The Bundesdruckerei has received more applications for passports than ever before. The reason given for this is the changed travel behavior after Corona. Applicants now have to expect a waiting period of at least four weeks.
There may currently be delays nationwide in the issuance of passports. This was announced by a spokeswoman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior (BMI) in response to a request from the dpa news agency. Due to exceptionally high order numbers, Bundesdruckerei, as a passport and ID card manufacturer, cannot complete all document orders within the usual production time.
Currently around five to six additional working days are necessary. The Bundesdruckerei’s delivery time for passports increases to around 18 working days, according to the BMI spokeswoman. In addition, there is the processing time of the local authorities, which is why a waiting time of at least four weeks from the time of ordering can currently be expected. Express orders would continue to be delivered on time.
More than 600,000 passports within four weeks
In the first few weeks of the year, the number of applications for passports rose exceptionally significantly and exceeded the regularly high number of applications before the summer months, the spokeswoman said. For the first time in the history of the Bundesdruckerei, more than 600,000 passports were ordered within four weeks.
Although ordering behavior is subject to cyclical fluctuations, this increase is exceptional. The BMI assumes that during the pandemic, the ID card was sufficient for most people due to the restrictions on long-distance travel. For the latter, there is still a waiting period of around two weeks from the time of application.