** ALL ** Passport Related Questions in here! Please Read Post#1 first!

Skid X

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Troll Clip

Zero trolling,

Plenty of people are getting standard online passport renewals in a few days.

First time applications take much longer, as they have always done.

BorneTobyWilde

Why do first timers take so long? What exactly is going on with the process?
What are they looking into exactly/

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Caranica

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Applied a month ago, still no sign of it. First timer.

How long am I likely to wait for it, and would I know if there was a problem? Would they call if there was an issue?

29 working days for first time applications at the moment so about another fortnight to go

quad_red

Skid X wrote: »

Zero trolling,

Plenty of people are getting standard online passport renewals in a few days.

First time applications take much longer, as they have always done.

Ours isn’t a first time application. It’s a child’s renewal which you can’t do online. A lot of people on here in same position. If we’d had the option to do it online we would have.

We did it through Passports ‘express’ at the post office as instructed.

HONKEY TONK

BorneTobyWilde wrote: »

Troll Clip

Why did you think he was trolling?

This was my online Renewal time frame for both a book and card.

This is also including the fact I submitted on a Saturday



28/04/2018 - Saturday - 10min after completing online form
Printing
Your Passport Book is being printed

01/05/2018 Tuesday Passport Book posted
Dispatched
Your Passport Book was posted on 01/05/2018

01/05/2018 Tuesday Passport Card Printing
Printing
Your Passport Card is being printed

Passport Book arrived Wednesday - Passport Card Arrived Thursday

All in All it took 4 working days for me to receive both my Passport book and Card

kerten

Probably have been asked many times.

I have booked our flight departing at 30th May and silly me applied for first passport of a newborn on 27th April without checking turnaround times.

Now I just checked tracking site and issue date seems to be 12th June.

Is it possible to get the application to be processed faster if I forward my bookings to office or call in to office personally? E-mail and webchat is not working at the moment.

Really appreciate any advice on this matter.

Thanks!

Freer141

Freer141 wrote: »

Applied for my daughters passport on 23rd of March they received it on the 26th and gave me an estimated issue date of 30/04 but still no sign and we fly on the 10th.

I’ve been to the Dublin office twice to at least find out one way or the other if we can get it in time but no luck as yet. They have said we just need to wait on the call from the passport office.

The Online tracker has been stuck on processing since then. Big lesson learned to be way ahead of their turnaround times.

Just following up on the below. Got a call today from them after going on Webchat again to say they were trying to contact the school principal who is obviously on Mid-term break.

Then we had an issue with them trying to contact the Garda Station (no surprise there) then they couldn’t reach the solicitor who signed some legal forms for us either.

Finally after hours of running around trying to get in touch with these people our solicitor was able to take the call and we were told we could collect our passports tomorrow (the day before we fly)

Just thought I would come back and let you all know the outcome as I saw little of that when I was unsure wether I would get it or not.

My advice is go into the passport office at least twice as if you aren’t on top of it they won’t see the need to rush either. All in all the staff were very nice to deal with it’s just the process can be stressful but that was my own fault entirely.

Tilikum17

Hello All,

Not sure if this is where I should put this thread but anyway.....

My friend is living in London. He was due to come home this weekend. He applied for the express passport 3 weeks ago, as they told him it would take two weeks at the most. Now 3 weeks later - no passport has arrived.

Is there any point going to the Irish embassy in London? Or is there nothing that can be done?

Mint Sauce

It took about 4-5 weeks for my passport to arrive this time last year, and I applied here in Ireland, also through Passport Express.

Has he rang them with his travel plans? If no joy, maybe fly or take a route that does not require a passport. Aer Lingus one example.

munchkin_utd

Indeed. It’s an urban myth that you need a passport (as an Irish or uk citizen) to go between ireland and uk.
You don’t.
Ryanair want a passport, and make you go to Stansted, both things you can avoid if you choose any other operator or means of travel to get between ireland and Britain .

coylemj

munchkin_utd wrote: »

Indeed. It’s an urban myth that you need a passport (as an Irish or uk citizen) to go between ireland and uk.

All good in theory but far from an 'urban myth' for the OP's friend if his ticket is with Ryanair.

