Passport Processing Returns to Normal After Delays, Says Brooke van Velden

Ms. van Velden commended the Department for restoring passport services to target levels, ensuring that 90% of passports are issued within the two-week timeframe.

Minister of Internal Affairs Brooke van Velden has announced that passport processing times have returned to normal, with the Department of Internal Affairs now advising customers to allow up to two weeks to receive their passport.

Van Velden expressed satisfaction that processing times are back on track after delays caused by a software upgrade in March, which extended wait times to ten weeks at its peak. She commended the Department for meeting its target of issuing 90% of passports within two weeks by September, ensuring New Zealanders can now expect timely service.

The software upgrade, the most significant in over a decade, has also made the online application process easier, introducing new features such as group and family applications to streamline travel planning.