Now that the UK passport issuing service in Lisbon has been closed, all British passport applications from both Portugal and Spain are being handled by a single centre, the British consulate-general in Madrid. Straightforward application with correctly submitted supporting documents will continue to be processes within 10 working days of receipt at the British Consulate General Madrid. The foreign office has entered into an agreement with the Spanish/Portuguese courier company, Bpack/Expresso 24, who have undertaken to deliver new passports within 24-48 hours of leaving Madrid. To ensure that passports and other documents remain secure Bpack/Expresso 24 collected a signature from the applicant or a family member at the time of delivery. There is a flat rate so that applicants in Portugal pay the same as people in Spain. In partnership with Barclaycard, applicants can pay by credit or debit card (Visa and master card) only. Emergency applications from holidaymakers who have lost or had their passport stolen are still being processed by the Consulate in Portimão (Algarve). In defending the decision to stop issuing British passports in Lisbon, Mr. Holloway, said it was part of a modernization process in the interest of economy and efficiency.
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