Broken printer causing major new passport delays

Just months after thousands of Aussies were sent into passport limbo, a new issue is leaving desperate travellers in tears.

A broken printer has sparked major new passport delays, throwing tens of thousands of Victorians’ travel plans into chaos.

The Herald Sun can reveal there are further delays to passports being issued because of a “printing issue” at the Melbourne office.

Frustrated travellers, who have been waiting up to 15 weeks for their identity document, were turned away from the Australian Passport Office on Tuesday empty-handed.

The Herald Sun saw hundreds of people lined up, with some leaving in tears as their travel plans were grounded.

One woman – who was meant to head overseas on Tuesday evening – begged staff for help but was turned away.

Claire Kanaan with her daughter Sufia, 2. Picture: Josie Hayden

Anxious callers to the passport office call centre were told staff could not “escalate” cases until a week before travel. If their cases couldn’t be resolved, they were told to attend the office three days before their planned travel.

Sources told the Herald Sun a passport printer was broken and responsible for the delay. Many would-be passengers confirmed they were told a “printing error” was the issue.

It comes after thousands of Australians were sent into passport limbo in recent months due to a lack of staff.

Back then, it was a minimum 10-week wait, but now it has ballooned out to at least 14 weeks.

James, from Melbourne’s west, who is meant to be travelling overseas this week, said the situation was “extremely nerve-racking” after waiting more than 10 weeks for his daughter’s passport to arrive.

“It’s been so incredibly stressful. We still don’t have our daughter’s passport and we’re travelling overseas on Saturday.

“We were told about the printing error by a worker at the office on Monday.

Thousands of Australians were sent into passport limbo in recent months due to a lack of staff.

“We’ve contacted our local MP and they’ve received similar requests as well. We just hope we get it in time as we’re really looking forward to our holiday.”

Eleasha Kirby, who walked out of Melbourne’s passport office on Tuesday in tears, said she was “angered” after waiting 15 weeks for her four-year-old son’s passport to arrive.

“I kept ringing and they told me it was on the compassionate list and then the priority list, but we’re meant to be flying out on Friday,” she said.

“They didn’t communicate with me at any point and I kept making calls about the progress. There are so many mothers in there just waiting for answers about their child’s passport,” she said.

Claire Kanaan, who had also waited for several hours at the office on Tuesday, said she was forced to pay hundreds of dollars for a priority application for her daughter’s passport.

“I came here three times last week as they had lost her application. I then had to pay $500 for a priority processing fee,” she said.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said: “We are working with affected customers to minimise the impact.”