Some passport interviews suspended amid backlog
Interviews for first-time applicants for passports have been suspended in London as staff struggle to deal with the 30,000 backlog of applications, the Home Office has said.
Theresa May: No 'big bang' solution for passport delays
Home Secretary Theresa May has responded to an urgent question from Labour in the House of Commons by saying there was no "big bang" solution to tackle delays in issuing passports. She said the government would take a "series of measures to address pinch points".
She said there was "no single solution" to address a backlog in applications.
Overseas applicants would also be offered a 12 month extension, alongside a free upgrade for urgent applicants, the Home Secretary said in a statement.
Operations will also be reviewed at the passport office, she added.
Shadow Home Secretary Yvette Cooper tabled the urgent question on passports and told the House of Commons the current situation was a "sorry shambles".
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How to fast-track your passport urgently for free
The Home Office has outlined how people who are facing delays to their passport renewal can get it fast-tracked for free.
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What you can do to speed up your passport application
If you are worried about your passport application not being ready ahead of your holidays, there are a few options available to you.
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Passport Office 'in blind panic' as 'backlog' revealed
Photos shown to ITV News appear to reveal the scale of the backlog at the Passport Office, amid staff claims of "blind panic".