If you plan to travel abroad this summer and are a US citizen, double check your passport now to make sure it hasn’t expired.
The State Department recently issued an advisory on Twitter informing travelers of the slow processing of passport renewals and approvals. Standard government agency passport processing takes 8 to 11 weeks. Also, expedited service takes 5-7 weeks.
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So if you’re planning a trip in June (or actually this summer) and need to renew your passport, now is the time.
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It’s also worth noting that the agency said processing time does not include mailing time, so the entire process could take several more weeks.
Equally important, passport applications must be submitted by mail. A pilot program to renew passports online began in 2022 for him, but was paused earlier this month, according to the State Department website.
“On February 7 at 1pm ET, we temporarily closed our online update service to new customers. We plan to resume service to new customers periodically with limited releases before a full release later this year. ,” the website now states.
When the online program first launched, it promised to cut passport renewal times by 1-7 weeks. This reduced the traditional 8-11 week average renewal process by mail to just 5-7 weeks online.
Current passport processing time is 8-11 weeks for standard service and 5-7 weeks for expedited service ($60 fee). If you’re planning a trip this summer, apply now. https://t.co/FiI0XR8Okl pic.twitter.com/x4StrO8VpU
— Travel – Department of State (@TravelGov) February 24, 2023
Since the launch of the online program, over 500,000 customers have submitted applications through the portal. The agency said it is currently fine-tuning the program based on customer feedback.
There is a long list of requirements to be covered for online passport processing once the program resumes. Some requirements include being over the age of 25. Additionally, according to the State Department website, the most recent passport must be valid for his 10 years and issued between nine and 15 years ago.
Also, if you choose to update your passport online, you cannot change your name, gender, date or place of birth.
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