Passport wait times: Geelong family reveals stress

A Barwon Heads family has revealed how their school holiday plans came just days away from being ruined due to passport processing delays.

Some Geelong residents are waiting more than three months for passports as up to 17,000 Aussies apply for the documents each day.

With families preparing to head overseas for the school holidays when term ends on September 16, Corangamite MP Libby Coker urged travellers to apply for passports early, due to the Australian Passport Office’s caseload.

Barwon Heads mum Katie Ramage waited more than 14 weeks to have a passport issued by the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade for her son.

Couple with child standing on luggage trolley at airport. Passport delays are causing massive stress.

“Unfortunately the lead up to our current trip to the UK was extremely stressful as we anxiously waited for a passport for one of our children,” Ms Ramage told the Addy.

“I lodged all three of my children’s passport renewal applications in May this year. Two were completed within six weeks, however one took over 14 weeks to get.

“I called the passport office weekly for about four weeks prior to our departure date only to be told my application was being moved to an ‘accelerated’ position.

“Our circumstances were becoming so stressful that I decided to reach out to Senator Henderson’s office who were wonderfully supportive.”

Ms Ramage said she received her son’s passport three business days before flying to the UK.

“We collected the passport in Melbourne at close of business on the Friday before flying out.

“I felt sorry for the staff at the passport office working under such stressful circumstances.”

Ms Coker said pre-pandemic the Australian Passport Office received about 7,000 to 9,000 applications per day.

“The government is working with DFAT to fix the current delays in processing passport applications,” Ms Coker said.

“Since taking office, the Albanese Labor Government has taken steps to tackle the backlog which includes doubling staff at the Australian passport offices, from 730 to over 1500.

“Additional call centre staff have also been allocated. Since the reopening of Australia’s borders, demand for passports has increased to an unprecedented high, with application numbers at around 15,000 per day, and as high as 17,000 per day.

“This problem was predictable and is the result of the previous government dropping the ball and failing to properly plan for the surge in passport applications when borders reopened.”

Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson, based in Geelong, said there was a “significant deterioration in the operation of the Australian Passport Office” since the May election.

“My office has assisted numerous distressed local residents who had been waiting months for their passports. This is incredibly disappointing,” Ms Henderson said.

“I urge the Albanese Government to urgently direct more resources to the processing of passports. These delays are not acceptable.”

She said in the three months before the May election no requests for help with passports were made to her office.

Ms Coker said her office had assisted almost 60 people since late May who needed urgent passport applications processed for compassionate and other reasons.

“I urge people who are preparing to travel again to check the latest travel advice on Smart Traveller and to apply for their passports early.”

Originally published as Passport wait times: Geelong family reveals stress