People have been urged not to delay in applying for a British passport due to huge demand after the pandemic.
While it is still illegal to holiday overseas and travel regulations remains in place, waiting times are now up to 10 weeks as applications have tripled.
During the pandemic, HM's Passport Office has seen a significant drop in the number of people applying for passports. In a normal year it processes around seven million passport applications, however in 2020 just over 4 million people applied for their passport.
Overseas travel is currently banned but as restrictions continue to ease, people are looking to booking summer holidays.
The change in rules means industry experts are expecting a surge in demand as people rush to file passport applications as holiday bans are lifted in the UK.
Director General of Her Majesty’s Passport Office, Abi Tierney, said: "It is vital those who may need to apply for a new passport do so now. If you have delayed renewing your passport or are applying for the first time, please apply now so you can receive it in good time.
"Our dedicated staff work tirelessly to ensure that passport applications are processed as quickly as possible.
"This new advice will help to ensure that we continue to meet the travel plans of our customers during any period of the very highest passport demand."
Her Majesty’s Passport Office will be sending text messages to people whose passports are nearing expiration to let them know to allow more time when they renew.
Applying online is the cheapest and easiest way to obtain your passport.
