Good news!
Ireland’s Passport Office has launched a new passport application system that should make the process both quicker and less expensive.
The new measures are an expansion of last year’s development, which made it possible for people over 18 to renew their passport online. The facility has now been expanded so that children can avail of it.
In order to renew a child’s passport online, parents will need a Child Passport Identity and Consent Form, which will need to be both printed and witnessed at the end of the process.
Similarly, the process is now €5 cheaper. Adults who wish to renew their passports online require a “digital photograph” that meets the Department of Foreign Affairs’ guidelines, which can be found here.
A standard adult passport online is €75, while a child’s passport is €20. According to the DFA website, the current turnaround time for online passport applications is eight days (not including postage).
However, it should be noted that the passport renewal service has been out of action since 23 November for scheduled maintenance, as is expected to come back online tomorrow (29 November).
Earlier this year, it was revealed that the Irish passport is the sixth best in the world in terms of visa-free or visa-on-arrival travel to 185 destinations globally.
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