Guidance

Posting passports and documents

Published 7 July 2025

About: Posting passports and documents

This guidance tells His Majesty’s Passport Office staff how we send customers’ passports and documents to them when their application is complete.

We only use third party courier services in exceptional circumstances where we are unable to deliver a package by secure delivery or Royal Mail Special Delivery in time for travel. Separate guidance is available about using Courier services.

If the customer has requested that we return their documents to them before we have made a final decision about their application, you must follow the Returning documents on live applications guidance.

Contacts

If you have any questions about the guidance and your line manager or senior caseworker cannot help you or you think that the guidance has factual errors then email HM Passport Office’s Guidance team.

If you notice any formatting errors in this guidance (broken links, spelling mistakes and so on) or have any comments about the layout or navigability of the guidance then you can email the Guidance team.

Publication

Below is information on when this version of the guidance was published:

• version 24.0
• published for Home Office staff on 19 May 2025

Changes from last version of this guidance

This guidance has been updated to remove references to the Application Management System (AMS).

How we deliver valid British passports

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how we deliver valid British passports and valid Home Office Travel Documents, sent in with an application, to customers.

HM Passport Office must always return customers valid British passports and travel documents by a secure delivery method, using:

• our secure delivery providers:
  • Royal Mail 48 hour tracked delivery (UK deliveries only)
  • DHL (UK and overseas deliveries)
• a Royal Mail service:
  • Special delivery
  • Recorded delivery
• a courier service chosen and paid for by the customer

The cost of delivering the new passport securely to the customer, in the UK or overseas, is part of the passport fee the customer must pay.

If we need to return a valid British passport or Home Office Travel Document that has been sent to us, we will return it with the customer’s other documents using the secure delivery method they have chosen.

If a UK customer has not paid to use our secure delivery provider and has not given us an alternative secure delivery method, we will use our secure delivery provider and not charge the customer.

We will not return foreign national passports using a secure delivery method unless the customer has paid for the service.

Returning valid British passports to a UK address

If you are dealing with an application on Digital Application Processing (DAP), you can use Application Received Domain (ARD) to change the delivery method for returning the customer’s documents. For example, if the customer has not paid for our secure delivery service but we need to return a valid British passport.

Returning valid British passports to an overseas address

We use our overseas secure delivery partner DHL to deliver customer’s valid British passports to customers and Local Service offices, overseas. See How our delivery partners deliver overseas.

How we return customer documents to UK addresses

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how we use the various services provided by our delivery partners, to deliver customers’ documents to addresses in the UK.

We return customers’ documents to addresses in the UK using the delivery method they have paid for, either:

• secure delivery by Royal Mail 48 hour tracked service
• Royal Mail second class post

If the customer sends in multiple applications, they must pay the delivery fee on each application to return any documents by secure delivery. We will always return a valid British passport or valid Home Office Travel Document using secure delivery (even if the customer has not paid for that service).

If the customer has decided they would prefer their documents to be returned by secure delivery after their application has been submitted, they can make the additional secure delivery fee payment by contacting the Passport Adviceline.

Documents despatched by secure delivery from an APC (Application Processing Centre) must be available for collection by Post room staff at least one hour before the local collection time to allow time to prepare the packages for collection.

How we return documents to UK addresses

The Document Handling Unit (DHU) will package and return documents to the customer on applications processed on Digital Application Processing (DAP), at the end of processing.

You, the DAP examiner, will be able to see the service the customer has selected on the Application details – Fees and payments tab.

You must only check this tab if the customer’s documents include a valid British passport or Travel document and the customer has not paid for secure delivery. This is to make sure that the system is updated with the correct delivery instruction.

Return documents for Digital Fast Track applications

When we process a Digital Fast Track application at the counter, the documents may be retained and sent to the DHU. All documents for Digital Fast Track applications are returned by secure delivery, even if the customer has not paid the fee when they applied.

The Application tab will show a secure delivery fee even if the customer has not paid this, so that the DHU will automatically use secure delivery for the documents at the end of processing.

