Passport Express - family rates rip off.

C

csirl

Registered User
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Here's a classic example of rip-off Ireland.

Renewing passports for both the wife and myself. Decided to use Passport Express, so went to the Post Office.

Passport Express costs €8.50 per person or you can avail of a discount rate of €14.50 for a family.

Asked for the family rate so as to get the discount of €2.50. Was told that I'd need to submit a Marriage Certificate (costs €8). Asked the post office manager why I need to submit a Marriage Cert when it is not required by the Passport Office? Was told it was needed to pove that I was eligible to avail of the family rate.

So you have to spend €8 if you want to get a €2.50 reduction?

So instead of both passports being sent in one package to the Passport Office, they got send individually with the Post Office even insisting that they are paid for with two separate transactions i.e. had to process two payments with laser card, give two receipts, put in two envelopes etc.

What a waste.

I wonder how many people have had to spend the extra €8 or more if more family members in order to avail of the discount?
 
I'd say you went to the wrong post office!

Was in PO recently to buy prize bonds and on the form it asked for identity docs, utility, passport or driving licence, pps numbers etc etc. I went up to the counter and asked if I needed all those things- they just laughed and said- ah sure hand in the form there, you'll be grand.:D
 
Vanilla said:
I'd say you went to the wrong post office!

Was in PO recently to buy prize bonds and on the form it asked for identity docs, utility, passport or driving licence, pps numbers etc etc. I went up to the counter and asked if I needed all those things- they just laughed and said- ah sure hand in the form there, you'll be grand.:D
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You'll soon get a letter from the prize bonds office asking for those details I'm afraid! ;)
 
Vanilla said:
Was in PO recently to buy prize bonds and on the form it asked for identity docs, utility, passport or driving licence, pps numbers etc etc. I went up to the counter and asked if I needed all those things- they just laughed and said- ah sure hand in the form there, you'll be grand.:D
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Nice to see An Post taking their AML (anti money laundering) responsibilities seriously.

Ignore procedure like this in some banks and you'd be disciplined for it
 
marshmallow said:
You'll soon get a letter from the prize bonds office asking for those details I'm afraid! ;)
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As far as I know, you can purchase up to 14,000 euro of prize bonds before you need to show id etc. I'm not sure of the precise figure but it was around that when I phoned up to enquire last year.
I recently renewed the family passports by passport express and was not asked for proof of marriage.
 
Emiso said:
I recently renewed the family passports by passport express and was not asked for proof of marriage.
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And sure not all families have married parents. Sounds like discrimination against unmarried co-habiting couples with children to me!
 
Multiple Laser Card transactions sounds like a particularly awkward jobsworth behind the counter. If you needed to send 50 registered letters, would he ask for 50 Laser card transactions ?
 
my local Post office won't take laser or credit card to purchase stamps. Need to bring cash to buy 100e of stamps - they'll only will take a company cheque if I have a letter from the bank to state the company account is in good credit.
 
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