Lockhart meets Home Office Minister to urge passport action plan

“In recent months, my office has dealt with several hundred passport application issues,” the Upper Bann MP commented.

“The biggest complaint being the time between submitting an application, and holding your passport in your hand.”

While guidance from the Home Office has been changed from a six-week to 10-week expected turnaround, people are receiving their passport outside of this timeframe.

“It is simply too long for this process to take,” Ms Lockhart stated.

“Whilst I have helped many people secure passports this year, I have a number of constituents who missed their holidays because of the delay in processing passport applications.

“Therefore, we need to see urgent steps put in place to clear the backlog, and restore a reasonable timeframe for applications.

“My message to the government was clear - enact a clear action plan now to bolster resources in the Passport Office network.

“Let us get back to the six-week timeframe as a first step, along with the fast track option being restored.

“Both these steps would transform the service and ensure no one misses their summer holidays this year because of a passport application backlog.”

The Upper Bann MP welcomed the minister’s actions so far but said “more must be done”.