UK secure delivery: Royal Mail 48 hour tracked service 

We use Royal Mail 48 hour tracked delivery service to return customer’s documents to UK addresses, if the customer has paid for UK secure delivery. This applies to all applications.

Royal Mail second class post

We will return UK customer documents to them using Royal Mail second class post if they do not pay for secure delivery or supply an alternative delivery method.

Whistl Ltd will collect these envelopes from the post room and arrange transportation to Royal Mail. Whistl Ltd are responsible for:

1. Collecting the second class Whistl envelopes or packages from the Post room.
2. Recording these items on their system to allow them to be tracked.
3. Taking these items to their nearest Whistl depot for sorting.
4. Transporting these items to Royal Mail for delivery.

Royal Mail will continue to deliver the packages to the customer by second class post.

We do not use Royal Mail first class mail to return customers documents. We only use this for posting official letters in the UK.

Customer provides a self-addressed envelope for return of documents

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how we handle self-addressed envelopes provided by the customer.

If the customer sends any sort of self-addressed envelope (for example, an envelope with or without a Royal Mail stamp) to return their documents you (the examiner) must check the envelope has the same return address as the application, and investigate any different addresses.

If we use the different address, you must record it in the Document delivery address or Passport delivery address on DAP (Digital Application Processing).

If the customer sends any sort of self-addressed envelope (including for example, a Royal Mail Special Delivery pre-paid envelope), you must not use the envelope to return customer documents.

You must process the application and return the envelope unused with the customer’s other documents. You must return the envelope and the customer’s other documents by the delivery method selected by the customer or offered for the type of service they have applied for, as per this guidance (for example, either UK or overseas secure delivery, or second class post).

When you complete the application the Document Handling Unit (DHU) staff will return the unused envelope to the customer along with their other documents.

How we return customer documents to overseas addresses

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how we use the various services provided by our delivery partners, to deliver customers’ documents to addresses overseas.

We return customers’ documents to addresses overseas using the delivery method the customer has paid for, which will be based on the country they want the documents delivered to (this is usually where they live). See International submission routes and Local Services and Delivery addresses.

However, all documents being sent to customers overseas leave HM Passport Office in a white overseas envelope with a yellow square printed in the top right hand corner. Once our secure delivery suppliers have received the package, they will re-envelope it if required (for example, DHL will place the white envelope within a DHL envelope).

Overseas customers must pay the delivery fee for each application they send us (if it has documents to return). You must not combine documents from multiple applications into one envelope, each application (holding documents) must have its own envelope. See Passport fees and Connected and block applications.

How we return documents to overseas addresses

The Document Handling Unit (DHU) will package and return documents to the customer on applications processed on Digital Application Processing (DAP), at the end of processing.

You, the DAP examiner, will be able to see the service the customer has selected on the Application details – Fees and payments tab, but you do not need to view or change this information if you are processing an application from a customer overseas.

Post Room handling of overseas envelopes

Staff in the Post Room will process overseas envelopes using the Post room: sending documents by DHL guidance.

How we return documents after using local print

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how we return the customer’s documents and passport, if we have issued their new passport using our local print facilities.

We will return the customer’s new passport and their supporting documents in the same secure delivery envelope if the customer’s new passport will be printed using our local print facilities in an Application Processing Centre (APC).

This service is available for UK applications only and the postage cost is included in the UK passport fee.   

When we print passports in local print for an application processed on DAP (Digital Application Processing), the documents will be returned by the DHU (Document Handling Unit) if they have been handled there.

Sending Fast Track and Premium passports from local print

You must make sure you use the correct envelope if you need to print the customer’s passport using local print. If the customer is not collecting their passport and we must post the new passport and documents to them, you must use:

• a white secure delivery envelope (for example, if the customer has asked for a Braille sticker)
• a white secure delivery envelope showing ‘Fast Track’ (in the top left corner) if:
  • it is a Fast Track passport printed using local print but posted to the customer
  • is a Premium upgrade passport that we must post to the customer
  • the customer’s passport must be re-issued due to an error and posted to the customer urgently

If the customer is collecting their new passport and documents from a public counter, you must use:

• a yellow envelope

We must give any application where we must print the passport locally and send it the same day, to the Local Print room at least two hours before the local collection time. This is to make sure that Local Print and Post room staff have sufficient time to prepare the passports for despatch.

