Now or never: Rush to passport offices due to explosion in fees!

Now or never: Rush to passport offices due to explosion in fees!

Austrian citizens are currently storming passport offices to renew documents in time for an upcoming fee increase. From July 1, 2023, passport and ID card fees will rise significantly, prompting many to act quickly to save up to 36 euros. Loud oe24 The passport offices are already overloaded, especially in the passport office in Mirabell Palace in Salzburg, where demand is particularly high.

Around 150 passes are currently being issued in Salzburg per day, but those responsible report that there are hardly any appointments available. Passport office manager Franz Schefbaumer points out that exceptions are only possible in real emergencies. Capacity has also now been exhausted in the surrounding cities of Hallein and Seekirchen. The situation is similar in Vienna: the municipal district offices are seeing increased demand and have already scheduled additional appointments.

Fee increase and its effects

The fee increase is part of a new double budget to adjust for inflation. The fees have not been increased since 2011. The price of a new passport will rise from 75.90 euros to 112 euros from July 2023, while the price of an identity card will increase from 61.50 euros to 91 euros. In addition, the fees for driving licenses, citizenship and residence permits are also increasing, which results in a further increase in applications cosmo reported.

The measure is expected to bring the state additional income of 65 million euros in 2025 and bring in 150 million euros annually from 2026. Given this high increase, many citizens are trying to take care of their documents in a timely manner. In Salzburg, additional staff have been deployed in the magistrates to cope with the rush. Nevertheless, passport offices complain that the normal fluctuations that lead to busy times and the lack of free counters are exacerbating the situation.

Waiting for appointments and long waiting times

Citizens also search for available appointments in neighboring communities, but often without success. In Vienna it is possible to apply for a passport in the morning without an appointment, but long waiting times are expected. One advantage in Vienna is that it is possible to use passport offices nationwide regardless of where you live, which can facilitate faster appointments in surrounding communities.

The high fees and the associated increased demand are putting passport offices in Austria under pressure. Passport and ID card renewals are becoming the current main event as citizens prepare for upcoming price hikes.