Government Statement On Passport Processing
The Ministry of Economy and Labour said that “the Department of Immigration continues processing passport applications and endeavours to complete and send them to Her Majesty’s Post Office [HMPO] for printing as soon as possible.”
A Government spokesperson said, “The public will recall the July 1, 2022, advisory of Bermuda passport processing times of up to 20 twenty weeks and the hiring of more staff to process the high volume of applications. The Ministry can confirm that recruitment began in mid-July, and additional personnel are expected to be hired by the end of August. It is anticipated that with the addition of the new staff, processing times will return to 11 weeks.
“The Ministry can also advise that currently, there are several passports at HMPO awaiting printing. Over the past week, the Department has contacted HMPO, the London Office and the Deputy Governor’s Office to inquire about passport applications. Furthermore, applications for British passports are also taking over 11 weeks.
“While we understand and appreciate these delays impact Bermudians’ ability to plan and book travel, the challenge of processing passports is not unique to Bermuda. However, the Department of Immigration remains committed to resolving these challenges. We ask for the public’s patience and understanding as we work to complete the processing of passports as soon as possible.”
“…recruitment began in mid-July, and additional personnel are expected to be hired by the end of August.” That would be a significant achievement (a miracle even) by the defunct, red tape, tick-every-box,Department of Human Resources.
If new staff in Bermuda will bring the processing time back to 11 weeks, then almost half the current 20 week delay is the fault of Bermuda’s Dept Immigration.
A suggestion for the Dept Immigration… how about picking up the phone and answering it when it rings? Perhaps your customers, the public, would hate you a bit less if you actually answered phone calls.
I agree 100%! They want to hire more staff?? Replace the ones there are NOT coming in to work giving 100% or tell us what the real issue is!
UK passport renewals take 8 weeks round trip.
we will continue to deceive you.
well done voters.
“the Department of Immigration continues processing passport applications and endeavours to complete and send them to Her Majesty’s Post Office [HMPO] for printing as soon as possible.”
Perhaps if you sent passport applications to HM Passport Office instead of the Post Office things would speed up!
The minister forgot to mention that the requirements for travel into St. David’s will be processed as usual!
Why can’t certified copies be used instead of sending the passport with the application? At least then we are able to travel until the new one arrives. Having to send the passport with the application traps us here.
Yup! And that’s exactly what they’re deliberately trying to do. Just another tool in the plandemic
“Just another tool in the plandemic”
NO. It’s been that way for decades. If your old passport is expired when you apply for a new one you do not have to return your ole passport. If your passport is still valid when you apply for a new one, you return your old passport and the Passport Office will clip a corner and return it you defaced.
None of this is new or has anything to do with the pandemic.
Oh for the good old days. I remember when one nice middle-aged lady, Mrs. Lambert was the ONLY person dealing with passports. She helped you fill out your form if you had difficulties and you had your passport, most times the NEXT DAY!
Recently, you have about 20 people replacing her, you (used to) get your passport in 8 WORKING days which was bad enough. One would tell you you from had errors while another would tell you the same form is correct.
Today, our British masters have taken over the printing, replaced BMU with GBR which gives many of us difficulties when travelling, and preventing many from travelling while they take 20 weeks to process your passport.
Time for Bermuda and all the British Territories to demand a return to printing our own passports.
BDOT’s can’t be trusted to do it properly. That’s the issue.
Plus, the delays are due to our own Dept. of Imm.