Amid Passport Processing Slowdown, Expedite Options Available In-Country

• Consular processing for overseas applicants has been largely eliminated, however 12-month extensions are still available for overseas British nationals;
• Overseas applicants can apply for or renew British passports by mail, but they may face 6-8 week delays; and
• British nationals can travel to the UK to make use of expedited options for new passports or renewal applications.

Expedited Processing Options 

British nationals who apply for new passports or renewals in the UK are eligible for free temporary expedited processing options. British nationals eligible for the expedited processing options include:

• Those with imminent travel plans but whose in-country passport applications have been delayed due to government backlogs;
• Pending in-country passport applications;
• In-person adult passport renewals; and
• Children’s passport applications filed within the UK.

What This Means for Employers and Foreign Nationals 

Overseas applicants for British passports should check with their immigration professional to consider whether prolonged overseas processing warrants a trip to the UK to apply for an expedited passport in-country. 

As a reminder, one effect of the twelve-month extension of UK passports for overseas British citizens is that such applicants do not qualify for the visa waiver program for travel to the United States. As such, British business visitors to the United States who have extended their passports under this process must instead apply for a B1/B2 visa at a U.S. Embassy. 

This alert is for informational purposes only. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the global immigration professional with whom you work at Fragomen or send an email to [email protected].


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