Passport Application Discussion 2022

brainiacghost · Post by **brainiacghost** » Fri Jul 08, 2022 4:25 am

NFH5 wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:12 am

md301291 wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 07, 2022 10:35 am
I was told via live chat today that first time applications from the UK are running 4-6 weeks behind their estimated issue date.
Is this because passport applications from the UK are handled by Balbriggan as opposed to Dublin?

When I posted my documents to Balbriggan at the end of May, both An Post and Royal Mail subsequently showed that the documents had been delivered to "Dublin". How could this happen? Does Balbriggan sometimes request An Post to redirect ist incoming post to Dublin, for example if their queue of applications is too large?

Balbriggan is a town in county dublin, so it may well be that it's just a quirk of the tracking system!

G Dog · Post by **G Dog** » Fri Jul 08, 2022 7:34 am

NFH5 wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:12 am

md301291 wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 07, 2022 10:35 am
I was told via live chat today that first time applications from the UK are running 4-6 weeks behind their estimated issue date.
Is this because passport applications from the UK are handled by Balbriggan as opposed to Dublin?

When I posted my documents to Balbriggan at the end of May, both An Post and Royal Mail subsequently showed that the documents had been delivered to "Dublin". How could this happen? Does Balbriggan sometimes request An Post to redirect ist incoming post to Dublin, for example if their queue of applications is too large?

It's the same place. The passport office is in Balbriggan, which is in Co. Dublin. There are not two separate passport offices.

NFH5 · Post by **NFH5** » Fri Jul 08, 2022 12:17 pm

G Dog wrote: ↑
Fri Jul 08, 2022 7:34 am

NFH5 wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:12 am

md301291 wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 07, 2022 10:35 am
I was told via live chat today that first time applications from the UK are running 4-6 weeks behind their estimated issue date.
Is this because passport applications from the UK are handled by Balbriggan as opposed to Dublin?

When I posted my documents to Balbriggan at the end of May, both An Post and Royal Mail subsequently showed that the documents had been delivered to "Dublin". How could this happen? Does Balbriggan sometimes request An Post to redirect ist incoming post to Dublin, for example if their queue of applications is too large?
It's the same place. The passport office is in Balbriggan, which is in Co. Dublin. There are not two separate passport offices.

So no postal applications are handled by the following address?

Knockmaun House
42-47 Lower Mount Street
Dublin 2
D02 TN83

https://www.dfa.ie/passports/our-locati ... ing-hours/

G Dog · Post by **G Dog** » Fri Jul 08, 2022 3:05 pm

NFH5 wrote: ↑
Fri Jul 08, 2022 12:17 pm

G Dog wrote: ↑
Fri Jul 08, 2022 7:34 am

NFH5 wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:12 am

md301291 wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 07, 2022 10:35 am
I was told via live chat today that first time applications from the UK are running 4-6 weeks behind their estimated issue date.
Is this because passport applications from the UK are handled by Balbriggan as opposed to Dublin?

When I posted my documents to Balbriggan at the end of May, both An Post and Royal Mail subsequently showed that the documents had been delivered to "Dublin". How could this happen? Does Balbriggan sometimes request An Post to redirect ist incoming post to Dublin, for example if their queue of applications is too large?
It's the same place. The passport office is in Balbriggan, which is in Co. Dublin. There are not two separate passport offices.
So no postal applications are handled by the following address?

Knockmaun House
42-47 Lower Mount Street
Dublin 2
D02 TN83

https://www.dfa.ie/passports/our-locati ... ing-hours/

No...that's just an office. There is one in Cork also. The passports are processed at Balbriggan

JV24 · Post by **JV24** » Sat Jul 09, 2022 9:30 pm

Online application: 16th June 2022
Documents posted: 20th June 2022
Documents delivered: 21st of June 2022
Status changed to processing (verifying documents):
Status changed to processing: 8th July 2022
Status changed to printing:
Status changed to dispatched:
Status changed to passport card being printed:
Status changed to passport card dispatched:
Estimated issue date: 20th July 2022
**UPDATE**
Tracker not updating, telephone call and webchat both confirm documents received and anticipated issue date is 20th July 2022 (crossing fingers and toes)
**Update 9th July 2022**
Tracker finally updated on 8th July 2022 and confirmed estimated issue date as 20th July 2022. The status has changed to “processing application, your application is being processed ”. No mention of received supporting documents or verifying documents. Would anybody know if I have moved on because the tracker was down or at what actual stage the application may now be?

