Passport panic!!!
- Thread starter Greg Barry
- Start date
That's just risible. Only an organisation unexposed to competition could think of the service level they provide, even when they're not striking, as acceptable. The sooner this function is privatised the better.
Also, strikes are supposed to inconvenience management, not the public. Have they considered not charging for passports but still processing them? They might gain the government's attention faster and not remind the public of their gross inefficiency.
Passports are important and valuable national documents. I would prefer that time is normally taken over them...as it is when normal service is in place. I certainly would not want a private company processing such sensitive documents.
It is a pity the OP didn't notice the passport date before last week, I would have thought that all the attention given to the strikes this year would have had everyone double checking theirs? Without checking I can tell you mine expires July 2017...as I've known since I got it...but I travel a lot and my passport is one of my most treasured possessions.
T
tenchi-fan
Guest
I got my passport on Tuesday (5 weeks approx)
Since I applied I understand the wait got even longer.
There is no reason why low-paid, contract staff shouldn't be employed to work through the night issuing passports.. with priority for straightforward cases, tax-payers (after all, workers rely on their 2 weeks off in the summer) and people with Irish birth certs.
Having said that, if I was working in the passport office it would be strictly first come, first serve. From working in a callcentre environment I find I can deal with a lot more straight-forward queries in the same time it takes to deal with one irate customer shouting the odds.
Since I applied I understand the wait got even longer.
There is no reason why low-paid, contract staff shouldn't be employed to work through the night issuing passports.. with priority for straightforward cases, tax-payers (after all, workers rely on their 2 weeks off in the summer) and people with Irish birth certs.
Having said that, if I was working in the passport office it would be strictly first come, first serve. From working in a callcentre environment I find I can deal with a lot more straight-forward queries in the same time it takes to deal with one irate customer shouting the odds.
redchariot
Registered User
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- 594
I am glad that somebody came out and said it. With all the publicity that the passport office crisis has been given in the last few months, everybody should be aware of when their passport is due to expire (mine 2nd August 2015 without looking); well at least they should know if it is due to expire within the next 12 months and be prepared to renew well ahead if this is the case.
I am sorry to hear that the OP had to cancel a holiday but to be honest has only self to blame.
4th estate
Registered User
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- 162
If I sound smug here, I apologise..... but...
I was in Spain on holidays last year, and we went to Seville for an overnight trip. Got to the hotel, they asked for our passports, and of course neither of us had them. Didn't think! Bit of a problem so.
But, I knew the number and expiry date of mine, and the hotel gladly took those details and let us in!
Yes, everyone should know at least the year of expiry, and get the ball rolling.
I got mine renewed recently, and the turnaround was exactly 20 days.
Unless you don't plant to travel, and have an emergency trip to take, there is no excuse for not renewing well ahead. Lessons learnt.
Private companies process sensitive documents all the time - this is not really a valid argument. One example is companies who take away bins of paper for shredding. Presumably with passports the company would be very well vetted if privatisation happened.
dereko1969
Registered User
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- 3,046
Can you clarify why you felt the need to mention this part? Is it just casual racism/xenophobia?
I was born in the UK, have a UK birth cert, both my parents are Irish born and I've lived here since I was 6 months old and you think I should be put to the back of the queue?
You're also stating that unemployed people should be put to the back of the queue too.
It's like the 1930's all over again.....
SlugBreath
Registered User
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- 426
Well maybe not the back but.....
Greg Barry
Registered User
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- 49
RAINDODGER
Registered User
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- 16
Is it quicker to use express post for renewal of childs passport or are you better of attending in person?.
Can go to the cork office.
Any one any idea of the time span?
Can go to the cork office.
Any one any idea of the time span?
I know somebody who got an emergency passport for her daughter issued on the day she turned up at the passport office in Cork ...would have been around April. They were travelling 1 or 2 days later.
They might have been able to get it quick as a judge had granted something to enable getting the passport as the father was un-reachable at the time to give his consent to the child getting a new passport etc.
They might have been able to get it quick as a judge had granted something to enable getting the passport as the father was un-reachable at the time to give his consent to the child getting a new passport etc.
Can you change your flight tickets and hotel accommodation? Of course you are only human, I booked flights last week to go to Portugal in a few days and it was only afterwards I checked my passport and its out of date in a month so I just made it.
We are all busy people and we can't be going around checking this and checking that to make sure that things like passports are kept up to date, why can't the authorities send us a reminder when our passports are coming near to their expiry date like they do the television licence or the car tax.
Passport Reminder Service
www.eforms.gov.ie/reminder/passport/
You may register a number of different passports (e.g. all members of a family) using the one e-mail address (input each individual name and expiry date and click reminder). You will then receive the reminder by e-mail three months before the passport is due to expire and the e-mail will inform you which passport is about to expire
This reminder e-mail will also provide you with links providing details of how you can renew your passport, where to obtain passport application forms, etc.
You can edit your details at any time by clicking on the 'update reminder' link and entering the e-mail address you registered with. You will then be sent an e-mail to this e-mail address. When you click on the link in this e-mail all passports registered under this e-mail address will appear. You can chose to edit, the name, expiry date of passport or the e-mail address for each entry.
http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=81861
The Passport Reminder Service is a service which will send you a reminder by e-mail three months before your passport is due to expire. To register for this service, please click on the link below and input your name, e-mail address and the expiry date of your passport.why can't the authorities send us a reminder when our passports are coming near to their expiry date like they do the television licence or the car tax.
www.eforms.gov.ie/reminder/passport/
You may register a number of different passports (e.g. all members of a family) using the one e-mail address (input each individual name and expiry date and click reminder). You will then receive the reminder by e-mail three months before the passport is due to expire and the e-mail will inform you which passport is about to expire
This reminder e-mail will also provide you with links providing details of how you can renew your passport, where to obtain passport application forms, etc.
You can edit your details at any time by clicking on the 'update reminder' link and entering the e-mail address you registered with. You will then be sent an e-mail to this e-mail address. When you click on the link in this e-mail all passports registered under this e-mail address will appear. You can chose to edit, the name, expiry date of passport or the e-mail address for each entry.
http://www.dfa.ie/home/index.aspx?id=81861
Greg Barry
Registered User
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Well the passport arrived on Monday!! I got a friend to drop it into the cork office and they were true to their work and had it turned around in 20 days. We transferred flights which has doubled the cost of the holiday but at least we are getting away! Thanks for all the imput and thank you papercut for that link!