If you’re in need of a new passport or a renewal soon, the process is expected to move a bit faster. The State Department has announced a reduction in anticipated waiting times by two weeks, responding to the lengthy delays experienced in the early months of 2023. Starting from Monday onwards, all passport applications can expect a wait time of 8-11 weeks for routine service, with expedited service times shortened to 5-7 weeks.
This change in processing time does not affect applications submitted before Monday. The State Department reported issuing a record-breaking 24 million passport books and cards in the fiscal year that just concluded, surpassing the previous year’s record of 22 million. During late spring and early summer, the department was processing approximately 450-500,000 applications each week.
To avoid any travel complications, the State Department recommends starting the passport application process 6-9 months before planned travel and regularly checking the validity of existing passports.
