{"id":448953,"date":"2023-05-02T10:35:27","date_gmt":"2023-05-02T14:35:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/?p=448953"},"modified":"2023-05-02T10:35:37","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T14:35:37","slug":"record-demand-for-passports","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/record-demand-for-passports\/","title":{"rendered":"Record Demand for Passports Create Huge Wait Times"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Need to renew your passport for a summer trip? It may already be too late. The US State Department recently revealed that it is currently facing \u201cunprecedented demand\u201d for passports as post-pandemic travel returns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>During a House Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, \u201cWe\u2019re getting 500,000 applications a week for a passport. That\u2019s 30 to 40% above last year, so it\u2019s dramatic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you submit a renewal or new passport application now, standard processing time will now take around 10 to 13 weeks, according to Blinken. Even if you pay for an expedited request, you can still expect to wait between seven to nine weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The estimates for these processing times don\u2019t include mailing times (the clock starts when the State Department receives your application) so your actual wait may be even longer.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"related single cf\">\n<h3 class=\"related-title\">Related:<\/h3>\n<span class=\"related-item\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/renew-your-us-passport-online\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Your Questions About Online Passport Renewal, Answered<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"heading\" id=\"h-how-to-check-the-status-of-your-passport-application\">How to Check the Status of Your Passport Application<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"725\" src=\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_217034026-1024x725.jpeg\" alt=\"United States passport resting on top of a keyboard\" class=\"wp-image-448957\" srcset=\"https:\/\/stmllc.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_217034026-1024x725.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/stmllc.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_217034026-300x212.jpeg 300w, https:\/\/stmllc.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_217034026-768x544.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/stmllc.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_217034026-1536x1088.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/stmllc.wpenginepowered.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_217034026-2048x1451.jpeg 2048w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\"><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><span class=\"stia-image-attribute\">Evgenia Parajanian | Adobe Stock<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to see what stage your application is in, try to avoid picking up the phone. The State Department reports that \u201csome customers are facing extended wait times when calling the National Passport Information Center.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead of calling and endlessly waiting on hold, you can quickly find the status of your passport application online.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you renewed your passport online, log-in to your <a href=\"https:\/\/mytravel.state.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">MyTravelGov account<\/a> to check your application status.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For applications submitted by mail, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/passportstatus.state.gov\/\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">this page on the State Department\u2019s website<\/a> to see your status.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"heading\" id=\"h-expedited-passports\">Expedited Passports<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need your passport urgently, there are a <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.state.gov\/content\/travel\/en\/passports\/get-fast.html\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">few options available<\/a>. If you\u2019re facing a \u201clife-or-death emergency\u201d that requires you to travel abroad within the next three business days, you can make an <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.state.gov\/content\/travel\/en\/passports\/get-fast\/emergencies.html\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">emergency appointment<\/a> by calling the State Department.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If it is not an emergency, but you are traveling internationally within 14 calendar days and your passport is still stuck in limbo, you can call the State Department at 877-484-2778 to try to get an <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.state.gov\/content\/travel\/en\/passports\/get-fast\/passport-agencies.html\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">urgent appointment<\/a>. Unfortunately, these in-person appointments are very limited and hard to snag.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"related single cf\">\n<h3 class=\"related-title\">Related:<\/h3>\n<span class=\"related-item\"><p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/take-your-own-passport-photos\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">How to Take Your Own Passport Photo at Home<\/a><\/p><\/span>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>Don\u2019t be fooled by passport expediting agencies that promise to get you your passport faster (for a price). \u201cPassport scams follow the same beat as most online crimes\u2014take advantage of the target\u2019s sense of urgency,\u201d Cybersecurity expert <a href=\"https:\/\/link.chtbl.com\/RmnkviLS?sid=SmarterTravel\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Adam Levin<\/a> tells SmarterTravel.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The State Department will never charge you a fee to make an appointment, and appointments cannot be transferred between people, so these companies are likely scams. The <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.state.gov\/content\/travel\/en\/passports\/get-fast\/courier-and-expeditor-companies.html\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">State Department warns<\/a>, \u201cYou will not receive your passport any faster than you would if you applied in person at a passport agency or center.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Simply want your passport application to be processed more quickly? You can pay $60 to have your <a href=\"https:\/\/travel.state.gov\/content\/travel\/en\/passports\/get-fast.html\" target=\"_blank\" aria-label=\" (opens in a new tab)\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">passport expedited<\/a>, but you may still wait up to nine weeks.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on the_content --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on the_content -->\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Need to renew your passport for a summer trip? It may already be too late. The US State Department recently revealed that it is currently facing &ldquo;unprecedented demand&rdquo; for passports as post-pandemic travel returns. During a House Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said, &ldquo;We&rsquo;re getting 500,000 applications a week for a [&hellip;]<!-- AddThis Advanced Settings generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><!-- AddThis Share Buttons generic via filter on get_the_excerpt --><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3257,"featured_media":448956,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"stpt_category":185936,"stpt_post_tag":2354,"stpt_st_article_types":0,"stpt_st_travel_types":0,"stpt_st_campaign":0,"stpt_st_providers":0,"ep_exclude_from_search":false,"apple_news_api_created_at":"","apple_news_api_id":"","apple_news_api_modified_at":"","apple_news_api_revision":"","apple_news_api_share_url":"","apple_news_coverimage":0,"apple_news_coverimage_caption":"","apple_news_is_hidden":false,"apple_news_is_paid":false,"apple_news_is_preview":false,"apple_news_is_sponsored":false,"apple_news_maturity_rating":"","apple_news_metadata":"\"\"","apple_news_pullquote":"","apple_news_pullquote_position":"","apple_news_slug":"","apple_news_sections":"[]","apple_news_suppress_video_url":false,"apple_news_use_image_component":false},"categories":[185936],"tags":[2354],"smartertravel_exclude_from":[],"st_article_types":[3475],"st_travel_types":[],"st_providers":[],"audience-tags":[185531],"destination":[],"departure":[],"all_publish_dates":["2023-05-02"],"apple_news_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.smartertravel.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/05\/AdobeStock_357518841-scaled.jpeg","yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v15.9.1 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>How Long Does a Passport Renewal Take Right Now? | SmarterTravel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Need to renew your passport for a summer trip? 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