Bernard Durkan (Kildare North, Fine Gael)
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51. To ask the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade to detail the information missing from the passport application by a person (details supplied) to conclude that the application was incomplete; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [36809/24]

Micheál Martin (Cork South Central, Fianna Fail)
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For data protection reasons, the Passport Service cannot share the requested details of an individual’s application. The applicant was contacted on 12 March and 28 June 2024 and informed of what documents were required to progress the application. The required documents were not received in time to process the specific application about which the Deputy has enquired. The applicant is welcome to reapply and further details on the required documents for first time applicants can be found on the Passport Services website

Our Customer Service Hub agents are available through phone and webchat services from Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. They can be contacted at +353 1 671 1633, or via the WebChat service: .

A Passport Online application is valid in the Passport Service system for a period of 6 months from when the application is made. From the time that the required supporting documents are received, the Passport Service works with the applicant to process the application and ensure all required documents have been submitted to prove the applicant's entitlement to Irish citizenship, to verify their identity, and in the cases of children, to ensure that consent of guardians is provided.

In some cases, the required supporting documents are not received from the applicant during the 6 month validity period. In such cases, the application will expire and a refund will issue to the applicant.

Reminder emails are sent to applicants who have not submitted the required supporting documents at 6, 12 and 16 weeks after they make the initial online application. The applicants are requested to complete their applications and submit supporting documents.

Passport applications are valid for six months for a number of reasons including International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) regulations on the requirement for a recent photograph. The ICAO is a UN agency that defines in detail the required format for a passport. This six-month timeframe also ensures that a refund of the fees can be processed electronically if required. If the refund is not made electronically within six months then a bank transfer is required which can take significantly longer.