Passport application reforms due

Changes for applying for a passport come in to force next month.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade warned that from June 30 all postal applications will have to be submitted through the Passport Express service at the post office instead of ordinary or registered mail.

Elsewhere a new appointment service will be in operation at the Passport Office in Molesworth Street, Dublin, for anyone who has to make an application in person because they are travelling at short notice of three to 10 working days.

It warned any customers who are not travelling within 10 working days should use Passport Express and claimed the move will make the service faster, cheaper and more efficient.

An emergency passport will only be issued in exceptional extreme cases, usually in under three days, it added.

The department said the benefits of Passport Express is that passport applications are distinct from other mail, ensuring they reach the office quickly and more securely and that it costs less than ordinary mail.

“You get your passport quicker, with a guaranteed turn-around time (currently 10 working days) for a correctly submitted application,” the department stated.

“You can keep better track of when your passport will be ready and make your travel plans with greater confidence.”

The cost of getting a standard adult passport through Passport Express remains €89, while the equivalent or over-the-counter cost at the Passport Office is €95.