Passport renewal wait fury
TOURISTS who applied for new passports in February say they are still waiting more than three months later – while others who put in their paperwork only last month have already received theirs.
The Passport Office faces
9.5 million applications – double that of last year – from people who did not renew during lockdown travel bans.
But Home Secretary Priti Patel did not begin hiring 650 extra staff needed until April.
Newlywed nursing sister Rosie Knowles, 31, from Sheffield, has been waiting nearly 12 weeks and fears she might miss her honeymoon in the Maldives.
She said: “It’s very frustrating when people who have applied later are getting approved and I’m still waiting.
“I’m now trying not to get too excited about the honeymoon. But if it doesn’t go ahead we lose our money.
Complaints
“I feel sorry for the people who work there, but they should be prioritising those who have waited longest.”
Social media is awash with complaints.
Domenic Nicosia, who moved to Sweden and needs a passport for his five-yearold daughter to get a residency permit, said: “People applying in May seem to get their passports in 2-3 weeks to make Passport
Office figures look better.”
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “This is shockingly incompetent and incredibly unfair on families who are paying the price.
“The Home Office has failed to get enough staff in place, and is failing to give people proper information.
“With less than 10 weeks before the school holidays, Priti Patel must take action.”
The CPS union representing passport workers blames staff cuts and trying to replace them with agency workers.