that the passport applications are sent to Madrid and all of the processing etc is done there. Previously they used to print the passport in Madrid and send it back to you but I understand now that the passports are produced in the UK. *I believe however (and somebody, please correct me if I'm wrong) that the actual application is dealt with and approved in Madrid and then they send by computer in order for a new book to be printed in the UK *which is what gets sent across. this I believe is changing soon and by 2014 all passport applications will have to be sent to the UK and they will close the Madrid and all other regional processing offices.
> 
> If you're talking about the postal company – in general – they offer both services. I regularly take items of post or parcels to the local shop and they send them to the UK for me and likewise if I want to make purchases in the UK – for example online – they have a UK address that things can be sent to and then they fly to cross here and deliver it to my local shop for me – I can't speak highly enough of them!
> 
> I recently needed to send some documents back to the UK and I used the Spanish postal system and spent nearly €40 on their fastest most secure service. The documents took three weeks to arrive! I have done similar things with this company and spent less than half of that – in fact I think last time it was €15 and in 48 hours the item was securely signed for by Royal mail special delivery!


do you know - I don't know - I sort of thought it was all done in the UK now - though doing the processing in Madrid & the printing in the UK would seem to make sense

there's a video here Passports


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

Yes, the passports are checked in Madrid, before going to Uk, forgot to say-silly me, that when I first sent mine off, I didn't get the passport photo signed, as in the new photo I wasn't wearing my specs, so they sent it back to the shop-Quicksave in this case, then it was sent back the next day to Madrid, it still took only 3 weeks even with this hiccup, so it probably would have been faster still.


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## Francesca747 (Nov 18, 2012)

I got my new passport about 4 weeks ago and It took 14 days...as its off season should be pretty quick!


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## stevelin (Apr 25, 2009)

Same here posted to Madrid recorder delivery back with in 3 weeks 2 months ago. Had paperwork back first with a note to say passport would be with us within 2 weeks next day passport arrived by DHL as you have to sign for both bits


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

thanks guys – all sounds very positive – incidentally have any of you replaced a stolen one or have they just been standard renewals?

It's actually rather annoying when you don't have your passport – or your driving licence – I went to the shop today to pay with my credit card and they wouldn't let me because I couldn't produce photographic ID! grrrr lol


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

steve_in_spain said:


> thanks guys – all sounds very positive – incidentally have any of you replaced a stolen one or have they just been standard renewals?
> 
> It's actually rather annoying when you don't have your passport – or your driving licence – I went to the shop today to pay with my credit card and they wouldn't let me because I couldn't produce photographic ID! grrrr lol


I had to replace my lost/stolen one a couple of years ago, before the system changed - it didn't take any longer than the straightforward renewals for my daughters' passports - they all went together & all came back at the same time, too - although they all came back separately they came within 2 days of each other


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

I just thought that I would update you and let you know that my new passport was safely delivered today. Total turnaround time from dispatch to arrival was 2 1/2 weeks including the postage time which I didn't think was too bad.

I thought that it might be worth mentioning because a lot of people in the past have said that they have difficulties in Spain when they replace their passport and it has a different passport number because the Spanish do not work this way. My passport was stolen and my new passport has a little note in it under the "observations" section that states that this passport is a replacement for passport number XXX which was issued on date XXX and reported stolen on date XXX.

This will probably save me a few problems if for example I ever questioned in the bank as to why my passport number is different because it clearly states it on the official document that it was replacing the previous number. Therefore, although probably not the best thing to do if one is about to renew a passport that should expire soon perhaps go down the route of reporting it lost and then the official observation will be put in the passport and should anybody questioning the future why the passport number is different there is an official government statement quoting the previous passport number – just an idea


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

Wonderful, I'm glad you got your passport, what I noticed when I got mine, it is fine etc, but it does not have a biometric chip, like the ones new in UK have, I wonder if that is because we live here?


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## xicoalc (Apr 20, 2010)

fergie said:


> Wonderful, I'm glad you got your passport, what I noticed when I got mine, it is fine etc, but it does not have a biometric chip, like the ones new in UK have, I wonder if that is because we live here?


I thought that too but a friend told me that it is now concealed inside the cover of the passport - si aparently it is there. Not happy with the way they print the photo twice though - i look bad enough in the 1st one but the one printed on the other page makes me look like a right .......


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

fergie said:


> Wonderful, I'm glad you got your passport, what I noticed when I got mine, it is fine etc, but it does not have a biometric chip, like the ones new in UK have, I wonder if that is because we live here?


Are you sure?
I live here and got one with a chip a few months ago.
The cover looks like this and has a rectangular symbol on the cover under the word PASSPORT


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## fergie (Oct 4, 2010)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Are you sure?
> I live here and got one with a chip a few months ago.
> The cover looks like this and has a rectangular symbol on the cover under the word PASSPORT


Thanks for posting that Pesky, I have a rectangular symbol yeh! Merry Christmas:xmastree:


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> Are you sure?
> I live here and got one with a chip a few months ago.
> The cover looks like this and has a rectangular symbol on the cover under the word PASSPORT



:clap2::clap2:

can we get your 'status' changed then 

:focus:

my passport is biometric too - I got it a couple of years ago from Madrid though


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## Pesky Wesky (May 10, 2009)

xabiachica said:


> :clap2::clap2:
> 
> can we get your 'status' changed then


I'm thinking that that might be a good idea


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## xabiaxica (Jun 23, 2009)

Pesky Wesky said:


> I'm thinking that that might be a good idea


I shall get onto it


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