Natibaby

HONKEY TONK wrote: »

Why did you think he was trolling?

This was my online Renewal time frame for both a book and card.

This is also including the fact I submitted on a Saturday



28/04/2018 - Saturday - 10min after completing online form
Printing
Your Passport Book is being printed

01/05/2018 Tuesday Passport Book posted
Dispatched
Your Passport Book was posted on 01/05/2018

01/05/2018 Tuesday Passport Card Printing
Printing
Your Passport Card is being printed

Passport Book arrived Wednesday - Passport Card Arrived Thursday

All in All it took 4 working days for me to receive both my Passport book and Card

You can't apply online if under 18 yrs of age. I applied online for myself last year, it took 7 days from application to receiving my passport. Great service. Have recently applied for 3 children's passports through passport express my estimate due date of completion is 29 working days.

Caranica

By the end of the year you'll be able to renew children's passports online. This should make things significantly more efficient

munchkin_utd

coylemj wrote: »

All good in theory but far from an 'urban myth' for the OP's friend if his ticket is with Ryanair.

There was no mention of any ticket being already bought, so from that starting point you just need to choose a means of transport that doesn’t require a passport, which is anybody but Ryanair.

To answer the original question, you can ring the embassy and maybe they will have info on the situation but essentially they are powerless as the passport office in Dublin now processes all the biometric passports with chip.
The most they can do is issue an emergency 1 year passport (€30 + postage + a possible €70 quick turnaround fee) but for that price you could pay for the bus or train ticket.

Inchinc7

I'm about to head up to Dublin passport office. Kids' passports due to be issued tomorrow but tracker says 'processing' still. We're travelling next week and I'm panicking here. They are aware of travel dates but I guess that doesn't mean anything. Any advice?

Caranica

Inchinc7 wrote: »

I'm about to head up to Dublin passport office. Kids' passports due to be issued tomorrow but tracker says 'processing' still. We're travelling next week and I'm panicking here. They are aware of travel dates but I guess that doesn't mean anything. Any advice?

Contact your TD and it should be sorted. No point in going in

Hurrache

My kid's application was received mid April and took 15 working days from the day it was received to the day it was dispatched so not too bad in the end.

FurBabyMomma

My application was received on 6th April, due to be issued 27th April. It's a child's renewal, which cannot be done online. I waited hours on chat last week to be told they would contact me 'if possible'. We travel next week, which I informed them of.

I've already been bumped from no. 32 back to 38 in queue this morning (as also happened last week). Up to 27 now.

munchkin_utd

Caranica wrote: »

By the end of the year you'll be able to renew children's passports online. This should make things significantly more efficient

thats great !
I'll be interesting to see how that works, because I presume the automatic biometric recognition would have issues determining that a 5 year old is the same person as the one in the photo from their passport when they were 4 weeks old.

Still and all, its insane to be filling forms and getting signatures and real photos, and sending them in physically when at the other end someone has to take all that paper and then type in the details and scan the photos.
The more preparation work the applicant does, removing manual tasks from the passport office, the more time staff have to make decisions and approvals.

treascon

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

My application was received on 6th April, due to be issued 27th April. It's a child's renewal, which cannot be done online. I waited hours on chat last week to be told they would contact me 'if possible'. We travel next week, which I informed them of.

I've already been bumped from no. 32 back to 38 in queue this morning (as also happened last week). Up to 27 now.

I had the exact same scenario as you with exact same dates. Received the passport on 1st May. Is there an issue I wonder? If so you would think they would contact you particularly when you are travelling soon

Mimikyu

This post has been deleted.

godtabh

Captain Morgan wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

Had to collect a kids renewal last week. I got an update of printing between progressing and collection. Only updated for collection on the day it was due for collection.

FurBabyMomma

treascon wrote: »

I had the exact same scenario as you with exact same dates. Received the passport on 1st May. Is there an issue I wonder? If so you would think they would contact you particularly when you are travelling soon

Hi treascon, I actually contacted them on 1st May and they added the travel dates to my application. I spent 85 mins waiting online this morning (said average wait til 23mins40, ha!) and had a 35min conversation with the online agent to basically be told that I would be contacted if a date for collection would become available, that I am not to go to the passport office. I have requested to be contacted asap if it can be sent out by post, given I am 6 months pregnant and have 2 toddlers so traveling up to Dublin will be a nightmare. I'm so stressed out and can't understand why people applying after me have received their passports much quicker. 23 working days now.