Beatlefan · Post by **Beatlefan** » Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:36 am

First Time Irish Passport submitted from outside Ireland:

Submitted Online Application: 28 March 2022
Application and Support Documents sent via Registered Mail from Boston: 30 March 2022
Documents received at Passport Office in Dublin: 15 April 2022
Status changed to we have received your supporting documents. We are now verifying these documents): 18 April 2022 (Estimated Issue Date of 26 May 2022
Status changed to Processing Application..Your Application is being processed: 26 May 2022

There have been no updates since 26 May 2022. As of 10 July 2022, the estimated issue date is still 26 May 2022.

Since I have never been contacted for more information, and that the status states Processing Application, I assume that it is just waiting to get to the Printing Passport stage.

According to RTE and The Liberal, there is now a 2 Year wait for an Irish Passport for people born outside of Ireland. See links to the two news articles.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/06 ... passports/

https://theliberal.ie/theres-now-a-two- ... -passport/

I was really hoping to visit Ireland later this year or early next year. Now it appears that I may have to wait two years to get my passport.

Does anyone else have any information about this delay? Thanks.

NFH5 · Post by **NFH5** » Sun Jul 10, 2022 8:32 am

Beatlefan wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:36 am
According to RTE and The Liberal, there is now a 2 Year wait for an Irish Passport for people born outside of Ireland. See links to the two news articles.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/06 ... passports/

https://theliberal.ie/theres-now-a-two- ... h-passport

I believe that both of these articles are misleadingly confusing passports with citizenship. The backlog figure of "38,000 applications" sounds like the current backlog figure for foreign birth registrations. Once an FBR certificate is issued, the applicant has to apply separately for the passport.

G Dog · Post by **G Dog** » Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:01 pm

Beatlefan wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:36 am
First Time Irish Passport submitted from outside Ireland:

Submitted Online Application: 28 March 2022
Application and Support Documents sent via Registered Mail from Boston: 30 March 2022
Documents received at Passport Office in Dublin: 15 April 2022
Status changed to we have received your supporting documents. We are now verifying these documents): 18 April 2022 (Estimated Issue Date of 26 May 2022
Status changed to Processing Application..Your Application is being processed: 26 May 2022

There have been no updates since 26 May 2022. As of 10 July 2022, the estimated issue date is still 26 May 2022.

Since I have never been contacted for more information, and that the status states Processing Application, I assume that it is just waiting to get to the Printing Passport stage.

According to RTE and The Liberal, there is now a 2 Year wait for an Irish Passport for people born outside of Ireland. See links to the two news articles.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/06 ... passports/

https://theliberal.ie/theres-now-a-two- ... -passport/

I was really hoping to visit Ireland later this year or early next year. Now it appears that I may have to wait two years to get my passport.

Does anyone else have any information about this delay? Thanks.

It's only a 2 year wait if you're going down the Foreign Births route. It's a lot less for first time applications (although admittedly I had been in the system since 23 Sept last year and my passport only got printed last week).

At the moment, most first time applications seem to be getting processed around 4 weeks after the estimated issue date. Hopefully your tracker will change to printing soon....I'd given up on mine tbh, and when it changed to printing last week I was crying with joy.
Best of luck

NFH5 · Post by **NFH5** » Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:21 pm

md301291 wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 07, 2022 10:35 am
I was told via live chat today that first time applications from the UK are running 4-6 weeks behind their estimated issue date.

Does this affect all applications from the UK or just those with an FBR certificate? What is different about applications from the UK compared to applications from other countries, which could cause a delay? For example, is there a specific team for UK applications who are specialised in validating the various acceptable proofs of name and address ("such as government correspondence like a letter from the NHS, Social Welfare or HM Revenue and Customs")?

G Dog · Post by **G Dog** » Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:31 pm

NFH5 wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:21 pm

md301291 wrote: ↑
Thu Jul 07, 2022 10:35 am
I was told via live chat today that first time applications from the UK are running 4-6 weeks behind their estimated issue date.
Does this affect all applications from the UK or just those with an FBR certificate? What is different about applications from the UK compared to applications from other countries, which could cause a delay? For example, is there a specific team for UK applications who are specialised in validating the various acceptable proofs of name and address ("such as government correspondence like a letter from the NHS, Social Welfare or HM Revenue and Customs")?

