Passport application wait 'well-over' 10-week deadline, MP says

Worried travellers have been queuing outside Durham passport office

People facing delays for passports are waiting "well over" the official 10-week timeframe, an MP has said.

Durham MP Mary Kelly Foy said the Home Office, which is responsible for HM Passport Office, was "not fit for purpose at the minute".

Her office was helping 40 constituents facing application delays, compared to two in 2021, she said.

The Passport Office said 97.7% of applications had been completed within 10 weeks in the first half of the year.

But Labour MP Ms Foy said there was a "huge" backlog.

"Most people have been waiting well over 10 weeks and they just can't get any information from the passport office," she said.

MP Mary Kelly Foy's office is trying to help worried constituents

Mark Smith, from Langley Park, said he and his wife had applied to renew their passports and get first ones for their four children, all on 4 May.

His wife's came within three weeks and his has arrived, but outside the 10-week window.

But they are still waiting for the children's passports and have heard nothing since mid-June, he said.

Mr Smith said it was "quite frustrating" as calls can take a long time.

"Every time you speak to someone it's never the same person," he said.

"You're starting off from scratch, you're explaining the same things over and over again."

Physiotherapist Mark Smith was told his family's passport applications would be linked if sent together

HM Passport Office said the family would be prioritised under the expedited service since they were now due to travel within the next fortnight.

A spokesperson said staff numbers had increased by 1,200 since April last year and they were "working tirelessly to deal with record demand".

But Ms Foy said she had been told by the PCS union that 1,700 more staff were needed but only about 600 had been recruited.

"So they're using some agency staff and temporary staff who aren't well trained," she said.

Missing documents

Angela Briggs, from Gateshead, is due to go on a honeymoon to Ibiza delayed by Covid and applied for her passport in April.

"We're now coming up to 14 weeks and, when I go on and check the application, it just says application received... but not the documents," she said.

"We thought this is going to be it, this is going to be the honeymoon, and we might not even get [there] because we can't get the passport on time."

The passport office advised people not to book travel until they have a valid passport.