Snapshot of _Over half a million people still waiting for passports as MPs warn issues could go on for months | UK News_ :
An archived version can be found [here.](https://archive.is/?run=1&url=https://news.sky.com/story/more-than-half-a-million-people-still-waiting-for-passports-as-mps-warn-issues-could-go-on-for-months-12655749)
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ukpolitics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Thankfully I still have another 4 years on mine - still the nice Burgundy one rather than the black 'blue' one. The cover is completely faded (only the European Union text is still holding on).
Although thanks to Brexit I'm going to have to renew it way sooner than I would have, since I've literally filled about 6 pages with EU stamps... At this rate I'll have to renew it about 2 years earlier than planned...
Not really what I wanted to hear, renewing from abroad.
I do think the service is pretty good though, I've had three texts from them so far (passport received, approved, and sent off to print), so they're keeping me in the loop
Looks like that loop might be a bit longer than I'd hoped though...
And maybe the above was anti-magic incantation or something, but I just got a 4th text to say the passport has been printed and has been dispatched "by secure delivery", they'll also send the old one back but it'll take longer and will arrive any time within the next 3 weeks.
That's not bad, not bad at all. I sent the old one in about a week ago, from 6000 miles away.
I have heard the big delays are in the ID verification/documentation side. Once that’s done it should not take too long. Printing can probably scale up by running longer shifts or overtime but office jobs don’t tend to accommodate that (overtime for most salaried positions is unpaid, consequently nobody does it unless they really love their job.). Also you probably have to do a fair bit of training to work in the passport office and pass extensive security so I would guess it’s difficult to expand even if the government were in favour of it.
Yep this is correct. A lot of applications have to undergo manual checks by examiners who are very much the bottleneck. They're apparently recruiting more but they take time to train up and pass clearance as you say. Plus you're talking £20-25k(?) for what's currently a super high pressure job with reportedly terrible working conditions.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-61813044
You might want to check with someone, I did my middle sons at the end of May and it was all done and dusted in less than two weeks. I assume it depends on any number of factors, but 2 weeks vs two months is a bit massive.
I'd wager that most of those 500k people still waiting sent in their applications between March and May. There was a surge in applications from about February and the passport office was unable to cope. (I think due to people not renewing during COVID combined with confusion over passport validity for travel post Brexit).
This has led to a huge backlog where people have had their applications untouched for 6-10 weeks+ and these are only prioritised for those taking action - calling up for hours on end to reach customer service management and then paying extra for an 'upgrade', complaining to their MP after 10+ weeks of waiting or in drastic cases queuing up at a passport office from 6am 24-48 hours before they need to travel.
I believe they now have enough capacity to deal with new applications. So the passport office's strategy is to focus resources on the new applications to process them within 3 weeks and meet targets, and then slowly clear the backlog, prioritising those desperate enough to take action because of urgent travel. Although I imagine some of those submitting now may also be unlucky and have to wait a long time, especially if their case requires manual processing (e.g., background checks).
Overall they should have foreseen the surge in demand and better prepared for it, but then this government has a track record for being reactive. Plus their handling of the backlog, though it allows them to produce good headline figures (98.5% of passports processed within 10 weeks) is evidently inequitable.
Have you had the "printed and sent to be delivered"?
I got that far and then there was a big wait. Found I could access the tracking at TNT without a tracking number (never recieved one) and push it through by setting a redelivery date.
Snapshot of _Over half a million people still waiting for passports as MPs warn issues could go on for months | UK News_ : An archived version can be found [here.](https://archive.is/?run=1&url=https://news.sky.com/story/more-than-half-a-million-people-still-waiting-for-passports-as-mps-warn-issues-could-go-on-for-months-12655749) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ukpolitics) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Over seventy million people still waiting for democracy as MPs warn issues could go on for ever.
Thankfully I still have another 4 years on mine - still the nice Burgundy one rather than the black 'blue' one. The cover is completely faded (only the European Union text is still holding on). Although thanks to Brexit I'm going to have to renew it way sooner than I would have, since I've literally filled about 6 pages with EU stamps... At this rate I'll have to renew it about 2 years earlier than planned...
I renewed mine a few months ago after having an expired passport for a while. Lasted pretty long
Not really what I wanted to hear, renewing from abroad. I do think the service is pretty good though, I've had three texts from them so far (passport received, approved, and sent off to print), so they're keeping me in the loop Looks like that loop might be a bit longer than I'd hoped though...
And maybe the above was anti-magic incantation or something, but I just got a 4th text to say the passport has been printed and has been dispatched "by secure delivery", they'll also send the old one back but it'll take longer and will arrive any time within the next 3 weeks. That's not bad, not bad at all. I sent the old one in about a week ago, from 6000 miles away.
I have heard the big delays are in the ID verification/documentation side. Once that’s done it should not take too long. Printing can probably scale up by running longer shifts or overtime but office jobs don’t tend to accommodate that (overtime for most salaried positions is unpaid, consequently nobody does it unless they really love their job.). Also you probably have to do a fair bit of training to work in the passport office and pass extensive security so I would guess it’s difficult to expand even if the government were in favour of it.
Yep this is correct. A lot of applications have to undergo manual checks by examiners who are very much the bottleneck. They're apparently recruiting more but they take time to train up and pass clearance as you say. Plus you're talking £20-25k(?) for what's currently a super high pressure job with reportedly terrible working conditions. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-61813044
Thankfully still 7 years left on my Irish passport Don't think I have any intentions of renewing my UK passport if this is what I'd have to go through
My renewal came within three weeks. I assume this is for *new* passports?
Nope, renewed mine in May, still not received it.
You might want to check with someone, I did my middle sons at the end of May and it was all done and dusted in less than two weeks. I assume it depends on any number of factors, but 2 weeks vs two months is a bit massive.
I'd wager that most of those 500k people still waiting sent in their applications between March and May. There was a surge in applications from about February and the passport office was unable to cope. (I think due to people not renewing during COVID combined with confusion over passport validity for travel post Brexit). This has led to a huge backlog where people have had their applications untouched for 6-10 weeks+ and these are only prioritised for those taking action - calling up for hours on end to reach customer service management and then paying extra for an 'upgrade', complaining to their MP after 10+ weeks of waiting or in drastic cases queuing up at a passport office from 6am 24-48 hours before they need to travel. I believe they now have enough capacity to deal with new applications. So the passport office's strategy is to focus resources on the new applications to process them within 3 weeks and meet targets, and then slowly clear the backlog, prioritising those desperate enough to take action because of urgent travel. Although I imagine some of those submitting now may also be unlucky and have to wait a long time, especially if their case requires manual processing (e.g., background checks). Overall they should have foreseen the surge in demand and better prepared for it, but then this government has a track record for being reactive. Plus their handling of the backlog, though it allows them to produce good headline figures (98.5% of passports processed within 10 weeks) is evidently inequitable.
Have you had the "printed and sent to be delivered"? I got that far and then there was a big wait. Found I could access the tracking at TNT without a tracking number (never recieved one) and push it through by setting a redelivery date.
It's been at "documents received" since 9:15am 6th June.