Passport Services

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 24 May 2022

Tuesday, 24 May 2022

Ceisteanna (314, 316, 345, 346)

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

314. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the average wait time for a first-time child passport currently. [26301/22]

Thomas Gould

Ceist:

316. Deputy Thomas Gould asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the estimated number of passports that will have been processed from 1 January to 1 July 2022. [26303/22]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Ceist:

345. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current turnaround times for new passport applications and passport renewals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26514/22]

Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire

Ceist:

346. Deputy Donnchadh Ó Laoghaire asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the current turnaround times for new passport applications and passport renewals in Cork; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26515/22]

Freagraí scríofa

Minister for Foreign Affairs

I propose to take Questions Nos. 314, 316, 345 and 346 together.

The current processing times for passport applications are:

- 10 working days for Simple Adult online renewals

- 15 working days for Complex or child online renewals

- 30 working days for First Time Applications on Passport Online

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

Fully complete and correct online applications are issuing within the estimated processing time. Processing time begins from the date any required supporting documents are received by the Passport Service, not the online registration date. Applications that are incomplete and require the Passport Service to contact the applicant to request new documents, forms or photos will take longer than the average turnaround time.

Since March of this year, the Passport Service has reduced the processing time for first time applications from 40 working days to 30 working days. This processing time includes child first time applications. This 25% reduction in processing times is as a direct result of the unprecedented level of investment that my Department has made in the Passport Service in terms of additional staff and improvements to the passport processing and customer service systems.

All passport applications are processed through the centralised automated passport service system, and are sorted based on application type rather than county of applicant. Passport turnaround times for applicants residing in Cork are the same for those in the rest of the country.

The Passport Service has issued over 480,000 applications so far this year. It is estimated that 750,000-850,000 passports will be processed from 1 January to 1 July 2022.

Question No. 317 answered with Question No. 263.

Question No. 315 answered with Question No. 283.

Question No. 316 answered with Question No. 314.

Question No. 318 answered with Question No. 245.

Question No. 319 answered with Question No. 263.

Question No. 320 answered with Question No. 263.