With more and more people taking winter breaks abroad in sunny European locations, travel specialists have claimed that online passport renewal procedures are a fast-growing phenomenon.

Home Office executive agency the Identity and Passport Service (IPS) said that comprehensive online facilities made travel much easier, with processes for document renewal likely to take only two weeks.

With the holiday season on its way and many Brits finishing the year with holiday leave still left over, an upsurge in winter breaks has been tipped this year, with Spain always a top destination for sun and relaxation seekers.

Making sure documents are valid can be an off-putting factor for potential holidaymakers, but the IPS said that enhanced online renewal systems like its Check and Send service made things easier.

A spokesperson for the IPS said that Check and Send "offers a basic check of the form, supporting documents, photographs and fee, so it reduces the likelihood of the Identity and Passport Service needing to contact the customer".

She added that the upshot was a waiting time not usually exceeding two weeks, explaining: "The vast majority of customers [go online] because of the convenience and ease of using the system."