Simon Calder has issued advice to anyone facing delays with their passport renewal.
The travel expert appeared on today's edition of Good Morning Britain to respond to viewers concerned their summer holiday plans would be thrown into chaos. Staff shortages and flight caps at major airports have caused misery for many passengers hoping for a summer getaway as the industry struggles to recover after the pandemic .
Holidaymakers have also been hit with problems applying for a new passport. The government has seen an unprecedented surge in applications as five million delayed applying for a new passport during the pandemic.
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The huge backlog means people are struggling to get a passport in time for their travels. Prior to the covid pandemic, people were advised of waits of around three weeks. But processing times can now take up to 10 weeks, according to HM Passport Office.
Simon urged anyone who has waited for the target time to contact the passport advice line. He said: "After 10 weeks you are absolutely entitled to get onto the passport advice line. Say I applied 10 weeks ago and you now need to accelerate this immediately."
He added: "The other thing you can do is contact your MP because he or she will have a direct line to the Home Office, which they can call. Certainly if you've got compassionate reasons for needing to travel immediately."
Home Office minister Kevin Foster said his advice remains unchanged and anyone heading overseas this summer should submit new passport applications and renewals as soon as possible. But he added in the House of Commons: "We are making a range of efforts - staff are working weekends, incentivised overtime - and certainly we're confident we will not need to change the 10-week target."
Those urgently in need of a new passport can make an appointment to visit their local office to have one issued. There are just seven Passport Customer Service Centres dotted around the UK, one of which is based in Liverpool.
Good Morning Britain airs weekdays from 6am on ITV and the ITV Hub
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