Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 18 November 2020
90. Deputy Niamh Smyth asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the services being provided by the Passport Office at present in view of Covid-19 to process passport applications; if an outline of same will be provided; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [37356/20]
View answerThe Passport Service has paused processing of routine applications while Ireland is at Level 5 of the National Framework for Living with COVID-19.
The Passport Service continues to provide an emergency passport service for Irish citizens at home and abroad. The service is available for those who are required to travel due to the death or serious illness of a family member or because the applicant requires emergency medical treatment.
Applicants who require a passport for emergency purposes, or to travel for urgent reasons, should contact the Passport Service via our Customer Service Hub Webchat function on our website.
The Passport Service has a comprehensive plan in place to resume all services, in line with the National Framework for Living with COVID-19. This provides for the resumption of processing of routine applications received via the online service at Level 4. The Passport Service plans to resume processing of routine paper based applications such as Passport Express, Northern Ireland Passport Express and applications for Foreign Birth Registrations at Level 3.
