Passport card delay blamed on manufacturing changes

Changes in the manufacturing process are being blamed for a two-month delay in the new Irish passport card.

The card, which will be accepted for travel within the EU and European Economic Area, will be available from the end of next month.

It is understood the delay was due to the manufacturer finding it necessary to alter the card’s polycarbonate structure to make it more durable. Similar in size to a credit card, it will be issued to all Irish citizens over the age of 18 who hold a valid Irish passport.

The card will be valid for five years or for the remaining validity of a passport book, and will cost €35.

Confirmation of the availability of the passport card was given by Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Charlie Flanagan, when he launched a new passport application guide yesterday.

The guide has been developed in a bid to reduce the tens of thousands of incomplete applications sent to the Passport Office each year.

Mr Flanagan said the Passport Office got 80,000 incomplete applications every year and it was hoped that the guide, available in post offices and Garda stations, would reduce the most common errors and speed up processing times.

In the first six months of 2015, the number of passport applications rose by almost 5% from the same period in 2014, said Mr Flanagan.

Last year, a total of 629,446 passports were issued.

The new guide includes sample screen-shots of the more complex sections of the application form, with information on how to complete them properly.

Mr Flanagan said:

“The new guide has been designed to clarify the process of filling in the passport application form with a view to minimising errors and ensuring that passports are issued as quickly as possible.”

Renewal turnaround time is now 10 to 11 working days.