July 3, 2023
If you have international travel plans and you need to get a US passport or you need to renew your passport – you’re going to be waiting for months. But there may be a silver lining for some of you.
The fact is the US State Department is so backed up, they’re severely understaffed and can’t handle the record 500-thousand passport applications they’re getting a week.
If you applied for a new passport or renewal after March 24th — the state department says your passport will take 10 to 13 weeks for routine processing and 7 to 9 weeks for expedited processing. And that doesn’t include the up to two weeks it takes for your application to get to the agency through the mail. If you’re renewing – the State Department says the mail is your only option.
But if you are looking to get a *new* passport — the State Department just announced its hosting Passport Acceptance Fairs across the country. It’s a way for you to submit your new passport application and provide your documentation in person. The events are being held all summer long.
Find a passport acceptance fair near you here.
State Dept. passport processing information here