Inchinc7

Inchinc7 wrote: »

I'm about to head up to Dublin passport office. Kids' passports due to be issued tomorrow but tracker says 'processing' still. We're travelling next week and I'm panicking here. They are aware of travel dates but I guess that doesn't mean anything. Any advice?

Apparently, our passport applications haven't even been checked by anyone yet even though they're in there 6 weeks! Have to wait for phone call, might be ready Monday to pick up. Put us on priority list. We'll see how it goes...

FurBabyMomma

So for those of you whose passports were stuck in processing when you were due to travel, what would your advice be? Just show up at the public office in Dublin next Tuesday? Did you successfully get it issued in person? Did you make an appointment or just arrive and take a ticket?

kf2010

Inchinc I'm in a similar situation to you. Due to be issued tomorrow, tracking still says processing. Have got no help on chat other than they've noted it on my application that im travelling mid next week. I don't know what to do at this stage. I am thinking of just showing up at the passport office tomorrow anyway.

Inchinc7

kf2010 wrote: »

Inchinc I'm in a similar situation to you. Due to be issued tomorrow, tracking still says processing. Have got no help on chat other than they've noted it on my application that im travelling mid next week. I don't know what to do at this stage. I am thinking of just showing up at the passport office tomorrow anyway.

My friend is flying on Friday and she went up to the office yesterday. She just got a call to pick up passport tomorrow. So that makes me hopeful. The guy I dealt with was really nice and said I'd done all I can do at this point. Am worried in case there are any issues though, if there are, I'm fecked.

I do think the passport office should say something like apply 8 weeks or even 10 weeks in advance. It's now 30 working days for a first time application. I've seen so may posts and tweets from people in the same boat as us, thinking that we had enough time. The system is seriously flawed.

I was only waiting at the office for 30 minutes to get seen. It was just the getting up and down to city centre took half the day.

kf2010

Thanks for the reply! What time did you go in there at? I will be waiting with a small baby but can't get in there for 9!

Inchinc7 wrote: »

My friend is flying on Friday and she went up to the office yesterday. She just got a call to pick up passport tomorrow. So that makes me hopeful. The guy I dealt with was really nice and said I'd done all I can do at this point. Am worried in case there are any issues though, if there are, I'm fecked.

I do think the passport office should say something like apply 8 weeks or even 10 weeks in advance. It's now 30 working days for a first time application. I've seen so may posts and tweets from people in the same boat as us, thinking that we had enough time. The system is seriously flawed.

I was only waiting at the office for 30 minutes to get seen. It was just the getting up and down to city centre took half the day.

Inchinc7

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

So for those of you whose passports were stuck in processing when you were due to travel, what would your advice be? Just show up at the public office in Dublin next Tuesday? Did you successfully get it issued in person? Did you make an appointment or just arrive and take a ticket?

You just take a ticket when you get there. I was there about 12ish today, not busy. Waited about half an hour to be seen. I think you can only make an appointment for new applications. I have to wait for call, could be Monday before I hear. I said I could collect. I had advised my travel dates via webchat a month ago and confirmed this, again via webchat, about a week ago. This seemed to be news to the guy I dealt with.

It's all very frustrating, but I'm trying to be optimistic. I have avoided mentioning holidays to my small kids in case I don't get them on time.

FurBabyMomma

Inchinc7 wrote: »

You just take a ticket when you get there. I was there about 12ish today, not busy. Waited about half an hour to be seen. I think you can only make an appointment for new applications. I have to wait for call, could be Monday before I hear. I said I could collect. I had advised my travel dates via webchat a month ago and confirmed this, again via webchat, about a week ago. This seemed to be news to the guy I dealt with.

It's all very frustrating, but I'm trying to be optimistic. I have avoided mentioning holidays to my small kids in case I don't get them on time.

