Passport delays explained - and how you can fast track your application

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Thousands of Scots are expected to catch up on holidays this year as international travel resumes to an almost pre-pandemic normality.

Lockdowns and Covid restrictions meant that many people put their trips abroad on hold over the past two years. But these restrictions are finally easing across the globe - including in Scotland, where travellers are not required to test or show proof of vaccination when re-entering the country.This has resulted in a large number of people booking summer holidays this year.

Co-op Insurance has said that it has seen the number of people taking out travel policies between January and April this year more than double compared to the same period in 2019.

But Scots in need of a new passport have been met by delays in recent weeks as many seek to take advantage of easing restrictions.The number of people applying for their passports or submitting their renewal forms dropped over the past two years during the Covid pandemic.