The Irish Online Passport Renewal Service has been expanded to allow children and ALL Irish citizens to renew passports online, from anywhere in the world!

 

This announcement will prove to be a massive benefit to families, who until now, had to apply for children’s passports manually. Faster turnaround times of 10 working days are expected for all online applications, although Fiona Penollar, Head of the Passport Service says ” we would hope to beat that, currently 12% of all online applications are processed within a day and 50% within one week”. This is a far cry from the delays that were encountered last Summer via Passport Express and can only be seen as great news for Irish travellers. I asked Fiona Penollar a few questions about how all Irish citizens can renew passports online.

 

 

What do I need to apply?

Adults just need a digital photograph, an email address and a debit / credit card. If you are renewing a child’s passport you will  need to verify the identity of children and receive consent of guardians. This comes in the form of a Child Passport Identity and Consent Form, will be generated for printing and witnessing at the end of the online process. This will need to be signed, witnessed and posted back, by freepost, to the passport office. It should be noted that witnesses can now be people who interact with the child and know them and their guardians well, i.e the child’s doctor, school secretary etc.

 

 

How long does it take?

It only takes approximately 10 minutes to apply (once you have your digital photo) and the turnaround time is approximately two weeks plus postage time, depending on where in the world you are living. For children the official turnaround time starts from the time the consent form is received.

 

 

How do I get my digital photo?

You can now take your own photo at home (not a selfie) and upload it directly when applying online. There are conditions to adhere to, i.e you must have a plain cream / white coloured background, not smile etc. You may find you have to take a few photos to get one that will be accepted. 
 

 
You can also get your digital photographs from one of the many Photo-Me booths around the country. They are quick and easy to use and you will receive a unique code which you enter when making your online application. Check out my video below which will show you how easy they really are!  Your local Tesco or Supervalu should have these in place but for more information on photo booth locations please visit www.passportphoto.ie.  Babies will not be able to use the photo-me-booths so they will need to go into their local pharmacy to get their photograph taken. For more info on photo guidelines click here.

 

 

How much does it cost?

The fees for all online applications are being reduced by €5 across all application types.  The standard 10 year passport is €75 and a standard child passport book costs €20.
 

 

If my passport is lost, expired or damaged can I apply online?

Yes. If your passport has expired less than five years ago you can apply online. If your passport has been damaged, lost or stolen you can still apply online however it may take longer than the standard 2 weeks application.

 

 

If I am changing my name from maiden to married name, can I apply online?

Yes the categories for adults renewals have been expanded to include people who are changing their name due to marriage or  divorce.

 

What do I do if I need an emergency passport?

There is a Rapid Renewal service available by appointment at the Passport Service, Mount Street, Dublin for applicants travelling within 3 days. The service is for adults and children renewing their passports.  In the case of children’s passports, both parents must be present when submitting the application. As passports have to be turned around very quickly, the number of appointments are limited. Certain Terms and Conditions apply before booking an appointment on https://www. passportappointments.ie/. It should be noted that this service is not available to people who have already put an application in the system via Passport Express or online. Therefore it is very important that the correct application channel is chosen depending on the intended date of travel.

 

 

More details about the Online Passport Application Service are available at www.dfa.ie/passportonline.

 

Sarah