Don’t leave it to the last minute
British holidaymakers have been warned about getting their passport applications done “as soon as possible” to get ahead of enormous wait times.
As summer fast approaches – and with it the first real chance at a summer holiday since covid began – ministers have warned that five million Brits delayed renewing their passports because of the pandemic, reports the Mail Online.
Politicians have locked horns with the passport office, which officials say is in “absolute shambles” and is routinely missing the 10-week processing target.
Craig mine was a lost passport renewal also and stuck on the same date 29th March. I haven’t had an update since. pic.twitter.com/q6gduza62S
— Gregory J (@UK_GregoryJ) April 22, 2022
The passport office claims that Brits delaying their applications has put more strain on the system – but MPs are not having it and have declared such instances as “foreseeable.”
“All our constituents are having to cancel holidays, miss funerals, rearrange visits, with even a new ten-week target routinely being failed,” said SNP’s home affairs spokesman Stuart McDonald. “What will be done to avoid this predictable mess getting worse? And can we be assured that the ten-week target will not be lengthened further as we approach the summer?”
Foster detailed how usually the government see seven million applications in a year – while last month alone, they saw 10 million.
Passport renewals taking 10 weeks to be processed. 3 hour passport queues at airports. A backlog of 200,000 'learner driver' licence applications at the DVLA. 6.1m patients on the NHS waiting list. 5 mile passport queues at Dover.
All this 'sovereignty' is going well, isn't it?— Dave Sumner Smith (@davesumnersmith) April 26, 2022
In response, an HM Passport Office spokesman said: “We urge people who need a new passport to apply for one as soon as possible and we do offer urgent services for applicants who need a passport more quickly.”
According to The Independent, Labour MP Ben Bradshaw said: “Yet again, the Home Office and Priti Patel have been asleep on the job.
My passport expired, I applied for a new one in January and am still waiting for it. My driving licence expired, last Tuesday I went to the Post Office to renew it and the new one arrived on Saturday morning. Methinks there’s some best practice that could be shared.
— Steve Watkins (@Steve___Watkins) April 26, 2022
“Anyone could have predicted that after two years of travel restrictions there would be big surge in passport renewals and applications.
“Yet there seems to have been no planning for this, meaning thousands of families who have been looking forward to seeing loved ones again or having a holiday are having those hopes dashed.”
Related links:
- Boris Johnson confirms Home Office’s plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda
- Airport chaos so bad police and army could be called in as problems could last months
- Watching TV in self-driving cars to be allowed under Highway Code rule
