Simon Hoare, Conservative MP for North Dorset, told Parliament: “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 Passport Office has also struggled with service shortfalls from the contracted courier, TNT.
A Passport Office spokesperson said people were advised to allow up to 10 weeks when applying for a passport.
It said that over five million people had delayed applying for a passport during the pandemic causing a huge backlog.
