The number is about half a million more than in a normal year, according to police. This is because many people applied for new passports at around the same time, in 2022, when more people started travelling again after the pandemic.
The Police Authority is now releasing more bookable appointments and advising people to apply for a new passport within the next few months - even if the old one is still valid.
“There are plenty of available times,” says Paul Larsson, head of department in the service department, in a press release.