Oh heck, I won't be able to travel to Dublin 2 days in a row!!!! I hope they would be able to issue it on the day or I'm screwed. It's so unfair to put the fault back on the consumer when they are the ones giving out flawed timelines.

coylemj

munchkin_utd wrote: »

There was no mention of any ticket being already bought, so from that starting point you just need to choose a means of transport that doesn’t require a passport, which is anybody but Ryanair.

You're ignoring the bleedin' obvious simply to make a pedantic point. The OP posted at 6 p.m. on a Tuesday that his friend is coming to Ireland next weekend. He applied for a passport three weeks ago and is anxious that it hasn't shown up and the OP is wondering if it would be worth his (the frend's) while going to the Irish embassy.

So with all that circumstantial evidence, you assume that he has not yet purchased a ticket and all you can do is tell him to chose an airline other than Ryanair.

Inchinc7

kf2010 wrote: »

Thanks for the reply! What time did you go in there at? I will be waiting with a small baby but can't get in there for 9!

Hiya kf2010 and FurBabyMamma. I was there around 12. Wasn't busy that time of day. I was afraid I'd be waiting hours but I took a ticket for passport enquiries and my number came up after about half an hour. The passports are printed in Balbriggan, not the Mount Street office you have to go to. So I doubt that you could get it the same day. But that's just based on my experience this week, I could be wrong. I don't know how quick they can turn them around when it's really urgent.

I sent numerous emails, direct messages on Twitter, wasted hours on webchat and never once got through on the passport office number. It's a real inconvenience having to go in but for the sake of my stress levels I had to! I just hope it was worth the trip up. I'll keep you posted. I've found this thread really useful.

McMurphy

Just an update here, I applied online for a renewal at roughly 7.30pm(ish) yesterday evening, 8th of May.

It has been posted out to me already (9th of May) according to the site at about 445pm today.

I am impressed.

Well impressed.

kf2010

Mine is a first time passport for a child :-( - in 29 working days now. The timeframe given when I sent everything in in March was 23 working days. All they say when I eventually get through on the chat is they have noted my travel date. Does not seem to make much of a difference! Will see how I get on at the passport office tomorrow. If they gave more realistic time frames or more details on the trackings other then just saying "processing" for the last 6 weeks, it would make life a lot easier!!

masculinist

Ive been going crazy trying to find out how to save a fare price for 24 hours and give them 2.50 euro for the privilege .

Where is the button for this ? I cant see it at any stage from searching for flights to payment . Its like their website has gotten worse and worse

steve-o

When are you planning to travel? It's only offered if you are booking at least 14 days in advance.

Merkin

Inchinc7 wrote: »

You just take a ticket when you get there. I was there about 12ish today, not busy. Waited about half an hour to be seen. I think you can only make an appointment for new applications. I have to wait for call, could be Monday before I hear. I said I could collect. I had advised my travel dates via webchat a month ago and confirmed this, again via webchat, about a week ago. This seemed to be news to the guy I dealt with.

It's all very frustrating, but I'm trying to be optimistic. I have avoided mentioning holidays to my small kids in case I don't get them on time.

Hey there, don't have time to go over the thread but like you, have two small very excited kids and our estimated wait window is about seven weeks through Passport Express and not 20 working days. I've written to them but nothing....they're estimating we will get them the day we are due to fly

Did you make an appointment to go in or did you just go in, take a ticket, and see someone? I want to be as proactive as possible as we've paid for our holiday in full and as it stands my husband is the only one with a valid passport right now!!

Thanks!

Inchinc7

Morning Merkin, I didn't make an appointment. We are flying next week and passports are due today. Been processing for 6 weeks so got very nervous and went in yesterday around 12. You just take a ticket for passport enquiries when you walk in. Appointments are only for new applications as far as I know. I was told to keep an eye on tracker but I would hear on Monday about collection if I haven't received them by then. You can see more from my last few posts, but that's the jist of it. I don't know what happens if your travel dates are further out though.

Merkin

Inchinc7 wrote: »

Morning Merkin, I didn't make an appointment. We are flying next week and passports are due today. Been processing for 6 weeks so got very nervous and went in yesterday around 12. You just take a ticket for passport enquiries when you walk in. Appointments are only for new applications as far as I know. I was told to keep an eye on tracker but I would hear on Monday about collection if I haven't received them by then. You can see more from my last few posts, but that's the jist of it. I don't know what happens if your travel dates are further out though.

