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Passport Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 8 February 2022

Tuesday, 8 February 2022

Questions (365, 368)

Catherine Murphy

Question:

365. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a schedule of the time backlogs on all accepted foreign-birth Irish passport applications by country; and the additional resources he has provided and will provide to clear these backlogs. [6180/22]

View answer

Catherine Murphy

Question:

368. Deputy Catherine Murphy asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will provide a schedule of the time backlogs on all accepted foreign Irish passport renewal applications by country; and the additional resources he has provided and will provide to clear these backlogs. [6183/22]

View answer

Written answers

I propose to answer Questions Nos. 365 and 368 together.

The tables below outline the numbers of passport applications on hand with the Passport Service from overseas by country. Table 1 details the number of complete online applications that are with the Passport Service for processing. Table 2 details the number of incomplete online applications that require additional action by the applicant to be completed. This may include the submission of witnessed child identity and consent forms or documents such as birth certificates. These applications cannot be processed by the Passport Service until the required documents are received.

While there is a very high volume of applications in the system, this does not represent a backlog. In January the Passport Service received over 137,000 applications. Figures show that there are currently 76,000 (53%) applications that are fully complete and are being processed by the Passport Service. There are also 67,000 applications (47%) in the system which the Passport Service is waiting for the customer to complete the application.

The current passport processing times are:

- 10 working days for Simple Adult online renewals

- 15 working days for Complex or child online renewals

- 40 working days for First Time Applications on Passport Online

- 8 weeks for An Post’s mail-in “Passport Express” service

Online processing times apply to all online applications regardless of whether they originate in Ireland or overseas. These processing times are in addition to the time it takes for the postal provider to deliver the passport. This can vary depending on the applicant's location.

The Passport Service is facing its busiest year to date with an estimated 1.7 million passport applications expected. This volume of passport applications represents a significant increase from the previous high number of applications in 2019 when 935,000 passports were issued. My Department has been pro-actively planning to ensure the necessary resources are in place to meet this level of demand and is making an unprecedented investment in the Passport Service in terms of additional staff and improvements to the passport processing and customer service systems.

My Department is working with the Public Appointments Service on a major recruitment drive that has been underway for several months. Since June of 2021, over 300 members of staff at all grades have been assigned to the Passport Service. Additional staff are being assigned on a weekly basis with a goal of reaching staff numbers of 900 by the end of March. This represents a doubling of staff numbers over the course of 9 months.

The Passport Service is implementing a number of further measures that will positively impact the current turnaround times and improve customer service:

Intensive training of new staff and upskilling of existing staff is underway to increase the resources that can process complex applications.

The Passport Service is actively prioritising first time applications and directing increased resources to processing these complex applications with a view to reducing the current turnaround time.

A new document management process is being put in place that allows for a much quicker turnaround time when an applicant is asked to submit additional documents. Once these documents are received, they will be prioritised and complete applications will be processed in 3 weeks. This will greatly reduce the waiting time for applicants who are missing documents in their initial application.

In the context of the National Development Plan, my Department is making a major investment in the future of the Passport Service. Over the next couple of years, we will replace the core technology underpinning the service, which will deliver efficiencies and a more resilient passport system. Budget 2022 also included an investment of an additional €10m in passport services in response to the increasing demand for passports both at home and abroad.

We are confident that the measures that have been implemented will help to reduce passport turnaround times in the course of 2022, particularly for first time applications, and will assist the Passport Service in meeting the high demand forecast for this year.

