Association of Cities: Frustration due to delays with passports

Start of the vacation period - Association of Cities: Frustration due to delays with passports

At the beginning of the vacation season, there are larger delays in issuing passports, causing frustration among affected individuals, according to a statement by the German City Council. "In pass and ID offices throughout the cities," Helmut Dedy, the managing director, is quoted as saying in a report by Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND/Sunday).

The report states that it now takes up to eight weeks for passports to be delivered - normally it takes approximately two weeks. Many citizens have been caught off guard that their passports have not arrived on time before their vacation. The reason for this, according to Dedy, is logistical issues at the Federal Printing Office.

Record order numbers this year

In response to an inquiry from dpa, the Federal Interior Ministry stated: "Since March, production times have exceeded the contractual delivery time of 12 working days and have currently reached an average of 21.8 working days." The ministry spokeswoman added that since the beginning of 2024, there have been unusually high application numbers, particularly for passports. "Within four weeks, over 600,000 passports were ordered for the first time in the history of the Federal Printing Office GmbH, and new daily record numbers for order intake were set up to May."

According to the RND report, Dedy sees the cities as the issuing authorities in a difficult position: "The delivery problem lies with the Federal Printing Office, which receives justified criticism from applicants but the city employees do." When the new passport no longer comes on time, many people decide to submit a second application with express processing, Dedy said. Citizens then have to sit on double the cost.

The press spokesperson for the Federal Interior Ministry states that the Federal Printing Office will increase its production capacity by purchasing new production machines. Procurement measures for this have been initiated. "For express orders, the passport is still ready for pick-up in the authority after three days." Citizens can also be issued a provisional passport for travel to most countries ad hoc, to prevent the need to postpone their trip. Upon return, the provisional passport will be returned once the regular passport is available.

1. Affected individuals are facing frustration during vacation time due to delays in passport issuance, as reported by the German City Council.
2. Helmut Dedy, managing director of the German City Council, expressed this concern in a report by Redaktionsnetzwerk Deutschland (RND/Sunday).
3. Dedy mentioned that it now takes up to eight weeks for passports to be delivered, significantly longer than the usual two-week period.
4. Many citizens have been caught off guard by this delay, impacting their vacation plans.
5. The Federal Interior Ministry attributed this issue to logistical challenges at the Federal Printing Office, which has seen unusually high application numbers, particularly for passports.
6. In response to high demand, the Federal Printing Office has set new daily record numbers for order intake since the beginning of 2024.
7. The Association of Cities in Berlin and other municipalities are also affected by this situation, with authorities in Germany working to address the issue and minimize vacation disruptions.
8. Editorial network Germany has covered this topic, highlighting Helmut Dedy's concerns and the efforts of the Federal Interior Ministry and the Federal Printing Office to resolve the situation.
9. German Association of Cities and its members, including cities like Berlin, are actively engaging with authorities to facilitate passport delivery and ensure minimal disruptions during vacation time.

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