Is this acceptable?
Application was made 3 weeks ago (15/04), and he decided to pay the fee yesterday to hurry things up. Literally an hour later he got the notification that it was ready to collect!
I understand that they say it'll be ready in 2 days, but to have it done in an hour seems like they're really taking the mickey.
Curious to hear your thoughts, and if there's anything that can be done.
Thanks!
I don't think it's a scam. They likely have a backlog of many passport applications that individually, don't take much time to process. Paying the fee just bumped it to the front of the queue. It doesn't mean they're necessarily holding readied passports hostage until you pay up.
It's also likely that passport processing time is highly variable. Someone with criminal records, significant previous travel history, etc. How can you cover the cost of the more laborious passport requests without having additional fees etc that you'd then need to try and add after the fact? So the fee is set to cover a certain amount of labour. Some (many?) would take less, but you can't assume that up front.
Then as you said, people can pay a premium to jump the queue - I see no issue with this, assuming the long processing time isn't fabricated (which I doubt since that wouldn't make sense).
If you've worked for anything that is customer facing/service delivery then you'll know this "conspiracy theory" couldn't be further from the truth.
If they can prep a passport in a hour for an extra fee they could speed up the process for everyone else
It's not that it's some incredibly complex process, and you have someone working on it from the moment you submit it to the day you get it. There's a backlog which takes time to get through. The application likely sits there until someone has time to get to it.
Not everyone needs a passport urgently, but some do for a variety of reasons. And for those that do, paying a decent amount extra means you skip the queue.
Something this important that could have massive security implications? No, I don't think they've handed it to AI.
What do you think AI would do here?
@ShiKu: Maybe gather a report on the applicant using all of their social media and other online information?
@zorodluffy: "Where the myGov app links things like a driver’s licence, passport, Medicare card, and vaccination record – the Digital Identity sets out to link ALL government data related to a person. Future iterations of the Digital Identity propose to pair this data against private sector information, such as purchasing records, to create a rich digital view of a citizen."
@EightImmortals: We are their property. They decide whether we are allowed to leave the country on their terms and whether we still owe them tax if we leave the country permanently.
Great - now I'm on their Australia Card list.
So he got exactly what he paid for? I don't understand the complaint.
There's a limited number that can be processed per day, you pay the priority fee and they bump yours to the front of the line. He got exactly what he paid for.
Don't think it ever speeded up, more like it was ready to be released. Even they say 4-8 weeks, usually fast when it's not close to a school holiday.
It’s an absolute disgrace. Paying for, then receiving a service. Unacceptable behaviour. Take it all the way to the Supreme Court
Whoosh!
The extra amount was to expedite the process, which seems to have happened. Although it looks like they would have received the passport in a day or less of they just waited instead of paying extra.
How does it "look like they would have received the passport in a day or less of they just waited instead of paying extra."? They would have received it whenever it was processed which would likely have been a number of weeks.
likely have been a number of weeks.
I could ask you the same thing - how do you know it was going to be weeks instead of a day?! Both of us are just guessing.
@CocaKoala: Because its not a day or less unless you pay for an urgent passport. That's not guessing, that's just the system.
Because its not a day or less unless you pay for an urgent passport.
The SLA for an urgent passport is two business days and not "a day or less", which seems like another guess.
If it was readied within the hour after the payment was made, chances are it was already printed and just needed to be moved ahead in the collection queue.
Sarcasm has left the chat.
Negs have joined the chat.
oi mister prime ministerrrrrrr!!!
Yeah but they wanted priority quick, just not THAT priority quick!
What is the problem exactly?
Problem is: OP was asking for a friend!
not sure why it was always OP 'friend' who had the issue, why don't the OP just admit himself it was his issue from the beginning all along, instead of his friend's.
People judge each other a lot on these forums. If you share anything personal prepare for it to be used against you at some point.
@Ghost47: Shame I have no friends to blame.
Oh shoot, now having no friends will be used against me in future…
gives a feeling of they been purposely delaying it hoping to snag more priority fees…
But then isn't that on the applicant for leaving it to the last minute to have their passport process? I don't really think the passport office purposely delays processing, more like that have a huge amount to process - and when you pay for priority it's immediately removed from that queue and processed instantly.
They are public servants, they get paid anyway and probably not that business "opportunity" smart, even if they cared.
the assertion is that the passport was ready on day 2 but being held hostage until day 28 unless old mate paid up more
This post makes no sense.
If anything he should be happy it was so quick? To be fair, if he had already waited 3 weeks I imagine he was already close to top of the queue if not done already, so not really surprised it was done almost immediately.
I'd love to pay for priority and then get it done in an hour for my items.
Yep maybe if the friend didnt pay he she will get it in 1,2 days. Its already 3 weeks remember???
Maybe the complaint is because a government organisation is providing good service?
