Thousands of families could miss out on sumemr holidays they have booked due to continued delays at the Passport Office.

Renewals of passports have been taking much longer than anticipated, with some failing to arrive before the departure date of some flights.

The Guardian reports that the Home Office is urging travellers to get their passport applications in “as soon as possible” as the new 10-week processing target is repeatedly being breached.

Travellers have been left hundreds of pounds out of pocket because of being unable to fly after their new passports failed to arrive in time. Some had been waiting up to five months from application.

Dorset Echo: Many people could miss out on holidays due to the delay (PA)Many people could miss out on holidays due to the delay (PA)

There have been complaints levied at processing errors, customers service being difficult to get ahold of and a lack of appointments for the premium-price fast-track service.

Others claim that their applications were delayed or even terminated because the Passport Office failed to log supporting documents.

According to the Home Office, more than 5 million people have applied for passports after the ending of Covid restrictions.

The introduction from the EU of a passport needing at least three months’ validity remaining to travel has added to the pressures.

Simon Hoare, the Conservative MP for North Dorset, spoke to Parliament on the problem and said: “Constituents going abroad for a family funeral, for a holiday or for business reasons are not getting through to the office, and are lied to by officials when they do."

The Guardian add in their report that the Passport Office that it had processed a record nmber of applications in March and more stff were being recruited from a private contractor to help with the situation.