Sweden's Ambassador in London addresses Swedish passport customers in the UK.
Dear passport customers,
The Embassy continues to face a very high demand for new passports. The reasons for this are many: Brexit, which resulted in an increased need for passports for Swedes residing in the UK; the pandemic that meant that many postponed renewing their passports; and lately, also the difficulties to get a passport appointment in Sweden.
I want to assure you that our staff works very hard and does their absolute best based on the resources available and current conditions. However, the need for passport appointments far exceeds what the Embassy is able to offer. Unfortunately, this will continue to be the case for the foreseeable future, as the Embassy will not receive more resources.
I, therefore, ask you to appreciate the difficult position we are in, even if the situation may feel frustrating. Our staff at the consular section must be given space to devote as much time as possible to process applications for passports and coordination numbers. The less time that has to be spent answering questions whose answers can also be found on our website, the more applicants can be assisted.
I would also like to ask for politeness in contacts with our staff: at the Embassy, by phone and email, and on social media. Abusive language and attacks on individual staff members are never acceptable. It also takes time and energy away from our work and ultimately means that fewer passports can be issued.
We also work continuously to review our routines to make the processing as smooth and efficient as possible. As of July we have stopped releasing appointments for passports and coordination numbers at fixed times and instead release times continuously. In this way, we hope that the systems will no longer be overloaded and more people will be given a fair chance to book an appointment.
Best regards,
Mikaela Kumlin Granit
Sweden's Ambassador in London
