Petition
Introduce a legal time limit for holding passports during visa applications.
Rejected
13 signatures
What the petition asks
Calling on the UK Government to introduce a maximum time limit for retaining passports during visa applications, and to provide a right for applicants to keep their passport unless a physical visa vignette is being issued.
A clear maximum time limit on how long applicants passports can be held during visa application processes to ensure applicants have a practical way to access their passport when needed.
When applying for a digital nomad visa via the Spanish consulate in London passports are retained as part of the process. While checks and verifications are necessary the lack of defined timeframe for holding someone's passport is restrictive leaving applicants unable to live their lives normally while they wait
When applying for a digital nomad visa via the Spanish consulate in London passports are retained as part of the process. While checks and verifications are necessary the lack of defined timeframe for holding someone's passport is restrictive leaving applicants unable to live their lives normally while they wait
Why it was rejected
It asked for something that is not the responsibility of the UK Government or Parliament.
Decisions about the length of time that passports are held for visa applications are a matter for foreign embassies, not the UK Government or Parliament.
Timeline
| 11 Jun 2026 | Petition opened for signatures |
| 14 Jul 2026 | Rejected by the Petitions Committee |
Key facts
Signatures
13
Status
Rejected
Rejected
14 Jul 2026
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Source: the official petition page. Last checked 18 Aug 2026.