Why Australian passports are taking 12 weeks, how to avoid delays

Australians eager to travel overseas are experiencing lengthy delays on passport applications. See why and how you can avoid them.

Australia’s passport service is experiencing “unprecedented high demand”, with a 30 per cent increase in applications causing a month-long backlog.

It comes after reports the standard six-week wait time has almost doubled to 12 weeks.

So how can you avoid the queues?

A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said travellers who needed to travel in less than six weeks could spend an additional $225 to use the Australian Passport Office’s Priority Service.

“The APO’s priority processing service enables their (customers) passport to be ready for mailing or collection in just two business days once the APO has received all the necessary document from Australia Post,” a DFAT spokesperson said.

However that time frame is not guaranteed, with a Queensland mother claiming it had blown out to two weeks, according to ABC News.

Australians eager to travel overseas are experiencing lengthy delays on passport applications. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Martin Ollman

A DFAT spokesperson said it was “experiencing unprecedented high demand” and currently receiving 10,000 to 12,000 applications a day, up from the usual 7000 to 9000 a day.

“We currently have around four weeks of work in the processing queue. This is resulting in longer-than-usual call centre wait times, as well as an increased numbers of customers queuing at our passport offices,” a DFAT spokesperson said.

“We apologise to those customers how have been directly impacted by these delays.”

The spokesperson said the department had brought on extra staff to meet the increased demand and expected “customers will soon start the see a reduction in the current delays over the coming weeks”.

DFAT is advising people to allow up to six weeks to get a new passport or renew it.

“The vast majority of applicants are receiving their passports within the six week time frame,” a DFAT spokesperson said.

“There will, however, always be cases of applications taking longer to process than six weeks. This is because actual turnaround times depend on the type and complexity of individual applications.”

The Australian Passport Office is under the pump, receiving up to 12,000 applications a day. Picture: iStock

A DFAT spokesperson said new applications could take longer than passport renewals, and advised people to start their application online and ensure they submitted all the required documentation in full.

“We often find delays occur when applicants don’t provide all the necessary information or haven’t met other requirements,” a DFAT spokesperson said.

For those who have been waiting longer than six weeks, a DFAT spokesperson said people who urgently needed to travel should contact the call centre. Failing that, they could email the APO at [e-mail].