Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 20 February 2018
122. Deputy Aindrias Moynihan asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the timeframe for a passport application to be processed through the Passport Office; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [8214/18]
Amharc ar fhreagraAs the Deputy will be aware, the Passport Service provides a range of application channels, each of which is designed to accommodate applicants’ circumstances. These channels include postal, online, and in-person options. The turnaround timeframe for processing an application will depend on the channel through which the application is submitted. The highest proportion of applications are submitted through the Passport Express postal channel.
From 1 January – 16 February, the Passport Service received over 129,000 applications, an increase of 16% on the same period last year. In order to respond to seasonal demands and anticipated application increases, the Passport Service has received sanction for 210 Temporary Clerical Officers (TCOs) this year to be appointed to the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork. Training for the first intake of TCOs has already commenced, with a sizeable proportion already in place. All TCOs are expected to be fully trained and in place by the end of March at latest.
The current average turnaround time for applications submitted through Passport Express is 16 working days. It is expected that the turnaround time will return to the target turnaround time of 15 working day in the coming weeks as more TCOs are trained and placed.
The target turnaround time for the Online Passport Renewal Service is ten working days plus postage. The vast majority of online applications are being processed within 7 working days, well ahead of the target. The online service is fast, secure, convenient and available to adult citizens renewing their Irish passports from anywhere in the world. As take-up of the Online Passport Application service increases, it will enhance overall passport processing capacity and contribute to reducing turnaround times for all channels.
The average turnaround time for postal applications submitted through the Passport Office in London is currently 4 weeks for renewals with a minimum of 7 weeks for first-time applications due to additional security checks. Applicants resident in Great Britain also have the option of submitting Passport Express applications through two selected post offices in Liverpool and Glasgow with applications submitted through this channel taking an average 17 working days to process.
Applications submitted through Irish Embassies and Consulates are currently taking a minimum 6 weeks to process from the date the application is registered at the Passport Office. Delivery times will vary depending on the location of the applicant. I would urge applicants wishing to renew their passports who reside overseas, including Great Britain, to avail of the online passport renewal service where possible.
The Passport Service operates a counter service in both the Dublin (Mount Street) and Cork offices where applicants who need their passport application processed in timeframes shorter than those offered by the Passport Express and online facility can be accommodated in certain circumstances.
In all cases, applicants should not book travel until in possession of a valid passport and should allow plenty of time for a passport to issue in case any problems with the application arise in the course of processing. I am grateful to Deputies for their continued assistance in advising constituents to visit the Passport Service’s webpage on my Department’s website (www.dfa.ie/passport) before applying, and to sign up for our passport renewal reminder service at www.eforms.gov.ie/en/reminder/passport/.
