The target turnaround time for Passport Express renewal applications is 15 working days. The target is currently being met despite large volumes of applications. It has been in place for over a year and is communicated very clearly in all An Post promotional materials and on my Department’s website as well as in public communications. My Department also keeps An Post apprised of any fluctuations in the average turnaround time. I would be grateful to the Deputy if he would provide me with details of Post Offices where inaccurate turnaround times are being advised and I will have any such cases examined in conjunction with An Post.
It is very important that applicants choose the most appropriate channel, depending on their individual circumstances. Passport Express should only be used by those who are travelling in three weeks or more. Anyone renewing a passport who needs to travel in under fifteen working days should either apply online or by appointment at the Passport Office in either Dublin or Cork.
The Online Passport Application Service enables adults to renew their passports within ten working days, plus time for postage, without the need for paperwork or witnesses. This is a fast, secure and convenient way to renew a passport and I urge Deputies to encourage all eligible applicants to make use of it.
Anyone whose travel plans do not allow time to apply online or through Passport Express should make an appointment on the Department’s website to submit an application in person at the Passport Office in Dublin or Cork. Applicants who need their applications processed within three working days and have proof of travel pay an additional fee.
Expediting significant numbers of Passport Express applications is not a realistic option. Having staff locate individual applications among the 80,000 or so that are being processed at any one time during busy season is time-consuming and disruptive given the limits of the existing processing system. It would also have possible knock-on consequences for other applicants. It is neither equitable nor operationally efficient to process certain applications ahead of others in the same queue.
I do appreciate that there are situations in which people are faced with genuine emergencies that require them to travel abroad. In limited circumstances, such as the illness or death of an immediate family member abroad, a Passport Express application can be expedited ahead of the fifteen working day target without any additional charge. Anyone who finds themselves in such a genuine emergency and does not have an application already in the system will be accommodated without an appointment at the public offices in Dublin and Cork.
It is best practice in all cases to apply for a new passport in plenty of time and to allow at least six weeks for a passport to be processed in case any issues such as incomplete documentation arise.
First-time applicants in particular should note that their applications will take longer to process due to security considerations and the complex checks involved. This is widely publicised and advised on the Passport Express receipt. At the moment, the average turnaround time for these applications is 24 working days - four days over target.
I strongly advise that applicants check the remaining validity on passports before booking travel, paying particular attention to the validity of children's passports, which are shorter. My Department provides a free e-mail renewal reminder service to all passports holders, available on our website. I urge Deputies to join me in promoting that service so that people can avoid the stress of making last-minute applications.