Haha, maybe it was time to be released, your friend is just impatient.
pretty much this, OP's friend should have paid priority fee 3weeks ago, then it would been much earlier lol
aiyah
What they should've done is deliberately hold their passport until the exact second that two day SLA expires (but I guess OP might make a post about 'exactly two days to the second - coincidence or did they hold it back)
Curious to hear your thoughts, and if there's anything that can be done.
Get better friends.
This is why people renew passports a few months in advance.
Think of it this way, there are 2 piles -
Which pile do you think will be larger? The reason that pile 1 rarely move is because they are constantly working on the priority. Have you been to any amusement park where they have priority line? Exactly the same thing.
That is your assumption.
In reality, we have no idea exactly what happened and have no way to find out. It could have been that someone went and grabbed it from the 'normal' pile and finished off whatever needed to be done within an hour. Was it sitting in a print queue for some high-tech printer and was moved to the top of the queue, where it otherwise would have been sitting for another couple of weeks? Who knows.
Ultimately OP's friend paid for something to be done urgently, and it was. If an hour is too quick, should they sit on any urgency requests until they hit exactly the 48 hour mark?
Now if they paid for the priority and it took another week, then that would have been something to complain about.
I think in this era and age, in reality, they are not working based on the stack of paper/printing. Each application is allocated an id in the system and is processed systematically.
Not as bad as the flat earth conspiracy theory I must admit. Maybe the government listens into people's conversations and hold their passports longer when they hear them say the keywords "passport taking too long".
coincidence, was gonna be ready in an hour anyway, bloke took the bait
Exactly. There is no way that they received the priority application, assigned an officer, did all the background checks and issued the passport in one hour. It's just coincidence.
The only thing I would suggest is for your friend to contact their helpdesk to try to get a refund on the priority fee. They may provide a refund if explained nicely.
Do you pay a priority fee on the refund request now or wait…
I'm baffled at some of the reasoning in this thread - the passport was prioritised which is what the person paid for. Why would there be a refund on that?
It doesn't hurt to ask. The notification may have been sent at the same time regardless of the priority payment or not, hence the chance they could assess and provide the refund. If it was expedited as paid for then I assume a refund would not get issued.
The notification may have been sent at the same time regardless of the priority payment or not, hence the chance they could assess and provide the refund. If it was expedited as paid for then I assume a refund would not get issued.
How could anyone ever know? They paid for a priority service and got a priority service. Where the passport might have been in the queue is irrelevant - any request for a refund of a fee that did what it was set out to accomplish will be denied.
@Flying Ace: To be clear, what's being discussed is whether OP's friend would get a refund because the passport was already done when they paid extra. Even expedited isn't so quick they can verify the details, do their fraud checks, print it, check it, send it to pickup and send the message within an hour. So it was probably ready but the notice not yet sent.
"I want a refund on my priority fee because it was too quick. I wanted it fast, but not this fast'.
Riveting story
Should have just paid the fee up front.
Otherwise if you can wait then wait. Sounds like they basically had it ready and you paid for nothing.
had mine ready for normal processing after 4 business days last March.
1st world issues.
<confused citizen noises>
A friend of mine worked at the passport office and their workload has been crazy. He ended up moving to a different department to avoid burnout. I really don't think they purposedly held onto the passport and waited for OP's friend to pay the priority fee.
The best feeling when working somewhere understaffed is when the customers tell you that you are working too slow 🐌
Yea I don't like the fact that a "Priority" service incentivises the tardy ness of an already expensive service.
But if there was no priority option, people would complainat that I guess.
and if there's anything that can be done.
About what?
is this a retelling of the repair scene from the fallout tv series?
The machine that prints passports doesn’t take hours, its the background checks/red tape and people doing it that take time.
Also each application can vary person by person in length and difficulty.
When you pay priority you just pay to skip yours to the top of the pile of thousands.
each application can vary person by person in length and difficulty.
Yes.
If you need your passport urgently for compassionate or compelling reasons:
• Make an appointment at your nearest passport office by calling 131 232
• Provide evidence of a compassionate or compelling need for immediate travel
It's hilarious to me that anyone thinks a government department had that passport ready and was holding it for someone to pay a priority fee and THEN reacted that quickly. Anyone thinking that has never worked at a large company or for a Government department.
More likely the passport would have come through in the next hour anyway, which means OP paid the priority fee for nothing. An unfortunate coincidence, and the fee should be refunded given that no prioritisation took place.
Maybe, maybe not.
It probably would've been ready within the week. Any more precise than that is a wild stab in the dark
Yeah, i get that they have to check databases etc and print the book but surely this should be 1 week max, government literally slowing the process down purposely.
They process millions of passports per year and the teams with the clearance to issue them are relatively small.
Its also a government department. Nothing moves fast.
So not really strange or deliberate.
They process millions of passports per year and the teams with the clearance to issue them are relatively small.
So just get a bigger team if the number is constant?
So just get a bigger team?
If everything was that simple we wouldn’t have resource/people shortages across all walks of life.
Not enough houses?
Get more builders.
Not enough tradesmen?
Hire more tradesmen.
