The British consulate in Hong Kong issued 1,065 emergency passports between January and June this year at a charge of HKD1,280 each to their citizens, meaning the government has made a total of HKD1,363,200 so far off the documents.
The SCMP uncovered this information through a request under the UK’s Freedom of Information Act. The British consulate in Hong Kong has in fact issued more emergency passports than any other diplomatic mission in the first half of this year.
There have been a lot of angry Brits in Hong Kong amid lengthy delays in the process for British passport renewals, which were caused by the shutting down of overseas passport offices at the end of last year.
With people having to wait up to four months for their new documents, Brits with imminent travel plans were forced to fork out extra money for emergency travel documents.
Up to 500,000 passports are stuck in the backlog, which is being cleared at a snail’s pace. The Foreign and Commonwealth office has declined to comment on why the Hong Kong consulate in particular has issued so many emergency passports.
Photo: Shaun Clark via Twitter
