Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 1 May 2025
173. Deputy John Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current wait times for the processing of a first-time passport application for a child; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21951/25]
View answer174. Deputy John Connolly asked the Tánaiste and Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade the current wait times for the processing of a first-time passport application for an adult; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [21952/25]
View answerI propose to take Questions Nos. 173 and 174 together.
The Passport Service issued over one million passports in 2024. To date in 2025, the Passport Service has issued over 370,000 passports.
2025 is expected to be another busy year for the Passport Service and my Department is in an excellent position to meet the demand forecasted for the summer season. I am pleased to say that the Passport Service is successfully meeting high demand for passports. Virtually all complete passport applications are being processed within or before advertised turnaround times and over half of adult renewal applications are processed within 2 working days.
With regard to the Deputy's question, the table below provides turnaround times for all types of passport application:
|
Application Type |
Turnaround Time |
|
Online – Simple Adult Renewal |
10 working days |
|
Online – Complex Adult Renewal |
15 working days |
|
Online – Child Renewal |
15 working days |
|
Online – First Time Adult Applications |
20 working days |
|
Online – First Time Child Applications |
20 working days |
|
Post Passport (paper) |
8 weeks |
It is important to note that processing times for first time and complex adult applications, and all types of child applications only begin once the Passport Office receives all supporting documentation required to begin the application. Processing times for these types of applications do not begin when the applicant applies online.
I would ask the Deputy to encourage his constituents to apply for their passports through Passport Online, as the quickest, easiest and most cost effective way to apply for a passport. The Passport Online service allows citizens to apply online for their passport 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Passport Online is an award-winning, user-friendly, efficient service that consistently offers processing times up to four times faster than paper-based passport renewal applications. Passport Online is available to 99.9% of all applicants globally.