Table 1 - Complete online applications with Passport Service for processing

Country

Adult/Child FTA*/Renewal

Total per category

Total

ALBANIA

Adult Renewal

1

1

ARGENTINA

Adult Renewal

1

1

AUSTRALIA

Adult FTA

292

573

AUSTRALIA

Adult Renewal

46

AUSTRALIA

Child FTA

219

AUSTRALIA

Child Renewal

16

AUSTRIA

Adult FTA

13

19

AUSTRIA

Adult Renewal

2

AUSTRIA

Child FTA

4

BARBADOS

Child Renewal

1

1

BELGIUM

Adult FTA

19

42

BELGIUM

Adult Renewal

6

BELGIUM

Child FTA

14

BELGIUM

Child Renewal

3

BULGARIA

Adult FTA

5

5

CANADA

Adult FTA

308

410

CANADA

Adult Renewal

19

CANADA

Child FTA

75

CANADA

Child Renewal

8

CANARY ISLANDS

Adult FTA

2

6

CANARY ISLANDS

Adult Renewal

1

CANARY ISLANDS

Child FTA

3

CHILE

Adult FTA

2

4

CHILE

Adult Renewal

1

CHILE

Child FTA

1

COLOMBIA

Child FTA

1

1

CROATIA

Adult FTA

1

1

CYPRUS

Child FTA

4

7

CYPRUS

Adult FTA

3

CZECH REPUBLIC

Child FTA

8

11

CZECH REPUBLIC

Adult FTA

3

DENMARK

Adult FTA

17

29

DENMARK

Child FTA

12

ECUADOR

Adult FTA

2

3

ECUADOR

Child Renewal

1

EGYPT

Adult Renewal

2

2

ESTONIA

Adult FTA

1

1

FINLAND

Adult FTA

12

16

FINLAND

Child FTA

4

FRANCE

Adult FTA

176

253

FRANCE

Adult Renewal

4

FRANCE

Child FTA

65

FRANCE

Child Renewal

8

GERMANY

Adult FTA

81

118

GERMANY

Adult Renewal

4

GERMANY

Child FTA

33

GHANA

Child Renewal

2

2

GIBRALTAR

Adult FTA

11

16

GIBRALTAR

Adult Renewal

1

GIBRALTAR

Child FTA

4

GREECE

Adult FTA

8

11

GREECE

Adult Renewal

1

GREECE

Child FTA

1

GREECE

Child Renewal

1

GUERNSEY

Adult FTA

10

11

GUERNSEY

Child FTA

1

HONG KONG

Adult Renewal

1

1

HUNGARY

Adult FTA

4

7

HUNGARY

Adult Renewal

1

HUNGARY

Child FTA

1

HUNGARY

Child Renewal

1

ICELAND

Adult FTA

2

2

INDIA

Adult FTA

2

2

INDONESIA

Child FTA

1

2

INDONESIA

Child Renewal

1

ISLE OF MAN

Adult FTA

32

44

ISLE OF MAN

Adult Renewal

3

ISLE OF MAN

Child FTA

8

ISLE OF MAN

Child Renewal

1

ISRAEL

Adult Renew

1

2

ISRAEL

Child Renewal

1

ITALY

Adult FTA

30

42

ITALY

Child FTA

10

ITALY

Child Renewal

2

JAPAN

Adult FTA

1

2

JAPAN

Child Renewal

1

JORDAN

Child Renewal

1

1

KENYA

Adult Renewal

1

1

LATVIA

Child FTA

1

1

LITHUANIA

Adult FTA

2

3

LITHUANIA

Child FTA

1

LUXEMBOURG

Child FTA

9

17

LUXEMBOURG

Child Renewal

1

LUXEMBOURG

Adult FTA

7

MALTA

Adult FTA

8

13

MALTA

Child FTA

5

MEXICO

Child Renewal

2

2

NETHERLANDS

Adult FTA

46

75

NETHERLANDS

Adult Renewal

6

NETHERLANDS

Child FTA

18

NETHERLANDS

Child Renewal

5

NEW ZEALAND

Adult FTA

81

115

NEW ZEALAND

Adult Renewal

5

NEW ZEALAND

Child FTA

24

NEW ZEALAND

Child Renewal

5

NIGERIA

Child Renewal

1

1

NORWAY

Adult FTA

9

14

NORWAY

Adult Renweal

2

NORWAY

Child FTA

3

PAKISTAN

Adult Renewal

1

1

PANAMA

Child FTA

1

1

PERU

Adult FTA

1

1

PHILIPPINES

Adult FTA

1

2

PHILIPPINES

Adult Renewal

1

POLAND

Child FTA

10

31

POLAND

Child Renewal

7

POLAND

Adult FTA

14

PORTUGAL

Child FTA

13

21

PORTUGAL

Adult FTA

8

QATAR

Child FTA

1

1

ROMANIA

Adult FTA

2

4

ROMANIA

Adult Renewal

2

SAUDI ARABIA

Adult Renewal

1

1

SINGAPORE

Child Renewal

2

5

SINGAPORE

Child FTA

1

SINGAPORE

Adult FTA

1

SINGAPORE

Adult Renewal

1

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Child FTA

2

2

SLOVENIA

Adult FTA

2

2

SOUTH AFRICA

Adult Renewal

7

13

SOUTH AFRICA

Child Renewal

6

SPAIN

Adult FTA

171

225

SPAIN

Adult Renewal

7

SPAIN

Child FTA

43

SPAIN

Child Renewal

4

SWEDEN

Adult FTA

12

19

SWEDEN

Child FTA

7

SWITZERLAND

Adult FTA

40

81

SWITZERLAND

Adult Renewal

3

SWITZERLAND

Child FTA

32

SWITZERLAND

Child Renewal

6

THAILAND

Child Renewal

4

7

THAILAND

Adult Renewal

3

UKRAINE

Child Renewal

2

2

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Child Renewal

8

14

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Adult Renewal

6

UNITED KINGDOM

Adult FTA

8,427

10,393

UNITED KINGDOM

Adult Renewal

326

UNITED KINGDOM

FTA

1,501

UNITED KINGDOM

Renewal

139

UNITED STATES

Adult FTA

1,621

2,096

UNITED STATES

Adult Renewal

56

UNITED STATES

Adult FTA

379

UNITED STATES

Adult Renewal

40

ZIMBABWE

Child Renewal

1

1

14,814

*FTA refers to First Time Applicant

Table 2 - Incomplete online passport applications with applicant for further action

