Growing passport delays threaten travel plans booked three months ago

Updates to the application process have led to New Zealand passport wait times balooning to 10 weeks. Picture / Mark Mitchell

A growing backlog in passport processing has caught out travellers expecting to have travel documents in time for overseas trips, after delays have ballooned from four to 10 weeks.

This delay is due to an upgrade to the application system, according to the Department of Internal Affairs’ Te Mata Uruwhenua which says there have been significant changes to allow Kiwis to apply for passports online.

However, some New Zealanders who submitted their passports under the old system have been caught out by this upgrade. Having been quoted processing times of up to four weeks, some are still waiting for travel documents three months later, with trips fast approaching.

Nick and Dani Potts from Hāwea had said they had applied for new passports for themselves and their children, aged 8 and 10, last in March ahead of a family holiday in May.

While Nick said the seven week wait was cutting it fine, a 10 week delay would mean either missing their flights or paying an additional $206 per passport for “urgent” passport processing.

The option for urgent passport processing is still available, as a three-day expedited service for pressing travel, but the Potts say they are unhappy to pay for Te Mata Uruwhenua’s delay.

“[We] can’t really afford this trip but my partner’s parents have assisted with the tickets which made it hard to say no,” he told the Herald. “This potential extra cost is going to mean basically half of our money put aside for costs during the trip is going to be swallowed up before we even get on the plane.”

At $412 an urgent adult passport costs double a regular application - and more than double for an urgent child’s passport at $312.

Passport processing working weekends to clear backlog

The DIA’s passport office says they have put on extra capacity to clear the processing backlog caused by the system update.

“Reducing wait times is a priority for the department,” said Maria Robertson, DCE service delivery and operations, adding that the gap between processing applications is narrowing.

Staff were “running weekend and overtime shifts to increase processing capacity” to clear what was described as a short-term backlog.

Last month the department issued a warning via the application website for travellers to allow at least 10 weeks for a new passport to arrive, or consider using the “urgent” processing service.

“At present 52 per cent of passports are issued within 15 working days. For some, that wait is several weeks,” said Robertson.

An application progress checker is available via the website as well as details on flagging application status as “urgent”.

Customers with a current application who have an urgent need to travel should contact the DIA, said Robertson.

Advice to travellers waiting on delayed passports

Although just over half of passports are being dispatched in under three weeks, the DIA warns processing may currently take around 10 weeks.

However the advice to customers applying to passports remains the same:

Travellers needing a new passport should give as much time as possible ahead of travel, and allow for delivery and wait times given via the application web portal.

One of the most common factors delaying applications are passport photos. Applicants are advised to read the full guidance on pictures, as unsuitable photos will extend processing times.

Another common factor for delay is waiting on applicants to submit additional information. Travellers waiting on passports should check back on passport applications regularly, and respond promptly to requests from the DIA.

There are over 9000 passport applications awaiting further information from the customer, says the DIA.