As demand for new passports reaches an all-time high, holidaymakers looking to renew theirs are being warned of delays of up to 10 weeks. With international travel returning to normal and Covid restrictions being eased across many countries, more and more people are applying for new British passports.
If you need a passport urgently, for reasons such as theft, misplacement or an expiring copy, then you will need to know how to go about getting a new one quickly. The Daily Post reports that the rules surrounding passports have changed in recent years, thanks to Brexit, which has made it slightly harder to get one at short notice.
If you have lost your passport multiple times in a short period, then you could very well be denied another for a suggested length of time. However, if you have a valid reason for needing a passport quickly, there are ways to do so that the government recommends.
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You can pay to get your passport sooner if you think the non-urgent service will take too long. You need to book a passport office appointment up to three weeks in advance and also pay online.
You can apply for a faster service if you’re in the UK and you need to renew or replace a passport, or get a first child passport.
Ways to apply
There are two ways to apply for an urgent passport - online premium and one week fast track. As part of the application, you’ll need to attend an appointment at your nearest passport office.
For the online premium process, you get your new passport at your appointment, which can last up to 30 minutes. If you decide to with the fast track service, your new passport will be delivered to your home within one week of your appointment.
If you cannot use the online service, you can book an appointment and pay over the phone. The fast track service costs £142 for an adult passport while the online premium service will set you back £177.
The HM Passport Office has also warned that appointment availability for such services may be limited as we approach the summer holidays. Since April 2021, it has been advising people to allow up to ten weeks when applying for their passport.
Earlier this month, it said this remains the case and urged people not to leave their application until the last minute. Due to the pandemic, the HM Passport Office says it saw a significant drop in the number of people applying for passports, with more than five million people delaying their applications throughout 2020 and 2021.
However, there's now been a surge in demand as international holidays make a comeback. Director general of HM Passport Office Abi Tierney said: "Now that international travel has resumed, we know people will be looking at going away on holiday and yet many people are leaving applying for a passport too late.
"The summer holidays are fast approaching so if you need a new passport, we urge you to apply now. Our dedicated staff are working tirelessly to ensure that passport applications are processed as quickly as possible."
You can apply for a new passport here.
