At the end of April, Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) issued a warning to Britons due to “unprecedented demand” for passport applications. In a bid to help holidaymakers get their new travel documents on time, HMPO advised people to allow plenty of time for their passports to arrive.
As of April, more than five million people had already delayed applying for passports during the coronavirus pandemic.
When travel returned, HMPO was hit with an influx of passport renewals.
In a statement, HMPO said: “Her Majesty’s Passport Office (HMPO) anticipate 9.5 million British passport applications will be made this year and in March 2022 alone, HMPO processed more than one million new passport applications, the highest output on record.
“In preparation for the demand for international travel returning, since April 2021 HMPO have been advising people to allow up to 10 weeks when applying for their British passport. This remains the case.”
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As well as following the dedicated advice from HMPO, experts from Next Vacay shared three “tips and tricks for a faster passport application”.
Naveen Dittakavi, founder and CEO of Next Vacay, pointed out that not only is preparation key, but Britons should also make sure every single piece of information submitted is correct.
How to speed up your passport application
Check your passport to see when it was issued
Entry rules vary depending on which country you are set to visit, but most nations specify a set amount of time your passport must be valid in order to cross the border.
Mr Dittakavi said: “To beat any disappointments for your summer vacations, you’ll want to make sure that it has been no more than ten years since your passport was issued.
“You also need a minimum of three or six months to gain entry into many destinations, including popular travel spots such as Egypt, Thailand, and Dubai.
“It may be worth seeing if you can push your vacation back to a later date if either of these issues apply to your passport, otherwise you may end up losing out on your vacation.”
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Make sure your details are correct
Any incorrect details on your passport application form can result in a further delay.
As well as double-checking information such as the spelling of names, the correct date of birth and address, HMPO also advised Britons to make sure they are “using a high-quality photo with a digital code.”
Mr Dittakavi said: “I’d recommend thoroughly checking your application before you send it off.
“Many delays are made through typical errors, such as incorrect photos or typos, which can worsen your chances of receiving a passport in time for a summer trip.”
Apply digitally rather than on paper
HMPO says customers can help to reduce the risk of delays by “applying online” within plenty of time.
Not only can a digital application speed up the process, it is also cheaper than submitting a paper passport application.
A standard adult passport costs £85 with a paper application, or £75.50 when done online.
Similarly, a child’s passport costs £58.50 for a paper application or £49 when the application is submitted digitally.
Mr Dittakavi added: “When it comes to the method of how you apply, digital applications generally take a shorter amount of time as parts of the application are less likely to get lost, plus the online process will be more efficient.
“Keep this in mind if you don’t want to end up stuck in the backlog.”
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