I'm in the UK and applied based on an Irish born mother (no FBR). My passport was printed 5 weeks after the estimated issue date. Think that's pretty standard at the moment (on here I have been chatting with people in the US, Canada and Ireland and it seems to be the same for them too).

NFH5 · Post by **NFH5** » Sun Jul 10, 2022 6:30 pm

G Dog wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:31 pm
I'm in the UK and applied based on an Irish born mother (no FBR). My passport was printed 5 weeks after the estimated issue date. Think that's pretty standard at the moment (on here I have been chatting with people in the US, Canada and Ireland and it seems to be the same for them too).

I can understand applications like yours taking longer. Unlike someone applying with an FBR certificate or a naturalisation certificate, both of which are recently-issued documents that instantly prove the applicant's citizenship, proving citizenship derived from a parent involves an additional step.

mads32 · Post by **mads32** » Sun Jul 10, 2022 6:33 pm

So the minister was asked about the tracker being broken last Thursday:

Off Topic

Question:
209. Deputy Michael Lowry asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs the reason that some passport applications are not registering correctly on the passport online tracking service; if he will ensure that all passport applications are registered correctly on the tracker system given that inaccurate information on the online tracker system causes confusion and additional unwarranted stress to applicants and causes additional unnecessary calls to the Passport Office customer service team; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36788/22]

It's a fair question, it is exactly what is going on. I contacted this office 2 times now because my tracker is not being updated. I've seen people with the same issue as me here and they also being contacting the office because of that.

Instead of answering the question the minister just gives a generic ready made response without actually answering the question itself:

Off Topic

I propose to take Questions Nos. 208 and 209 together.

Passport applicants can track the status of their passport application online via the Passport Tracker which is available on my Department's website - www.dfa.ie/passporttracking/. The information available on the Tracker has recently been upgraded and is an excellent guide as to where an application is in the system.

The online Passport Tracker tool provides applicants with an indication of how their application is progressing through the system and gives an estimated issue date based on the current average application processing time. The tracker is updated every two hours between 7am and 7pm.

When tracking their application using the online tracker tool, applicants will receive updates that relate to the current status of their application, such as:

- Application has been received.

- Application has been received. Applicant must submit supporting documents to proceed with the application.

- Supporting documents have been received and are being verified.

- Application is being processed

- There is a problem with the application. An email has been sent to the applicant.

- Passport is being printed.

- Passport has been dispatched.

The “processing application” stage on the Tracker covers the period of time from when supporting documents have been received and verified by the Passport Service until the application is approved. During some of that period the application is in a queue waiting to be reviewed.

On a recent occasion, during the week of 13 June 2022, the Passport Service experienced technical issues with the Tracker, resulting in the registration of some online applications being delayed. These issues were identified as soon as possible and the affected applications have now been updated on the Tracker. The Tracker is now operating as normal.

The Passport Service operates an award-winning online service, which compares favourably with countries such as the United States and the United Kingdom. The recent service improvements implemented by the Passport Service are enhancing the efficient and effective delivery of this essential citizen service. While there are no current plans to update the online Passport Tracker, the Passport Service will continue to consider ways to enhance further the customer experience for citizens, in particular through its ongoing programme of reform.

- "Minister what you gonna do about your broken tracker that multiple people are reporting?"
- "I'm gonna answer this question by saying we have a tracker in this URL here, these are the statuses and it work perfectly doesn't matter what you say ok thanks bye."

This is incredibly frustrating because there's no accountability whatsoever.

Beatlefan · Post by **Beatlefan** » Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:16 am

NFH5 wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 10, 2022 8:32 am

Beatlefan wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:36 am
According to RTE and The Liberal, there is now a 2 Year wait for an Irish Passport for people born outside of Ireland. See links to the two news articles.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/06 ... passports/

https://theliberal.ie/theres-now-a-two- ... h-passport
I believe that both of these articles are misleadingly confusing passports with citizenship. The backlog figure of "38,000 applications" sounds like the current backlog figure for foreign birth registrations. Once an FBR certificate is issued, the applicant has to apply separately for the passport.

Thanks for you reply. I hope you are correct. I really don't want to wait 2 years for my passport.

Beatlefan · Post by **Beatlefan** » Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:20 am

G Dog wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:01 pm

Beatlefan wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:36 am
First Time Irish Passport submitted from outside Ireland:

Submitted Online Application: 28 March 2022
Application and Support Documents sent via Registered Mail from Boston: 30 March 2022
Documents received at Passport Office in Dublin: 15 April 2022
Status changed to we have received your supporting documents. We are now verifying these documents): 18 April 2022 (Estimated Issue Date of 26 May 2022
Status changed to Processing Application..Your Application is being processed: 26 May 2022

There have been no updates since 26 May 2022. As of 10 July 2022, the estimated issue date is still 26 May 2022.

