Dear Neighbor,
Each spring and summer, hundreds of my constituents reach out to my office requesting assistance with their passports. My staff regularly assists by expediting existing applications or securing emergency appointments for those with urgent travel needs.
While we are happy to assist, we know that the turnaround times can cause a great deal of stress, so I wanted to take this opportunity to provide some information about passport applications and renewals.
Currently, passport application processing times, whether for a renewal or a brand new passport, range from 5-7 weeks for expedited processing and 8-11 weeks for routine processing. This would mean expedited applications submitted today would finish in late early to mid-April, and routine applications could take until the middle of May. Please keep in mind that this is only the timeframe for your application to process. It may require additional time to be delivered, even with an express delivery option.
This is true for applications submitted by mail and those submitted via the State Department’s Online Passport Renewal service. This new service will likely experience intermittent shutoffs as the State Department acclimates to the new process and associated increased demand and evaluates user experience.
The State Department advises that anyone with plans to travel internationally in less than 11 weeks should not apply for an online renewal. Instead, they assert that mailed applications are likely to be processed quicker and more accurately for the time being.
Many countries will not allow you to enter if your passport does not have the requisite remaining validity. Even if your passport will not expire for another four months after you leave, for instance, a country that requires six months left on your passport before it expires will not allow you to enter. Remember that children under 16 are only given a five-year passport, not the ten-year passports that adults receive. If you are planning international travel this year, or even if you think it may be possible, I encourage you to check your passport today to see when it expires.
The earlier you apply, the less likely you are to experience the longer wait times associated with summer travel. I know it may seem far away, but the busy travel season will be here before you know it, and I encourage all my constituents to prepare in advance.
Please continue to take care of yourselves and each other, and remember my office is always here to help. If you have any questions or concerns, or if you need assistance with a federal agency, please do not hesitate to call us at (703) 256-3071.
