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Passports in high demand: Australians face 60% longer processing times

Make sure you check your passport expiry date before you're due to set off on your next international trip, because it turns out that Australians are waiting much longer than usual for their new or renewed passport applications to be processed.

Make sure you check your passport expiry date before you’re due to set off on your next international trip, because it turns out that Australians are waiting much longer than usual for their new or renewed passport applications to be processed.

The international #ArrivalRevival is here, which means a surge in demand for new and renewed passports has dramatically increased, making the wait on your little blue book up to 60% longer than usual.

According to a report by The Guardian Australia, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) has issued more than 275,000 new passports since 1 November. That’s almost triple the number issued compared with the same period a year ago.

“Due to the increased demand [following the reopening of the international border] passports are currently taking longer to process,” a spokesperson for DFAT said.

According to DFAT, the average processing time has increased from 10 business days to 16 business days.

The spokesperson said this processing time was “well short of the timeframe the public are encouraged to renew their passport” – up to six weeks ahead of their planned international travel.

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DFAT did attempt to warn Australians about the predicted influx in October 2021, however, it seems to have had little effect, as passports were essentially useless during this time.

According to DFAT’s analysis, more than 1.3 million people had been putting off renewing their passports due to the international border closures and a further 600,000 delayed applying for their first passport.

It is understood that DFAT has recruited 130 additional new staff, as well as returning large numbers of staff who had been on temporary redeployment.

More staff are also expected to be recruited in the passport department amid expectations of a further increase in demand and to assist in customer satisfaction, as many soon-to-be-travellers have been taking to social media to vent their frustrations at long hold times and processing times.

It is understood that there will be a plan to work through this challenge, which will include sending out email and SMS messages to more than 2.2 million Australians to remind them that their passport has either expired or is about to expire.

The department has also asked for travel and tourism industry professions to assist them in urging customers to renew their passports early.

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