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Passport Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 19 October 2021

Tuesday, 19 October 2021

Ceisteanna (508)

Emer Higgins

Ceist:

508. Deputy Emer Higgins asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if consideration will be given to renaming passport express to reflect the fact that is the only postal method of passport application and as such is much slower than online applications and renewal; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [50976/21]

Amharc ar fhreagra

Freagraí scríofa

My Department fully recognises that Passport Express, and Northern Ireland Passport Express, continue to be a vitally important channel for applicants who do not wish to use the online system or who have limited digital skills.

The current turnaround times for Passport Online is 10 working days for Simple Adult renewals, 15 working days for Complex renewals and 40 working days for First Time Applications. The current turnaround time for Passport Express applications which have been completed correctly is 8 weeks.

The Passport Express channel was created in partnership with An Post’s Swiftpost option to provide customers with a passport application option through their local Post Office. As such, the Passport Service cannot change the name of this service.

Passport Online will continue to be the priority channel given the efficiencies that are in-built into the system for both the applicant and the Passport Service. The processing of an online application is consistently up to four times faster than the processing time of a paper application. In addition, currently the use of Passport Online can facilitate social distancing, given that a renewal application for an adult does not require the signature of a witness.

Passport Online can be accessed by all first time applicants, irrespective of age  both children and adults, in Ireland, Northern Ireland, Great Britain, Europe, Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the USA. All Irish citizens, including children, can use the online system to renew their passports from anywhere in the world.

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