Edinburgh MP asks Home Secretary to act over passport backlog

Christine Jardine MP for Edinburgh West has called on the Home Secretary Suella Braverman to address the alarming backlog of first-time passport applications.

According to figures obtained by Ms Jardine’s office in a Freedom of Information (FOI) enquiry, nearly 2,000 applicants have been waiting for six months including more than 100 who have been waiting for a year for their applications to be resolved.

Ms Jardine said the enquiry was prompted by the number of constituents in Edinburgh West enduring delays at every stage of their application with many waiting as long as two weeks for the Home Office to even acknowledge receipt of their documents.

Unlike regular passport renewals, there is no system of escalation on offer from the Government for applications that go beyond the Home Office’s own ten-week recommended process time.

Ms Jardine has criticised the delays which are forcing people to “put their lives on hold”.

She said: “It is deeply alarming that so many people are having to wait months with no update and no idea what is happening.

“People are forced to miss out on visiting relatives, attend significant life events and unable to provide proof of identity for education and housing.

“Many of my constituents are facing anxious waits as the system appears to have reached a standstill. It is unacceptable that people are being forced to put their lives on hold especially after going through a lengthy citizenship application process.

“The Home Secretary must ensure that clearing the backlog is an absolute priority and lift this barrier that has impeded so many people across the country for so long.”