Australians’ overseas travel plans are being put in jeopardy by delays in issuing new passports amid a massive backlog caused by a rush of applications after two years of border closures.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade says processing times have doubled since October and now advises applicants to allow at least six weeks to get their passport. But some hopeful travellers say they have waited eight weeks or more and still have no idea when their documents will arrive.
“I’ve had no communication and I’ve been ringing for two weeks, so eight weeks in I just want to see what they say,” Handley said while waiting in the blistering cold outside the Melbourne passport office.Amanda Handley said she was worried whether her son’s passport would arrive before her family’s trip to Denmark in two weeks.
Long queues starting in the Australian Passport Office at Collins Square, Docklands snake outside onto the footpath and around the block.Most applicants received their passports within six weeks but some would take longer, she said, particularly first-time applications, for which each document needed to be verified.
Travel agent Peter Alysandratos said there had been some close calls among his clients at Prahran Travel, which was “crazy busy” as many Australians prepared for their first overseas holidays since the start of the pandemic.One family received their passports on the day of their flight out, he said, and another still had not received their son’s passport after applying three months ago.
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