Local print: using Royal Mail Special Delivery

There must be an exceptional reason to use Royal Mail Special Delivery and not charge the customer. For example, we may use it to meet the customer’s urgent travel need, following an error by HM Passport Office.

You must print the passport locally and return the new passport with the customer’s documents using Royal Mail Special Delivery (free of additional charge) if both the following applies:

• the customer needs the new passport before 18:00 the next working day
• we have missed HM Passport Office service levels (see Upgrades: how to deal with passport service upgrades – Upgrade fees: free (gratis) upgrades).

If we have not missed our published service levels and the passport is not needed by 18:00 hours, the customer must pay the additional fees.

Customer requests Royal Mail Special Delivery

If the customer is having their passport printed in the Local Print room and wants to use Royal Mail Special Delivery, they must pay the extra Royal Mail fee to us. See Passport fees for how to take and process the additional fee.

The reason for using Special Delivery must be authorised and case noted by a higher executive officer (HEO). A loss due to a DHL mis-post is not sufficient reason to use this service.

The customer can request and pay for guaranteed Special Delivery for delivery:

• next day by 1:00pm
• next day by 09.00am (not available in all areas)

You must only use Special Delivery before 9.00am if the customer must receive their delivery before 9am. 

To guarantee the Special Delivery envelope reaches the customer the next day, you must make sure it reaches the Post Room no later than 4pm.

How our delivery partners deliver in the UK

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how our delivery partners deliver customer’s documents and passports to addresses in the UK.

The secure delivery provider in the UK will always try to hand the secure delivery package to the customer. If the customer is not at the address, they will:

• leave a calling card asking the customer to rearrange delivery if the package must be delivered within 24 hours
• post the item through a letter box into a single occupancy house if the package must be delivered within 48 hours; they will leave a card saying they will attempt to redeliver the item the next day if no-one is home to accept the item if:
  • the letter box is on the outside of the property; or,
  • the house has multiple letterboxes or appears to be multiple occupancy (for example, a block of flats)
• leave a card asking the customer to rearrange delivery or collect the item if the package must be delivered within 48 hours and they were unable to deliver on the second attempt

The UK secure delivery provider will collect the package from the APC (Application Processing Centre) or Central Print and attempt delivery between 7am and 8pm for:

• Fast track the next working day (24 hours)
• Standard applications no later than the second working day after collection (48 hours)

The UK secure delivery provider will deliver packages for a British Forces Post Office (BFPO) address using a dedicated courier schedule from Monday to Friday. The guard on duty at the base, main gate will sign for the packages.

UK secure delivery: calling cards and re-delivery

If the UK secure delivery provider cannot deliver the customer’s items, they will text or email the customer telling them how to rearrange their delivery. When a customer contacts them, the supplier will offer:

• re-delivery to the address on the envelope
• collection from an APC
• collection from a UK secure delivery collection point (only by exception)

They will not offer or arrange a re-delivery to another address without instruction from HM Passport Office. If the customer asks them to deliver to an alternative delivery address, they must contact HM Passport Office to arrange this. You, the examiner, must ask for evidence in line with the Delivery addresses for passports and documents guidance before you agree to a change of address.

If the customer asks the delivery partner to re-deliver their package, they must be there to receive it. If they will not be present when the secure delivery supplier (DHL) delivers the package, they can ask a relative or friend to attend, however they must have the original calling card available and acceptable identity documents to confirm who they are.

UK secure delivery: undelivered items

The secure delivery couriers will return any package they cannot deliver to the relevant central sorting office where they will investigate and attempt to resolve the problem of non-delivery. The UK Delivery team (UKDT) will support the secure delivery supplier.

