Significant passport backlogs for people trying to travel internationally is becoming a huge issue. What used to be a simple process that could be done in just a couple of weeks, now is causing headaches for people who have booked trips and need a passport or a renewal.
The U.S. State Department is now asking you to plan six months in advance for passports due to extended wait times. Thrifty Traveler's Kyle Potter says that even urgent passport needs are slowed down considerably. It used to be a two-week turnaround.
"Now we're talking about seven to nine weeks for expedited service, 10 to 13 weeks if you're just paying a normal passport fee or a renewal," says Potter on the WCCO Morning News with Vineeta Sawkar.
Expedited passports come with an additional $60 fee. After a price hike in 2021, applying for a passport now costs $165 for adults and $135 for minors, while renewing a passport costs $130. You can also add another $20 for rush delivery.
The longer passport wait times come as surging international travel demand has created an unprecedented amount of passport applications and renewals and that creates a backlog. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken told lawmakers in March his department was trying to get caught up.
“We’re getting 500,000 applications a week for passports. That’s 30% to 40% percent above last year, so it’s dramatic,” he said during a U.S. House Appropriations Committee hearing.
That clearing of the backlog hasn't happened and they're saying don't expect this to change before the end of the year at the earliest.
"Things don't seem to be getting any better and that's leaving a lot of people in the lurch who booked a big, international trip many, many months ago," explains Potter. "Believing that they would get their passport back in time and are getting into crunch time here without any sign of when their passport is coming back. It's a major problem."
Part of the problem for travelers are the passport date requirements. That's because many countries require a passport to be valid for three to six months beyond travelers' planned date of departure. Most countries in Europe won't let you in, or even allow you to get on the plane, if your passport expires in the next three months.
If you need to travel in the next 14 days (or need a foreign visa within 28 days), you'll need an emergency or urgent travel appointment. You'll need to call the National Passport Information Center. Be prepared to be patient. The State Department said customers are facing extended wait times while trying to contact them.
If you're also a frequent traveler hoping to get Global Entry status, you are also facing very long wait times, in some cases up to 18 months just for processing. It is so bad, the federal government is urging anyone who doesn't travel internationally multiple times a year to get TSA Precheck instead.
That wait for Global Entry doesn't include the interview portion either, which has been notoriously difficult to find at major U.S. Airports. Global Entry allows travelers expediated processing through U.S. Customs.
If you're one of the people needing a new passport or a renewal, Thrifty Traveler has some tips for you here.
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