British travellers could be left waiting for up to 10 weeks for a new passport this summer, HM Passport Office has warned, after a delay in processing time caused by the pandemic and a recent surge in demand for new travel documents.

May get worse as last year 4 million applications were received compared to 7 in a normal year. So there could be a lot of delayed applications in the pipeline. Early application advisable.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2021/04/07/travel-news-holidays-covid-traffic-light-system-vaccine-passports/

Just had to get 3 renewed, all around 2 weeks from sending them off to getting them back.

Did mine in a big rush last February as was supposed to be AWAY april and had heard of delays then.
Haven’t used it yet….
Must have been one of the first of the new blue ones though

Did mine at the Post office, took 2 weeks 👍 sadly came back without EU bit on it 😒

Mine ran out in October. Although I knew it probably wasn’t going to get used for a while I renewed it back then. Pretty straightforward did it all online nice and easy to take the photo and upload yourself. Got turned around in 2 weeks and came back in that (very) dark blue colour.

I’m guessing there are a few people who’ve been sat on passports, maybe out of date, and with the possibility of international travel will be rushing to get their passports done now. Which may cause a backlog at the passport office… Didn’t something similar happen early last Summer?

I wish I was that optimistic about the usefulness of passports, and I’ve got two foreign trips booked for this summer.

Had to renew one of ours earlier in the year, took about a week and a half to arrive after completing it online. Didn’t stop the holiday getting cancelled though!

ooooh, that reminds me, mine needs renewing. thanks!

You want to go to Rocketdogs Post office

One benefit of no travel, passport renewal

Mine ran out last year. No desire to travel anywhere soon, but was surprised how useful a passport is as a form of ID (if you have to prove to the civil service you are entitled to live and work in the UK every **** time you move departments)

@MoreCashThanDash – spot on. ID&V for finance is also a right pain without a passport especially if you’re retired and living in a care home like my mum.

I think mine expires in 2026. Do you have to replace it to travel to Europe (when we’re allowed to, of course), or are existing passports ok? Do I have to felt-tip over the ‘EU’ bits?

Apply in Welsh. Always gets processed quicker.

Ah, but then you get a green passport with a red dragon on it…

Maybe I’m special? 🤷‍♂️

Maybe I’m special? 🤷‍♂️ It is in the hands of TNT now though

No plans to travel outside the U.K. anytime soon, but mine ran out a couple of years ago, so it might be worth getting a new one anyway, just in case.

One thing I have picked up on is that you used to be able to renew 6 months early and the validity would continue to the end of this and add the 10 years.

Beware – if this has been done then your passport is only now valid for 10 years from the date of issue and the ‘extension’ won’t be recognised in the EU. I think this was picked up on and no early renewals get the extension, but there will be people out there that renewed years ago that maybe don’t realise they could have an issue in the future.

Or it’s something like that anyway.

I renewed just before first Brexit date, must be amongst the last to have EU on it.

I can come home (I’ve got a double page spread left) Or I can get a new “blue” passport, which takes us here behind the Great Firewall a whole TWO MONTHS (plus any additional processing delays because you lot are getting excited for lying on a beach😂)

You think you’ve got delays….

Ah Telegraph.

So probably just the normal start of holiday season delays and then bald to normal within weeks.

No plans to travel outside the U.K. anytime soon

I can’t wait to go abroad. A whole year of no travel. A whole world out there, waiting to be explored.

Working towards a German one before the UK expires…but I think I will expire before I’m effluent in German.

Not sure where you’re all sending your applications but applied Monday, arrived at passport office Tuesday, this arrived today (Thursday)

Online application and sent old one by courier from Aus’ on 29th March…text from DHL yesterday to say my package is on its way…the irony that my despised blue passport is being delivered by Deutsche Post

“Life is too short to learn German” according to Richard Porson, who I didn’t know was English until a few minutes ago only ever having heard “la vie est trop courte pour apprendre l’allemand”. Mark Twain reckoned you could lean English in 30 hours, French in 30 days and German in 30 years.

My mum’s new passport was 5 days. She’s ever so pleased it’s blue, but I did manage to take the edge off her Brexshit joy by pointing out it was made in Poland by a Dutch company and aren’t those nice Euro types so much more efficient than the old company…

I wish I was that optimistic about the usefulness of passports, and I’ve got two foreign trips booked for this summer.

I’m sure Bo Jo will pull out the stops to make sure you can get on your super spreading world tour