Thanks a million for that! I think I'll
go in over the next few weeks as it'll be too stressful! Am quite vexed as they shouldn't say passport express is within 20 working days, confirm this on their turnaround guidelines, then not only delay the whole process unnecessarily but have the temerity to be incommunicado for queries! Grrrrr!

You're a star! Def worth going in to eyeball them methinks!

Have a fab holiday!

FurBabyMomma

Johnny Dogs wrote: »

Just an update here, I applied online for a renewal at roughly 7.30pm(ish) yesterday evening, 8th of May.

It has been posted out to me already (9th of May) according to the site at about 445pm today.

I am impressed.

Well impressed.

Yeah, I was told by chat that online is prioritised. I would have definitely done it online had it been an option, but it's not with a child's passport as yet.

I am going to try to call them tomorrow as I'll probably travel up Monday at this rate if I get no satisfaction, although it will be a bloody nightmare.

BorneTobyWilde

If there was a problem with a first time application would they call to tell you, or let you wait for months on end for a passport.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Inchinc7

Just got a call from a lovely lady in the office half an hour ago. Our passports are approved and being put in post. Will have them Monday morning. I can get back to holiday planning and stop panicking. Issue date was today anyway but I do think going in made a difference.

SweetCaliber

steve-o wrote: »

When are you planning to travel? It's only offered if you are booking at least 14 days in advance.

Yes, You can hold the fare up to 14 days before the day of travel.

Essentially, if your trying to hold the fare today, the travel date has to be the 24th May or after.

https://www.ryanair.com/ie/en/useful-info/help-centre/faq-overview/hold-fare#0-1

gillytotsxxx

Hey there
Just wondering has anyone applied for a passport card?
And roughly what is the turnover period?
Cheers

FurBabyMomma

Passport office switched off their phone lines the second it hit 9am this morning. I'm back in the chat queue. Started at 31, moved up to 26 and then got bumped back to 33. I am beyond upset and angry at this stage, especially as everyone I've spoken to has got their passport back in the timeframe given. 5 weeks into a supposed 3 week timeframe given by them, two flags on my account and the renewal is still processing. It's beyond ridiculous.

FurBabyMomma

I'm now properly upset. After nearly 90 minutes bouncing around in the chat queue I finally go through, only to be told the same thing - someone will be on contact 'if' collection is available.

I begged for someone to just give me a call to tell me what the hold-up is in my application, given others have their passports and I was basically told I shouldn't have booked my holiday until I had the passport and the chat was terminated!

I didn't book my holiday until I was given an issue date by Passport Express and we're now 2 weeks beyond that date, so I didn't leave too short a gap either.

I just feel really treated shoddily, when this is a service I had to pay extra for, given I left extra time and given others who applied in the same circumstances have their passport long ago without having to spend hours on chat. I just wanted to be treated with a bit of courtesy.

meeeeh

Would you contacting Pricewatch (Irish Times). He had an article about the hassle of applying for kids passport and your story might tie in with the whole issue. At this stage I think you should explore all possible options. It's a terrible service, I don't care how busy they are.

SusanC10

FurBabyMomma wrote: »

I'm now properly upset. After nearly 90 minutes bouncing around in the chat queue I finally go through, only to be told the same thing - someone will be on contact 'if' collection is available.

I begged for someone to just give me a call to tell me what the hold-up is in my application, given others have their passports and I was basically told I shouldn't have booked my holiday until I had the passport and the chat was terminated!

I didn't book my holiday until I was given an issue date by Passport Express and we're now 2 weeks beyond that date, so I didn't leave too short a gap either.

I just feel really treated shoddily, when this is a service I had to pay extra for, given I left extra time and given others who applied in the same circumstances have their passport long ago without having to spend hours on chat. I just wanted to be treated with a bit of courtesy.

At this point I would do all 3 of the following:-

- Physically Go to the Passport Office
- Contact your local TD
- Contact Conor Pope at Pricewatch for the Irish
Times.