Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) is anticipating a sharp surge in applications once travel restrictions are lifted, due to 3m applications that were not made last year.

Despite holidays abroad being illegal for at least another six weeks, government is urging people whose passports have expired, or are close to expiry, to apply now for a new British passport. Prior to the pandemic, HMPO would expect to process 7m passport applications per year. This figure dropped to just over 4m in 2020.  

With an expected shortfall of 3m applications, HMPO anticipates increased demand of 45% once travel restrictions are lifted and is warning that people should now allow up to 10 weeks when applying for their passport.

Last year, there were just over 128,000 passport applications in April when the country was in its first national lockdown – a figure that jumped to just over 442,000 in July when the Foreign Office lifted its advice against all non-essential international travel.

Straightforward renewals are currently being processed in a matter of days (as experienced by BTN’s editor-in-chief, who was most impressed – last time it required a timed reservation and a visit to Victoria), but the anticipated demand means that the HMPO is more than tripling the standard three-week turnaround in order “to meet the travel plans of… customers during any period of the very highest passport demand.”

The Home Office is urging applications to be made online, which should deliver a faster turnaround and is £9.50 cheaper than a postal application. HMPO says it will be sending text messages to people whose passports are nearing expiration to let them know to allow more time when they renew.

www.gov.uk/government/organisations/hm-passport-office