Country

Adult/Child FTA/Renewal

Total per category

Total

AFGHANISTAN

Adult FTA

1

1

ALBANIA

Adult FTA

1

1

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

Adult FTA

1

1

ARGENTINA

Child Renewal

2

2

AUSTRALIA

Child FTA

324

1,065

AUSTRALIA

Child Renewal

222

AUSTRALIA

Adult FTA

420

AUSTRALIA

Adult Renewal

99

AUSTRIA

Child FTA

7

23

AUSTRIA

Child Renewal

7

AUSTRIA

Adult FTA

6

AUSTRIA

Adult Renewal

3

BAHRAIN

Child Renewal

8

8

BARBADOS

Child Renewal

1

1

BELGIUM

Child Renewal

22

51

BELGIUM

Child FTA

12

BELGIUM

Adult FTA

17

BERMUDA

Child Renewal

6

6

BOTSWANA

Child Renewal

3

4

BOTSWANA

Adult FTA

1

BRAZIL

Child Renewal

1

1

BULGARIA

Adult FTA

2

3

BULGARIA

Child FTA

1

CANADA

Adult FTA

274

455

CANADA

Adult Renewal

18

CANADA

Child FTA

108

CANADA

Child Renewal

55

CANARY ISLANDS

Child Renewal

3

12

CANARY ISLANDS

Child Renewal

2

CANARY ISLANDS

Adult FTA

1

CAYMAN ISLANDS

Child Renewal

6

CHILE

Adult FTA

1

1

CHINA

Child Renewal

11

11

COLOMBIA

Adult Renewal

2

4

COLOMBIA

Adult FTA

1

COLOMBIA

Child Renewal

1

CROATIA

Child FTA

1

1

CYPRUS

Adult FTA

10

15

CYPRUS

Adult Renewal

1

CYPRUS

Child FTA

2

CYPRUS

Child Renewal

2

CZECH REPUBLIC

Child FTA

4

12

CZECH REPUBLIC

Child Renewal

4

CZECH REPUBLIC

Adult FTA

3

CZECH REPUBLIC

Adult Renewal

1

DENMARK

Adult FTA

11

20

DENMARK

Child FTA

7

DENMARK

Child Renewal

2

DOMINICA

Child Renewal

1

1

EGYPT

Child Renewal

3

3

ESTONIA

Child Renewal

2

2

FINLAND

Adult FTA

5

10

FINLAND

Child Renewal

3

FINLAND

Child FTA

2

FRANCE

Adult FTA

114

236

FRANCE

Adult Renewal

10

FRANCE

Child Renewal

63

FRANCE

Child FTA

49

GERMANY

Child Renewal

43

131

GERMANY

Child FTA

23

GERMANY

Adult FTA

54

GERMANY

Adult Renewal

11

GHANA

Child Renewal

2

2

GIBRALTAR

Adult FTA

3

8

GIBRALTAR

Adult Renewal

1

GIBRALTAR

Child FTA

4

GREECE

Adult FTA

6

8

GREECE

Child FTA

1

GREECE

Child Renewal

1

GUERNSEY

Adult FTA

7

9

GUERNSEY

Adult Renewal

1

GUERNSEY

Child FTA

1

HONG KONG

Child Renewal

11

16

HONG KONG

Adult Renewal

5

HUNGARY

Child Renewal

3

6

HUNGARY

Child FTA

1

HUNGARY

Adult FTA

1

HUNGARY

Adult Renewal

1

ICELAND

Adult FTA

3

4

ICELAND

Child FTA

1

INDIA

Child Renewal

3

3

INDONESIA

Child Renewal

4

4

ISLE OF MAN

Adult FTA

16

23

ISLE OF MAN

Adult FTA

7

ISRAEL

Child Renewal

4

5

ISRAEL

Adult Renewal

1

ITALY

Adult FTA

16

32

ITALY

Adult Renewal

2

ITALY

Child FTA

9

ITALY

Child Renewal

5

JAPAN

Adult FTA

1

1

JORDAN

Child Renewal

4

4

KENYA

Adult Renewal

3

5

KENYA

Child Renewal

2

KUWAIT

Adult Renewal

1

2

KUWAIT

Child Renewal

1

KYRGYZSTAN

Child Renewal

1

1

LATVIA

Child Renewal

3

4

LATVIA

Adult FTA

1

LEBANON

Child Renewal

2

2

LITHUANIA

Child Renewal

6

9

LITHUANIA

Child FTA

2

LITHUANIA

Adult FTA

1

LUXEMBOURG

Child Renewal

6

12

LUXEMBOURG

Child FTA

3

LUXEMBOURG

Adult FTA

2

LUXEMBOURG

Adult Renewal

1

MACEDONIA

Child Renewal

1

1

MALAWI

Renewal

1

1

MALAYSIA

Child Renewal

2

2

MALTA

Child FTA

2

6

MALTA

Child Renewal

2

