Sheffield newly-wed bride misses honeymoon after finding out her passport wouldn’t arrive on her wedding day

A bride was left heartbroken on her wedding day after discovering she would not be able to go on her honeymoon as her passport would not arrive in time.

Daniella Cheetham, aged 27, had ordered a new passport in March to ensure her married name would be on it.

But she found out on her wedding day she would not be able to get it in time.

What has the bride said?

Speaking to our sister title The Star, Mrs Cheetham said: “Even though it was my wedding day I was heartbroken.

“We haven’t been on a holiday with just us two without the kids. It was what we needed with the year after Covid.”

The couple had been given assurances by the passport office that it would arrive in time.

Have the couple been left out of pocket?

Daniella and her husband, Matt, have been left out of pocket by the whole affair after passport office assurances she would get her passport meant they didn’t cancel their honeymoon in time for a refund.

She said: “Easyjet said there was nothing they could do and we had to scrimp and save to even afford this holiday.

“We haven’t rebooked because we couldn’t afford it.”

Says the government is “failing” holidaymakers

Daniella got in contact with her MP, Louise Haigh, who is also Labour’s Shadow Transport Secretary, about the 12 week wait for her passport.

Ms Haigh said the government was failing holidaygoers.

She added: “From processing passports to getting people through airports, this hapless Tory government are so mired in scandal and chaos they can’t even get the basics right.”

But the wedding was still a “magical day”

Despite the bad news, Daniella still enjoyed a “magical” wedding day to her then-fiancee.

She said: “It was such a lovely day. It was the best day we could have asked for. It went just as we planned it, it was really, really lovely.”

Can I fast track my passport renewal application?

There are some premium and fast track services for those who need a passport urgently, but these appointments have limited availability and high demand.

There is more information regarding the application process on gov.uk.

The one week fast track applications cannot be done online, so you will need to get a paper application form from a Post Office.

You will then need to book an appointment online and pay.

It costs £142 for an adult passport, or £152 for a 50 page frequent traveller passport and £122 for a child’s passport, or £132 for a 50 page frequent traveller passport.

Then you should fill in your application form and gather any documents before your appointment.

At your appointment, you will need two identical printed passport photos, the completed paper application form and supporting documents.

How long should passports take to arrive?

The government website says that you should allow up to 10 weeks to receive your passport.

However people have been experiencing longer waits as a result of the backlog caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and travel restrictions.

The number of people applying for passports has increased significantly, as over 5 million people deferred their applications in 2020 and 2021, according to the HM Passport Office.