Holidaymakers planning on travelling abroad this summer are being advised of the current wait times for new passports.
The Department of Foreign Affairs says online applications are the quickest way to get an Irish passport, while applications by An Post can take an average of eight weeks.
Last year saw high demand for new passports, with a record 1,080,000 issued during 2022.
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Ahead of what is expected to be a busy summer for holidays, the DFA has advised people not to book flights until they have their passport.
The current average turn-around times are as follows:
- Simple renewals - 10 working days
- Complex renewals - 15 working days
- First time applications - 20 working days
- Applications by An Post - eight weeks
A spokesperson for the DFA said: “We are issuing over 90% of Passport Online applications within our advertised turnaround times.”
Nearly all Irish citizens can use Passport Online to apply for their first passport or to renew their passport.
When using Passport Online, people submit an online application and then send by post the required supporting documents.
Once it is received, people can then use a Passport Tracker to get updates on its current status.
According to the DFA, most passport applications involve the following five steps:
“Application received: We have received your Passport Online application. We cannot process it until you send us, by post, the required supporting documents.
“Alert: We have received your application. You must submit your supporting documents to proceed with the application.
“Processing application: We have received your supporting documents. We are now verifying these documents.
“Processing application: Your application is being processed.
“Printing: Your Passport book is being printed. Any documents submitted will be returned separately.”
Meanwhile, applications by An Post take significantly longer than Passport Online. The current turnaround time is eight weeks, however the DFA says this is “not a service guarantee”.
People are being advised to use Passport Online if they have travel plans within the next three months.
A standard 10-year passport costs €75 for an adult and €20 for a child.
A passport card costs €35 for an adult and can also be bought as a part of a bundle for €100.
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