Passport Office strike 2023: How will the five-week walkout impact your travel plans?
- More than one million passport applications could be delayed for summer
- HM Passport Office staff are striking for five weeks from April 3 to May 5
- Read more: 1,000 Passport Office workers plan five-week strike from Easter
As many as 1million passport applications could be delayed for the summer season – after it was announced that HM Passport Office staff will strike for five weeks from the start of April.
It comes after a ‘significant escalation’ of a dispute over jobs, pay and conditions – as more than 1,000 members will walk out at all seven offices in England, Wales and Scotland, the Public and Commercial Services (PCS) union said.
But what will this mean for you? MailOnline explains how holidaymakers and their travels could be affected in the run up to summer.
More than one million passport applications could be delayed for the summer season – as HM Passport Office staff are set to strike for five weeks from the start of April. [File image]
When are the strikes?
The strikes are set to begin on April 3 and finish more than a month later on May 5.
What should travellers do?
Your passport must be renewed before you travel, either if it has expired or if you do not have enough time left on it.
How much time you need left on your passport to travel depends on the entry requirements of the country you are visiting.
For example, some countries say your passport must be valid up until your stay in that country ends.
Others stipulate it must have at least six months remaining from the day you leave that country.
With rules varying, it is advised to check the government website to make sure you meet all the required regulations of any countries you visit.
There are different rules if your passport has been lost, damaged or stolen.
Where will they take place?
Members will walk out of all seven offices in England, Wales and Scotland, according to the PCS.
These offices are in Durham, Glasgow, Liverpool, London, Newport, Peterborough and Southport.
What effect could the strikes have?
The upcoming walkouts have the potential to increase application and renewal delays, as well as cause holidaymakers travel disruption.
At peak times of the year – including April – HM Passport office can receive as many as 250,000 applications per week.
During the strike, more than one million passport applications are likely to be submitted, according to the Independent.
Some of them may be urgent cases, but it is possible the Fast Track option will be closed down so any available effort can be used to process ‘normal’ applications.
The upcoming walkouts have the potential to increase application and renewal delays, as well as cause holidaymakers travel disruption. [File image]
It comes as demand is steadily rising as the Easter holidays approach, with summer set to be the busiest since 2019.
However, HM Passport Office is still insisting travellers allow 10 weeks for passport applications, including for straightforward renewals.
The one-week Fast Track service currently available – which you can use to renew a passport that has or is about to expire – may see disruption around the upcoming strikes.
It costs £155 for an adult passport (or £166 for a 50 page frequent traveller passport, and £126 for a child passport (or £137 for a 50 page frequent traveller passport).
Those who fall victim to the strikes may miss out on holidays if delays mean they are unable to get a passport on time.
What should holidaymakers do?
Panic about long waits could trigger a rise in unnecessary applications and cause further delays – a problem which occurred after Brexit when the UK Government put out inaccurate information on passport expiry rules for travellers to the EU.
Therefore, making sure your renewal is necessary and following the 10-week guideline for passport applications should ensure you have a passport in time.
Was the strike a surprise?
Not really. There was industrial action on March 16 – at a number of HM Passport Offices – with walk-outs hitting routine work and urgent appointments.
The PCS union revealed production of passports stopped at the Newport office, while interviews for urgent passports were cancelled at Durham and Glasgow.
The union is trying to make its civil service strikes as effective and high profile as possible, in pursuit of a better pay deal.
Can you claim on travel insurance if you miss a holiday because you can’t get your passport on time?
You are expected to have your documents in order and cannot claim back travel insurance for not having a passport.
However, if renewal and application delays become really serious, it is possible some companies will be lenient.
What did the Government say?
A Home Office spokesperson said: ‘We are disappointed with the union’s decision to strike.
‘We are working to manage the impact of strike action, whilst ensuring we can continue to deliver vital services to the public, with comprehensive contingency plans in place.
‘There are currently no plans to change our guidance which states that it takes up to ten weeks to get a passport.’
Meanwhile, Downing Street said ministers would work to ‘mitigate’ the impact of strikes by Passport Office staff, but that there are no plans to change guidance on waiting times for passports ahead of summer.
A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘There are no current plans to change the guidance that people should allow up to 10 weeks to get a passport.
‘The Home Office will work hard to manage the impact of this strike action to ensure they can still provide the vital service to the British public as you would expect ahead of ahead of the summer where we fully acknowledge that many people will want to get away and enjoy the summer with their family.
‘So we will do everything we can to mitigate the impact of the strikes.’
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