Since I have never been contacted for more information, and that the status states Processing Application, I assume that it is just waiting to get to the Printing Passport stage.

According to RTE and The Liberal, there is now a 2 Year wait for an Irish Passport for people born outside of Ireland. See links to the two news articles.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/06 ... passports/

https://theliberal.ie/theres-now-a-two- ... -passport/

I was really hoping to visit Ireland later this year or early next year. Now it appears that I may have to wait two years to get my passport.

Does anyone else have any information about this delay? Thanks.
It's only a 2 year wait if you're going down the Foreign Births route. It's a lot less for first time applications (although admittedly I had been in the system since 23 Sept last year and my passport only got printed last week).

At the moment, most first time applications seem to be getting processed around 4 weeks after the estimated issue date. Hopefully your tracker will change to printing soon....I'd given up on mine tbh, and when it changed to printing last week I was crying with joy.
Best of luck

Thanks for you reply. I hope you are correct. It has already been more than 6 weeks since the estimated issue date of 26th May.

G Dog · Post by **G Dog** » Mon Jul 11, 2022 6:48 am

Beatlefan wrote: ↑
Mon Jul 11, 2022 3:16 am

NFH5 wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 10, 2022 8:32 am

Beatlefan wrote: ↑
Sun Jul 10, 2022 5:36 am
According to RTE and The Liberal, there is now a 2 Year wait for an Irish Passport for people born outside of Ireland. See links to the two news articles.

https://www.rte.ie/news/ireland/2022/06 ... passports/

https://theliberal.ie/theres-now-a-two- ... h-passport
I believe that both of these articles are misleadingly confusing passports with citizenship. The backlog figure of "38,000 applications" sounds like the current backlog figure for foreign birth registrations. Once an FBR certificate is issued, the applicant has to apply separately for the passport.

Thanks for you reply. I hope you are correct. I really don't want to wait 2 years for my passport.

Trust me, you won't. You're at the end of your process and hopefully the status will change to printing soon. This time last week I felt exactly like yourself, then just as if given up the status changed to printing. Best of luck

NFH5 · Post by **NFH5** » Tue Jul 12, 2022 7:26 am

An Post delivered my supporting documents to the Passport Service on 27/05/2022. At that time, the Passport Service stated at https://www.dfa.ie/passports/turnaround-times/ that the turnaround time for "First time applicants" was "30 Working Days", which it subsequently reduced a couple of weeks later to "25 Working Days". Today is 31 working days since my supporting documents were delivered. My estimated issue date is 12/07/2022 (today), but my application is still on the processing stage.

Yesterday I used the WebChat to ask:

"It says at https://www.dfa.ie/passports/turnaround-times/ that "first time applicants" are currently taking 25 working days. Mine has been 30 working days so far. I have two questions:

1. Why is my first time application taking longer than other first time applications?

2. If the current turnaround time is not the stated 25 working days, what is the current turnaround time?"

They responded "The answer is that we are receiving a large number of applicants and your passport will be with you in due course I cannot tell you when it will be here you will just have to wait"

I responded "That doesn't add up. If the volume of applications is increasing, why have you reduced the advertised turnaround time from 30 working days to 25 working days?"

The agent then terminated the chat. I asked another agent, who similarly terminated the chat. It seems that if you ask a difficult question, they terminate the chat.

G Dog · Post by **G Dog** » Tue Jul 12, 2022 8:17 am

NFH5 wrote: ↑
Tue Jul 12, 2022 7:26 am
An Post delivered my supporting documents to the Passport Service on 27/05/2022. At that time, the Passport Service stated at https://www.dfa.ie/passports/turnaround-times/ that the turnaround time for "First time applicants" was "30 Working Days", which it subsequently reduced a couple of weeks later to "25 Working Days". Today is 31 working days since my supporting documents were delivered. My estimated issue date is 12/07/2022 (today), but my application is still on the processing stage.

