Passport wait times long as US preps for travel season. How to get yours in California
You may have to rethink your summer vacation abroad if you don’t already have your passport updated and ready to go.
There’s a passport pileup heading into the travel season. Due to increased demand and a shortage of staff at the U.S. State Department, CNBC reports, applications have been delayed.
On March 24, the department stated in a media note that processing time for passport applications can as many as 10 to 13 weeks, while expedited applications can be around seven to nine weeks. This doesn’t take into account the time it takes when the mailed application is received and when the passport is delivered — both of which can take up to two weeks each.
This is an increase from the beginning of March when regular applications took 8 to 11 weeks and expedited applications were five to seven weeks. And it may get worse.
The department said that it anticipated processing times would rise, as this may be one of the busiest travel seasons on record. According to the state, the surge in travel surpasses demand in 2007 and 2017, and in the winter, it received more than 500,000 applications.
“We are monitoring record-high demand for passports, and project to see that demand continue to increase through the spring and remain high throughout the summer,” according to the department’s website.
To address the delay, the department is recruiting employees for its passport centers and it has opened a satellite office to assist with processing.
The process
To apply for a passport or renew one, you’ll need to print out an online form.
First-time applications must be submitted in person at a passport center, while renewals can be submitted via mail.
The department advises that you should do the following:
Make sure the image of the application covers the entire page.
Use vertical, portrait format. Do not print your form horizontally. Doing so will cause delays with your application.
Print your form single-sided on 8½-inch by 11-inch letter-sized paper. We do not accept double-sided forms.
The only handwritten marks we will accept when you use the Form Filler tool are your original signature and date.
For the application, you’ll also need to provide specific documents. This includes original proof of U.S. citizenship, which can be an expired passport, birth certificate or Certificate of Citizenship; a photocopy of your proof of citizenship; a passport photo; an ID; and a photocopy of your ID.
After submitting your application, you can check its status online. It may take two weeks for updates to show.
How much does it cost?
For first-time applicants, you’ll have to pay two fees.
Adults 16 years and older will have to pay an application fee of $130 for a passport book plus an acceptance fee of $35. Passport cards, which are specific for traveling the northern and southern U.S. border, such as Canada and Mexico, are $30. Passport books are required for international travel.
Application fees for kids under 6 are $100 for the passport book and $15 for the card, plus the $35 acceptance fee. The form of payment will vary depending on the passport center, but generally, facilities will accept checks, cash and credit cards.
Adults renewing passport books must pay $130 for the application. Renewing passport cards is $30. You can send your money by check when you mail your paperwork.
If you want to expedite your application and get your passport earlier, you can pay an extra $60.
Where to go in California
If you’re applying for the first time or applying for your child, you need to go to a passport center.
You can apply at a post office, government office or library.
There are also passport agencies which are operated by U.S. Department of State. There are only three in California — one in San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego, and you’ll need to make an appointment first by calling 1-877-487-2778.
The department is hosting application fairs across California in May for people who are applying for the first time. This includes several events on May 20, including:
Adelanto: Adelanto Post Office at 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Oroville: Butte County Elections Office at 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. You need to call ahead to make an appointment.
San Diego: Carmel Mountain Postal Store at 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
El Cajon: El Cajon Post Office at 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
New events are added weekly, according to the department.
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