Dáil Éireann Debate, Wednesday - 25 May 2022
61. Deputy Michael Fitzmaurice asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will complete an investigation into the way that first-time passport applications are screened for processing in view of the recent long delays; if he will ensure that the applicants will be notified within seven days of submitting the initial application if there is an issue with same; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [26747/22]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Passport Service has recently reduced the turnaround time for first time applications from 40 working days to 30 working days. This 25% reduction in processing times for first time applications is a direct result of the staffing and resources the Department has invested in the Passport Service. The Passport Service is focused on reducing this processing time further in the coming months.
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 (applications received from 19 April)
- 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.
Figures show that of the total number of applications in the Passport Service system, 61% are fully complete and are being processed by the Passport Service. The other 39% of applications in the system are incomplete, which means the Passport Service is waiting for the applicant to submit the necessary documentation required. While the Passport Service makes every effort to contact applicants in such circumstances, their experience is that many applicants take weeks and sometimes months to send in the necessary documents.
The Passport Service is currently experiencing high demand for first time passports, particularly for children. First time passport applications take longer to process than renewal applications and there are a number of reasons for this. First time applications are necessarily complex to process, since, in many cases, they are applications for Irish citizenship. The Passport Service must validate the identity of the applicant and take measures to confirm the applicant’s entitlement to Irish citizenship. It is the statutory responsibility of the Passport Service to protect the integrity of the Irish passport. Accordingly, a rigorous analysis process is in place to verify the identity and citizenship status of first time applicants.
In the case of first time passport applications for children, the consent of guardians must also be thoroughly validated. Due to the intensive analysis and extra measures undertaken by highly trained and experienced staff, first-time applications take 30 working days to process. It is currently not possible for the Passport Service to check first time applications within seven working days of receiving the supporting documents due to the volume of applications that are being received. Applications enter a queue and are checked in order of date received.
The main cause of delays for first time applications is where incorrect or insufficient supporting documentation is submitted by the applicant. The Passport Service encourages applicants to check the requirements for their type of application carefully on my Department's website. The recently updated website includes a new Passport Service section where applicants can easily find out what additional documents are required for their type of application. The Passport Service is also working on public education materials, including video tutorials, with a view to assisting applicants to complete their application correctly. These videos will be shared on social media and will include instructions on submitting consent forms for child applications properly.
The Passport Service is taking a number of steps to deal with increased demand on its services:
- The Passport Service has a comprehensive plan to ensure that adequate staff, accommodation and technology supports are in place to meet expected demand for passports in 2022.
- A major recruitment drive has been underway over the past several months, which has seen the number of Passport Service staff increase by over 300 since June 2021.
- The Passport Service is currently running its own recruitment competition for Temporary Clerical Officers. This recruitment effort will bring staffing numbers to over 900, which represents a doubling of staff compared to June 2021.
- Intensive training of new staff and upskilling of existing staff is ongoing to increase the resources that can process complex applications, such as first time child applications.
- The Passport Service is prioritising first time applications and directing increased resources to processing these complex applications with a view to reducing the current turnaround time. Passport Service staff are working targeted overtime with a particular focus on first time applications.
- A new document management system was put in place at the beginning of March. This aims to improve the processing speed in the Passport Service offices, and subsequent turnaround times for the applicant. One particular feature of the new system improves the processing time for applicants who have been asked to submit additional documents. Once the additional documents are received, they are being prioritised and complete applications can then be processed in 3 weeks. This significantly reduces the processing time, particularly for first time applicants.
I am 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.
I strongly urge anyone who is considering travelling overseas this year, particularly families with young children, to check the validity of their passports before booking travel and to apply for their passports online in plenty of time .
