Passport Renewal / Application - Time Taken?

[Rich]

Any tips on the urgent application? My passport is less than 6 months from expiry and I am travelling in 2 weeks for an unplanned holiday, so not a legit reason for urgent travel. Can you just pay up? The website suggests you have to have a compelling reason for urgent travel.

 

[Scr77]

I’m 1 hr from Melbourne. In June, I Completed application online and lodged at local post office and nominated to collect from Passport Office in Docklands Melbourne. Paid for priority and this was just before closing time on a Friday.

Late arvo on Monday, I received notification that the passport was ready for collection.

I wouldn’t worry about applying for special circumstances, just pay the priority fee (think it cost 200 or 300 extra).

 

[Rich]

I’m 1 hr from Melbourne. In June, I Completed application online and lodged at local post office and nominated to collect from Passport Office in Docklands Melbourne. Paid for priority and this was just before closing time on a Friday.

Late arvo on Monday, I received notification that the passport was ready for collection.

I wouldn’t worry about applying for special circumstances, just pay the priority fee (think it cost 200 or 300 extra).

Thanks. Reading it again, I think maybe the explanation requirement (and possible proof of urgency) if you call up to expediate an existing application. Already done and no questions asked. I paid $104 for a 5 day turnaround. The lady at the post office said they have been quick lately but I am not going to risk it for a trip in 2 weeks.

 

[N860CR]

Thanks. Reading it again, I think maybe the explanation requirement (and possible proof of urgency) if you call up to expediate an existing application. Already done and no questions asked. I paid $104 for a 5 day turnaround. The lady at the post office said they have been quick lately but I am not going to risk it for a trip in 2 weeks.

If you can go straight to the passport office and suck up the priority fee, you’ll get it quickly. Mine was ready in less than 3 hours for my last renewal.

 

[kpc]

Any idea on passport renewal times currently, in partic. in Sydney?

Will submit renewal at Post Office on Mon 3.11. Going to NZ on Sat 29.11. Website suggests renewal can take up to 6 weeks. Priority pocessing takes 5 business days and cost an additional $102. Probably will pay this reluctantly unless peoples' recent Sydney renewal experiences suggest it won’t take 6 weeks. Thanks

 

[pyffii]

My recent experience from last month in Melbourne was 5 business days so I am sure you'll be just fine

 

[blacksultan]

Any idea on passport renewal times currently, in partic. in Sydney?

Will submit renewal at Post Office on Mon 3.11. Going to NZ on Sat 29.11. Website suggests renewal can take up to 6 weeks. Priority pocessing takes 5 business days and cost an additional $102. Probably will pay this reluctantly unless peoples' recent Sydney renewal experiences suggest it won’t take 6 weeks. Thanks

There will be 1-2 express post offices near passport office which will be quicker . You can check online for current speed as well .
Also you can receive passport number over phone before you actually receive it .

 

[Peter78]

Hopefully relevant to someone here, ordinary passport renewal.

Nov 3 - Lodged at post office on NSW Central Coast (East Gosford)
Nov 6 - Received by passport office and approved
Nov 10 - Dispatched from Dandenong
Nov 12 - Delivered.

Looks like express/ priority fees only necessary for very rare circumstances but as always, YMMV.

 

[Horatio]

I know most of the chat on this forum is about Australian passports, but I just wanted to give a data point on my recent Irish passport renewal.

Applied: 10 November, online and using a photo I took myself. There was a little quality check and a couple of standard questions about the photo, but that only took 2-3 minutes to resolve.
Dispatched: 11 November!
Arrived in Aus: 18 November
Attempted delivery in CBR: 25 November ( I wasn't home)
Received (and relieved): 1 December - as the clerk finally found it on my 3rd visit to the Post Office. It had been filed using my middle name!

And it was 90 euros, including postage, for 10 years - about $AU160.. What a great service.

 

[SydneySwan]

And it was 90 euros, including postage, for 10 years - about $AU160.. What a great service.

And it is an EEC passport with working rights in EU making it an even better deal!

 

[Horatio]

And it is an EEC passport with working rights in EU making it an even better deal!

Certainly is, @SydneySwan! In a previous life my now wife and I took advantage of it when we lived and worked in Cork for a while. She's an Italian citizen - I am too as it happens, but I made a decision at the time to activate the Irish passport.

No chance of the work stuff happening now, given current circumstances. But it's worth its weight in gold anyway for moving around the Schengen area.

Cheers,
Horatio