Hundreds queue through the night to try and get a passport in time for their holiday
HUNDREDS queued through the night to try to get a passport in time for their holiday. Kate Carty, 43, said dozens were waiting at the Liverpool passport office when her daughter joined them at 3am. One had a sign reading: “Flying today 8pm! Do something.” The queue was so bad that staff opened up an […]
HUNDREDS queued through the night to try to get a passport in time for their holiday.
Kate Carty, 43, said dozens were waiting at the Liverpool passport office when her daughter joined them at 3am.
One had a sign reading: “Flying today 8pm! Do something.”
The queue was so bad that staff opened up an hour early.
Kate, whose 19-year-old daughter was due to fly to Portugal at 8pm last night, said: “It’s been an utter shambles.
“We’re supposed to be going as a family and all our passports came through but hers didn’t.
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“She queued from 3am on Saturday and was told 12 hours later to go home after failing to even get in the building.
“She went back at 3am on Sunday and has just got in the building.
“We’re praying she gets it.”
Kate said she applied for her daughter’s passport 11 weeks ago and opted for the fast-track service.
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The family of four should have flown to Faro from Manchester Airport.
Kate, of Manchester, said: “Even if they manage to sort her passport, she has to travel back to Manchester and to the airport three hours early for check-in.
“We expect it’ll be another shambles at the airport.
The delays come after a huge backlog in processing times, with travellers now expected to wait ten weeks for a new passport to be issued.
The Government has seen a surge in applications as five million delayed applying for a new one during the pandemic.
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Home Office minister Kevin Foster urged people to submit new passport applications and renewals as soon as possible.
He said: “We’re confident we will not need to change the ten-week target.”