Passport Office Customer Survey
• The Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. David Andrews, T.D., has welcomed the results of a recent customer survey indicating a high level of customer satisfaction with the service provided by his Department's Passport Offices.
• Minister Andrews also welcomed the fact that almost 80% of all passport applicants in the State now use the " Passport Express" service available at over 1,000 Post Offices throughout the country. Users of the service are assured of receiving their passports within 10 working days. Mr. Andrews encouraged more passport applicants to avail of the "Passport Express" service and to apply in the less busy times of the year.
• Remarking on the outcome of the survey Mr. Andrews " congratulated the staff of the Passport Offices on their achievement in meeting deadlines in what has been another record year for the number of passports issued". By the end of 1999 the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork will have issued in excess of 360,000 passports - an increase of 18% on 1998 and an overall increase of 61% in annual demand for passports since 1995.
Background Note for Editors
The Department of Foreign Affairs, as part of its commitment to provide a quality customer service to passport applicants, asked Wilton Research and Marketing Ltd. to carry out a survey from among a representative sample of customers who applied for passports in July 1999. The objective of the survey was to provide the Passport Offices in Dublin and Cork with feedback from customers on the extent to which they were satisfied or dissatisfied with the service and procedures at the Passport Offices. The Office in Cork serves Munster and the Dublin Office serves the remainder of the country.
Questionnaires were sent to 5086 applicants drawn at random from the 45,781 persons who applied for passports in July 1999. 1439 questionnaires were completed and returned - a very satisfactory response rate of 28%. July was chosen because it is a peak month for activity in the Passport Offices when resources are fully stretched.
Summary of key findings
Overall satisfaction
• 92% expressed themselves very satisfied (69%) or satisfied with the service they received.
• Less than 5% gave a negative rating.
Method of application
• 79% used "Passport Express"
• 15% applied in person at a Passport Office
• 4% used ordinary post
Application form
• 96% of applicants were happy with the layout of the application form.
• 13% did not know (until they found out from a relative, friend etc.) where to get an application form.
• 7% had difficulty in completing the form and 8% had difficulty in understanding the instructions.
Telephone callers
• 19% of applicants telephoned the Passport Office before making an application.
• 78% of those were satisfied with the experience.
Time taken
• Over 90% of applicants using "Passport Express" are satisfied with the time taken to receive their passports. The comparable figure for applicants using ordinary post is 70%.
• 45% of those who applied in person to a Passport Office were dissatisfied with the length of time they were waiting on their first visit but 82% of them were satisfied with the waiting time on their second visit.
Applications returned
• 8% of applicants had their applications returned because of incorrect documentation.
