A newly-wed couple face having to call off their honeymoon next week because the Passport Office failed to renew the bride's documents - despite having them since April, it's claimed.
Nigel and Allison Crainey got married last February and were looking forward to a honeymoon in Rome next week.
But Mrs Crainey says their holiday is now in serious jeopardy because her new passport was still being processed.
She claims she was told by the Passport Office that it had started processing her application on May 11, but that they needed 10 weeks to complete it.
Mrs Crainey, from Christchurch, Dorset, applied for her new passport on April 27, leaving more than the 10 weeks required.
However she had still not received her documents today (July 14).
A spokesman for the Passport Office said it had been dealing with a backlog of applications.
They claimed more than five million people had delayed renewing their passports during the Covid pandemic and it had processed three million applications between March and May.
Mrs Crainey, 49, said: "I sent my passport off on April 27. They didn't start processing it until the May 11 so that's when they're taking the 10-week period from.
"I teach so I'm restricted to school holidays. Now we have broken up and it's just really frustrating that it doesn't look as if I'm going to be able to go on honeymoon."
Gill Nicholls, a travel counsellor in Reading, Berkshire, said there was no real pattern to the passport delays.
"It's a difficult one, as there's not much people can do. It's a really difficult situation," she said.
"I had a customer back in February and advised them to just ring the passport office every day, but they ended up changing the date of the holiday."
Her advice was to "keep chasing and get your MP involved".
She added: "If you haven't booked, don't do it until you have a passport in your hand."
Mrs Crainey said that if her passport did not come in time British Airways had said it would supply vouchers for new flights, but she says they would be out of pocket due to the hotel accommodation in Rome.
The Passports spokesman added: "Between March and May, we processed approximately three million applications and 98.5 per cent of applications were completed within 10 weeks.
"However, we cannot compromise security checks and people should apply with plenty of time prior to travelling.
"For the small percentage of customers whose applications take longer than 10 weeks, there is an expedited service at no additional cost to help ensure that they receive their passport ahead of their travel."
