Applications for new and renewed passports are being delayed as staff have been diverted to deal with visa for refugees fleeing Ukraine, according to reports. The Mirror says anyone who needs a new passport for a holiday this summer should apply as soon as possible if they want a chance of getting it in time.
An estimated 4.5million people in the UK will need to apply for a passport if they want to travel this summer, and processing could take as long as 10 weeks.The hold-ups are being blamed on a backlog of Covid applications as people are allowed to travel again and a shortage of passport workers because of the Ukraine War.
An insider said: “Many of our staff have been seconded to deal with visas for Ukrainians. Processing those is now our top priority so we can get as many as we can to safety.”