See Secure delivery: UK and international investigations and Secure delivery: undelivered passports and supporting documents.

How our delivery partners deliver overseas

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how our delivery partners deliver customer’s documents and passports to addresses overseas.

HM Passport Office uses our overseas secure delivery partner DHL to deliver customer’s new passports and documents to customers and Local Service offices, overseas. They also deliver any applications and documents between Local Service posts and Immigration Enforcement International (IEI).

DHL receive overseas customers’ delivery items by:

• collecting documents from APCs (Application Processing Centres)
• collecting documents from DHUs (Document Handling Units)
• receiving deliveries of new passports from Royal Mail
• receiving diplomatic bag deliveries for Hanslope Park from Royal Mail

DHL will use the customer information from the outside of the package to record each item and generate a unique waybill number. They then add the information onto their website to allow customers to track their packages.

DHL must get a signature for all overseas deliveries, this includes delivery:

• direct to the customer
• to some Local Service locations
• to a third party courier

DHL will try to deliver the customer’s package 3 times, over a 30 day period, leaving a calling card each time if there is no reply. The calling card will ask the customer to contact them to arrange a re-delivery.

DHL will return the customer’s package to the International Delivery team (who also act as liaison between HM Passport Office and DHL) if they are unable to deliver it. The International Delivery team will try and contact the customer to re-arrange delivery, see Secure delivery: UK and international investigations. If they cannot contact the customer, they will cancel and destroy the passport (see Secure delivery: undelivered passports and supporting documents and archive the customer’s supporting documents).

How to track delivery progress

This section tells HM Passport Office staff how to track the progress of delivery of passports and supporting documents by our secure delivery providers.

You may be asked by customers or different business areas to check on the progress of the delivery of a package (passport or documents) which will be delivered by one of our secure delivery providers.

Delivery of passports from central print

New passports sent for central print are collected for delivery by:

• Royal Mail
• DHL

After Royal Mail collect a package from central print for delivery, the Royal Mail tracking number is added to:

• passport notes
• case notes on the DAP timeline

You can search the Royal Mail tracking portal using the tracking number to check on delivery progress. You cannot search using anything other than the tracking number.

If DHL collect a package from central print for delivery, you can search the DHL Parcel UK tracking portal using a customer’s application number and post code.

Delivery of documents sent by Document Handling Units

The Document Handling Unit (DHU) will send the package by Royal Mail 48 hour tracked service when:

• a customer has paid for the return of their supporting documents by secure delivery to a UK address
• the application is Digital Fast Track and the documents are in the DHU

A Royal Mail tracking number is added to the Item details tab in Application Receive Domain (ARD).

You can search the Royal Mail tracking portal using the tracking number to check on delivery progress. You cannot search using anything other than the tracking number.

If a customer has paid for the return of their supporting documents by secure delivery to an overseas address, the DHU will send the package by DHL.

You can track the delivery of internationally submitted passports and supporting documents using DHL Proview. (see DHL: One Track international delivery tracking using Proview).

Delivery of UK packages sent from an Application Processing Centre

If a customer has paid for UK secure delivery, we use Royal Mail 48 hour tracked delivery service to return any packages to the customer’s UK address from an Application Processing Centre (APC). This includes any new passports issued at local print and supporting documents.

A label for Royal Mail 48 hour tracked service is added by the post room before the packages are collected by Royal Mail for delivery. The label shows the tracking number for the package.

The UK Delivery team and local Customer Service Liaison teams (CSLTs) have access to the Royal Mail (RM) Click and Drop system. The access given to users of RM Click and Drop only allows them to search a specific geographical area of the country rather than the whole of the UK. UK Delivery team staff members have been given access to different regions so there is sufficient coverage for the whole of the UK. CSLT have limited access for their own Application Processing Centre (APC).

These teams can use the tracking number to check the delivery progress of a package. The RM Click and Drop system allows a search using only the tracking number.