Easier said then done.
@Drakesy: But there are more pressing matters to deal with rather than how quickly someone gets their passport.
One week would be nice, but is it necessary? No.
The vast majority of people have their affairs in order so they can allow time for it.
If unforeseen circumstances come up, there is the option to fast track it.
But the budget deficit! But good economic managers!
It's better for governments to cut services that people depend on, and give the wealthy $3000 off their new EV.
I applied for a new passport for my son about a year ago. I was warned by the post office at the time that they're taking a while.
It was ready to collect from the same post office exactly 1 week later.
I think it just depends a bit on luck
Yes they had it ready sitting in a drawer.
That's very smart of them. They know there will be desperate people who leave it to the last minute.
Even though they have your passport, by releasing it to you early it devalues their speedy service (that you have to pay extra for)
So it is in their best interest to hold onto it until the SLA time for the service you paid for. That way they can milk more money off people (worked for you)
about a year ago I had the opposite issue, submitted tuesday afternoon, mailed out thursday, no fee paid
If it was an hour between paying the fee and getting the notification for collection, then surely it was in transit at the time of paying the fee to the collection point and the whole thing is a coincidence. An hour isn't enough time for them to receive payment, print it, send it and then have it ready for collection.
Your friend just got unlucky with timing, bad luck.
I think this is the most likely scenario. The friend have paid extra for nothing. His passport was almost ready
They had the work experience kid in that day and gave him something to do…
This reminds me of the time I ordered a phone holder from aliexpress, then after 3 months of waiting for it to arrive from China I assume it got lost.
So I re-ordered it, this time with express shipping. And they sent it out so fast, it arrived an hour later!
It could be quantum teleportation, or (based on some arguments here) the random AliExpress company directly made a deal with your local postie to hold off on delivering it every time for the last 2 months, waiting for you to pay for a second item with express delivery to double their profits! How sneaky!
The list of passports to be printed is probably actioned as time since submission of application for both the standard list and priority list.
In the standard list, your friend may have been in the top 25% of people waiting.
In the priority list if the wait time is 1-2 days there is likely no one who has waited >3weeks at the top of the list. So your friend immediately became the first priority application to process.
An hour sounds about right.
I think the days of passport delays post covid where people were waiting 6 months (even if they paid for express) have largely been resolved.
I had to renew my passport last year as did my wife, both of us took 1-2 weeks, might have been closer to 1 week. A new passport for our son who previously never had a passport only took like 2 weeks. We were not in a hurry so we didnt pay for the express processing.
Paid the priority fee, got the passport well before the agreed time, so why do you want to do anything?
Check if the date of issue is the date your friend paid for the priority service?
Application was made 3 weeks ago (15/04), and he decided to pay the fee yesterday to hurry things up.
Why would he do that when he should have been expecting up to 6 weeks for the standard process?
What is the current timeframe to get a passport?
Allow a minimum of six weeks to get a new passport or renew your old one.
Can anything be done?
Done??…Done about what? What does your friend want, a refund, an apology, slower service next time?
People get upset where there were Passport delays post COVID, and now we have the OP (sorry, not buying the friend bit) upset when things happen too quickly.
Dude paid for pirority, got their Passport, case closed. This isn't a case of failed to deliver the good or services in a reasonable time.
$5 the 'friend' is spewing because they paid extra for something they didn't need to and feels like it was money down the drain
I think I've had enough Internet for one day…
I paid extra at Births deaths and marriages in order to collect my child's birth certificate sooner (I needed it for a passport application)
The extra fee I paid went towards the little elderly Chinese guy serving me to hit 'print' on his computer and then shuffle around to the printer located behind him to collect the certificate.
I mean the website does mention you should allow minimum of 6 weeks for the passport to be received.
Seems like there are a lot of backlog at the moment as 45% are been processed within 10 business days. When I renewed mine at the beginning of last month, it was around 75% and I got it within 1 week with the standard fee, so it's just bad timing.
The only complaint I have is that they use registered post. If they're charging us $346, it wouldn't hurt to use express post for a few extra dollars.
If they're charging us $346, it wouldn't hurt to use express post for a few extra dollars.
Is the 32-page passport AU$ 346 now?
Wow.
I got my 64-page passport in 2017 for about $410.
PS:
The passport office used to send passports in Express Post too.
Bear in mind, the Registered and Express service,
use the same secure network, but Express is obviously quicker.
Don't forget that Auspost and the Passport Office are owned by the same entity - and both paid for by the tax payer. They could make the postage zero… but, because corruption is accepted and normal, Amazon is likely getting better rates. lol
Government finding new ways to rip people off. If they can prep a passport in a hour for an extra fee they could speed up the process for everyone else. Maybe it was pre-prepped from the original application and paying them extra was what they needed to put it in today's outbox? Anyway, sounds dodgy, but if your friend got their passport and they are happy to hand over exorbitant fees plus extra extortion on top then that's what it takes to get things done in a banana republic guess. :)