MALTA

Adult FTA

2

MEXICO

Child FTA

1

2

MEXICO

Child Renewal

1

MONGOLIA

Child Renewal

1

1

NAMIBIA

Child Renewal

3

3

NETHERLANDS

Child Renewal

30

91

NETHERLANDS

Child FTA

21

NETHERLANDS

Adult FTA

33

NETHERLANDS

Adult Renewal

7

NEW ZEALAND

Adult FTA

98

160

NEW ZEALAND

Adult Renewal

11

NEW ZEALAND

Child FTA

34

NEW ZEALAND

Child Renewal

17

NICARAGUA

Child Renewal

2

2

NIGERIA

Child Renewal

9

12

NIGERIA

Adult Renewal

2

NIGERIA

Adult FTA

1

NORTHERN MARIANA ISLANDS

Adult FTA

1

1

NORWAY

Adult FTA

13

19

NORWAY

Adult Renewal

2

NORWAY

Child FTA

2

NORWAY

Child Renewal

2

OMAN

Child Renewal

1

1

PAKISTAN

Child Renewal

4

8

PAKISTAN

Adult Renewal

1

PANAMA

Child FTA

2

PANAMA

Child Renewal

1

PERU

Child FTA

1

2

PERU

Child Renewal

1

PHILIPPINES

Child Renewal

4

4

POLAND

Child Renewal

27

35

POLAND

Child FTA

5

POLAND

Adult FTA

2

POLAND

Adult Renewal

1

PORTUGAL

Adult FTA

12

26

PORTUGAL

Adult Renewal

3

PORTUGAL

Child Renewal

6

PORTUGAL

Child FTA

5

PUERTO RICO

Child Renewal

1

1

QATAR

Child Renewal

5

6

QATAR

Adult Renewal

1

ROMANIA

Child Renewal

7

12

ROMANIA

Child FTA

1

ROMANIA

Adult FTA

3

ROMANIA

Adult Renewal

1

RUSSIA

Child Renewal

4

6

RUSSIA

Adult FTA

1

RUSSIA

Adult Renewal

1

SAUDI ARABIA

Child Renewal

14

16

SAUDI ARABIA

Adult Renewal

2

SINGAPORE

Child Renewal

14

17

SINGAPORE

Child FTA

3

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Child Renewal

3

4

SLOVAK REPUBLIC

Adult FTA

1

SLOVENIA

Adult FTA

1

1

SOMALIA

Child FTA

1

1

SOUTH AFRICA

Child Renewal

42

63

SOUTH AFRICA

Adult Renewal

21

SOUTH KOREA REPUBLIC OF KOREA

Adult Renewal

1

1

SPAIN

Adult FTA

87

174

SPAIN

Adult Renewal

14

SPAIN

Child Renewal

38

SPAIN

Child FTA

35

SWEDEN

Child FTA

14

28

SWEDEN

Child Renewal

2

SWEDEN

Adult FTA

11

SWEDEN

Adult Renewal

1

SWITZERLAND

Adult FTA

37

91

SWITZERLAND

Adult Renewal

10

SWITZERLAND

Child Renewal

23

SWITZERLAND

Child FTA

21

SYRIAN ARAB REPUBLIC

Child Renewal

2

2

TAIWAN, PROVINCE OF CHINA

Adult Renewal

1

1

THAILAND

Child Renewal

6

6

TOGO

Adult FTA

1

1

TURKEY

Adult FTA

2

6

TURKEY

Adult Renewal

1

TURKEY

Child Renewal

3

UKRAINE

Adult FTA

1

1

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Child Renewal

25

36

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Child FTA

1

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Adult Renewal

6

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES

Adult FTA

4

UNITED KINGDOM

Adult FTA

6,646

9,471

UNITED KINGDOM

Adult Renewal

447

UNITED KINGDOM

Child FTA

1,537

UNITED KINGDOM

Child Renewal

841

UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

Child Renewal

3

4

UNITED REPUBLIC OF TANZANIA

Adult Renewal

1

UNITED STATES

Adult FTA

1,360

2,081

UNITED STATES

Adult Renewal

119

UNITED STATES

Child FTA

358

UNITED STATES

Child Renewal

244

VIETNAM

Child FTA

1

2

VIETNAM

Child Renewal

1

ZIMBABWE

Adult Renewal

2

5

ZIMBABWE

Adult FTA

1

ZIMBABWE

Child Renewal

2

14,655

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