People have been urged not to delay in applying for a British passport and to allow more time for it to be processed.

While it is still illegal to holiday overseas and the “Stay in the UK” regulation remains in place, Her Majesty'd Passport Office is urging people to apply for a passport now so that nothing can stand in their way when they can.

During the pandemic, Her Majesty’s Passport Office has seen a significant drop in the number of people applying for passports.

Director General of Her Majesty’s Passport Office, Abi Tierney, said: "It is vital those who may need to apply for a new passport do so now. If you have delayed renewing your passport or are applying for the first time, please apply now so you can receive it in good time.

"Our dedicated staff work tirelessly to ensure that passport applications are processed as quickly as possible.

"This new advice will help to ensure that we continue to meet the travel plans of our customers during any period of the very highest passport demand."

Her Majesty's Passport Office added that while all applications will be processed as quickly as possible, people should now allow up to 10 weeks when applying for their British passport to help manage this demand.

Her Majesty’s Passport Office will be sending text messages to people whose passports are nearing expiration to let them know to allow more time when they renew.