Australians urged to renew passports before wave of demand
For our free coronavirus pandemic coverage, learn more here.
About 1.3 million Australian passports have expired during the COVID-19 pandemic, prompting the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to urge aspiring travellers to renew theirs now.
Those who don’t are likely to face lengthy delays when borders reopen, with the department expecting high demand, as experienced in the UK and US.
Shane Nicklos is itching to travel overseas, so he recently renewed his passport in anticipation of international borders reopening.Credit:Wayne Taylor
Americans wanting to renew or apply for a passport currently face up to an 18-week wait, while the UK Passport Office says its citizens should allow up to 10 weeks to receive their new papers.
“While the department is doing everything it possibly can to prepare for a similar eventuality, longer-than-usual processing times cannot be ruled out,” a DFAT spokeswoman said.
On top of 1.3 million Australians who did not renew their passport during the pandemic, DFAT estimated 600,000 citizens delayed applying for their first passport. Demand for passports last financial year was about 20 per cent of pre-pandemic numbers.
More than 1 million Australian passports have expired during the COVID-19 pandemic.Credit:AFR
Australian Federation of Travel Agents chair Tom Manwaring said people let their passports expire because international travel was off limits.
“They haven’t been confident,” he said. “It’s been hard to pin down a date to travel.”
Concerned about future processing delays, Mr Manwaring urged travellers to renew their passports now if they want to travel next year.
“There will be a tsunami of inquiries and lodgements,” he said. “The sooner they renew their passports, the better. I’d do it today.”
Shane Nicklos is itching to travel to the UK to visit friends and family, so he recently renewed his passport in anticipation of international borders reopening. The federal government has flagged reopening its international borders and allowing Australians to leave the country by Christmas.
“I feel trapped on an island,” said Mr Nicklos, who lives in Prahran in Melbourne’s inner south-east.
“I am being organised. I have eight week’s of leave up my sleeve, I have been fully vaccinated since mid-June, I have a Qantas credit sitting there. As soon as I can leave, I’ll be off.”
Mr Nicklos said he was surprised by the speed at which the Australian Passport Office renewed his passport, which was due to expire next month.
He lodged his application at his local post office, and picked up the new passport a week later. The process had previously taken the keen traveller three weeks.
Steven Green, director of Olive Tree Travel in Gardenvale, said inquiries and bookings for overseas travel were increasing, with more than a dozen clients contacting him in the past week.
“There’s this sense of euphoria and excitement,” he said.
“But the stark reality is people still have reservations as there are a lot of obstacles. A valid passport is one of the easiest to overcome. We are advising people to renew before their passport expires, to dust off the cobwebs and have a reunion with your passport because of these anticipated delays in issuing new ones.”
The drop in applications has hit the Australian Passport Office’s revenue, as well as that of Australia Post licensees.
Post Office Agents Association Limited chief executive Ian Kerr said some post offices lost almost all their passport business during the pandemic, as well as revenue from international currency exchanges.
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce. Credit:Rhett Wyman
Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce recently sounded the alarm on the pending influx of passport applications.
“If anyone has an expired passport get out there and get your passport renewed,” he said.
The airline is planning to restart parts of its international network from December 18.
The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here.
Most Viewed in National
From our partners
Source: Read Full Article