The Department of Immigration wishes to advise the public that the UK Government has confirmed that individuals attempting to renew their BOTC (Bermuda) passports, acquire initial passports, or have their lost or stolen passports replaced can expect delays up to 11 weeks.  

Following a recent spike in clients reporting long wait times to renew passports, the Department contacted the UK authorities, who unfortunately confirmed the 11-week timeframe.

As such, while the Department will continue to accept and process passport applications, the length of time for passports to be returned is outside of the Department’s control.

Additionally, all British Overseas Territories Citizen (BOTC) Bermuda passport holders are reminded of the following:

• Do not book/confirm travel plans unless you have a valid passport
• Generally, passports with a validity of six months or more may be used for travel before there is a requirement to apply for a new passport
• You can apply for a new passport up to four months prior to the expiration of your existing passport
• Strict guidelines apply for the processing of temporary passports in cases of emergency

The BOTC passport application form is only available online at the Department of Immigration on gov.bm.

 The Department wishes to thank the public in advance for their understanding and cooperation.