Martin Lewis issued a warning that third-party organisations are tricking people into paying for renewing their passports.
The Money Saving Expert has issued a statement to help protect people who are renewing their passports from disingenuous third parties. The process is typically free but he warned some organisations are charging for the service.
Martin explained their websites mimic official government sites in order to trick people into using them. Appearing on ITV's This Morning, he advised people to use the official Gov.uk website. This way, people will not be charged for the service.
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Martin said: “What happens is on search engines, at the top, you will see something and it will say 'ad'. Now it goes..." before mimicking ducking his head.
He continued: "Now you don't know it is an advert. So what these companies do, is they charge you for processing something you can do for free." The warning from Martin comes as Brits planning holidays abroad this summer are being urged to check their passports.
Wait times for a passport renewal are currently up to ten weeks long, following a surge of applications now travel restrictions have been lifted. It is estimated that over five million people delayed their passports.
Abi Tierney, Director General of HM Passport Office, 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."
There are some premium and fast track services in place for people who need a passport urgently, but these appointments have limited availability and high demand.
You can find out more about the application process on Gov.uk. The cheapest way to apply is online where it costs £75.50 for an adult passport. You can also apply via a paper form through the Post Office, for an extra £9.50.
Most countries require your passport to be valid for at least three months following the date you return home, while others require this to be at least six months. If you do have a holiday planned, it's worth checking the rules for your destination well in advance as well - you can find this information on the UK Foreign Office website.
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