Yesterday I used the WebChat to ask:

"It says at https://www.dfa.ie/passports/turnaround-times/ that "first time applicants" are currently taking 25 working days. Mine has been 30 working days so far. I have two questions:

1. Why is my first time application taking longer than other first time applications?

2. If the current turnaround time is not the stated 25 working days, what is the current turnaround time?"

They responded "The answer is that we are receiving a large number of applicants and your passport will be with you in due course I cannot tell you when it will be here you will just have to wait"

I responded "That doesn't add up. If the volume of applications is increasing, why have you reduced the advertised turnaround time from 30 working days to 25 working days?"

The agent then terminated the chat. I asked another agent, who similarly terminated the chat. It seems that if you ask a difficult question, they terminate the chat.

What you have to remember is that the estimated issue date is just that...an estimate. There is a high volume of applications at the moment, and the timelines they advertise are those which are anticipated but are not always achievable. Your own timeline seems pretty normal. I have been in the system since 23 Sept last year for a first application, and only got approved last week....it felt like they kept on finding excuses to justify any delay - they paused my application saying I had sent photocopies although I had sent original documents and so on. It's very frustrating, but one thing I have learned is that nothing happens fast at the passport office and it's just a waiting game unfortunately.

NFH5 · Post by **NFH5** » Tue Jul 12, 2022 8:21 am

G Dog wrote: ↑
Tue Jul 12, 2022 8:17 am
What you have to remember is that the estimated issue date is just that...an estimate. There is a high volume of applications at the moment, and the timelines they advertise are those which are anticipated but are not always achievable.

My query is not so much about the estimated issue date, which is clearly stated as being an estimate. I'm querying why they are reducing the advertised turnaround time from 30 to 25 working days, when at the same time the WebChat agents are saying that turnaround times are increasing due to a high number of applications.

G Dog · Post by **G Dog** » Fri Jul 15, 2022 11:51 am

Well...it's been a long and frustrating journey, but now it's finally over for me. After my online first time application on 23/09 last year and being in the system since then, I'm now sat here with my Irish passport book and card in my hand. Now it's time to sort out FBR for my daughters.
Best of luck to everyone still waiting.....I know it's a frustrating process as nothing moves quickly at the passport office, but you'll get there in the end

IrishAl · Post by **IrishAl** » Mon Jul 18, 2022 7:53 pm

Applying for my 1st passport and have applied online.

At the stage to send of verification documents but wondering about at whatvstage they call the witness. Mine is a teacher who is now on holiday for the summer until the 15th Augist. Don't want to send docs off too early so that they miss the call and the application goes to the bottom of the pile. Ideally looking to send so try and get a call on the week beginning 15th August.

Hope that all makes sense!

kishan295 · Post by **kishan295** » Tue Jul 19, 2022 7:41 am

Hello,

How long does it take to get your original passport back?
Do they send with the acknowledgment receipts?

Thank you

md301291 · Post by **md301291** » Tue Jul 19, 2022 8:02 am

IrishAl wrote: ↑
Mon Jul 18, 2022 7:53 pm
Applying for my 1st passport and have applied online.

At the stage to send of verification documents but wondering about at whatvstage they call the witness. Mine is a teacher who is now on holiday for the summer until the 15th Augist. Don't want to send docs off too early so that they miss the call and the application goes to the bottom of the pile. Ideally looking to send so try and get a call on the week beginning 15th August.

Hope that all makes sense!

I'd send your application now. if you have a look at the timeline thread you'll see there's virtually no chance a call will be missed prior to 15th August. I don't know where in the process contact with the witness is made, but my suggested issue date was 06/07 and mine still hasn't been called.

AmiVera2022 · Post by **AmiVera2022** » Tue Jul 19, 2022 8:35 am

Hi all, hope you’re well. I’m going to apply for my first Irish passport and I’m reading from the post above about a witness? Can you explain to me how it works?

G Dog · Post by **G Dog** » Tue Jul 19, 2022 11:49 am

kishan295 wrote: ↑
Tue Jul 19, 2022 7:41 am
Hello,

How long does it take to get your original passport back?
Do they send with the acknowledgment receipts?

Thank you

I got my Irish passport last week, and all of the original documents were returned the same day, but posted separately. They don't send them back until the process is complete.

G Dog · Post by **G Dog** » Tue Jul 19, 2022 11:51 am

AmiVera2022 wrote: ↑
Tue Jul 19, 2022 8:35 am
Hi all, hope you’re well. I’m going to apply for my first Irish passport and I’m reading from the post above about a witness? Can you explain to me how it works?

When you apply you will supply photographs and the form sent to Dublin. The witness is to confirm your identity and that the person on the form matches the person on the photos.

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