What travelers should know to avoid further U.S. passport delays

Americans counting on traveling abroad have had their summer plans upended due to extended wait times for U.S. passports.

Two Maryland women, for example, said this month that they sent in expedited passport renewal applications 12 weeks before a planned European cruise, but still hadn’t received the passports, putting the trip in jeopardy and potentially costing them thousands of dollars.

After exhausting all other options to get her daughter’s passport before an impending trip overseas, a California mom sent a fruit basket to try to get the attention of an Arizona passport office but never heard back. It was only after the woman contacted a local news outlet that she received assistance to obtain her daughter’s passport.

In March, the State Department increased the standard processing time for passports from 10 to 13 weeks, and raised expedited processing wait times from seven to nine weeks as well as requiring an additional fee. It can take up to two weeks for an application to arrive at a passport agency by U.S. mail, and an additional two weeks for the passport to arrive by mail after it's printed, according to the State Department website.

The State Department is blaming pandemic-related staffing shortages and an unprecedented demand for passports, with a record number of 500,000 passport applications per week as more Americans resume traveling abroad. In March, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Congress that demand in 2023 could surpass last year’s 22 million issued passports and said activity could be up by as much as 40% this summer.

Here’s what travelers should know about passport applications and renewals amid the current spike in demand.

There are 4 types of standard passport applications

Routine: The State Department advises travelers to use this option if the travel date is over 13 weeks from the date when you submit your application. Processing takes 10 to 13 weeks and does not include mailing times. “You always want to allocate the maximum time the State Department is saying — never cut it to the short end,” John Rose, chief risk and security officer at Altour travel agency, told Yahoo News.

Expedited: Use this category if you are planning to travel less than 13 weeks from the date when your application is submitted, the State Department says. Processing takes seven to nine weeks, not including mailing times, and requires an additional fee.

Emergency: If you have a life-or-death emergency and need to travel outside the U.S. within 72 hours, use this category. “This is very hard to get unless you have certified justification, then [the State Department] can expedite that in just a few days,” Rose told Yahoo News.

Urgent travel: This option works if you’re traveling within nine weeks, but, unlike with expedited applications, you’ll have to schedule an appointment at a passport agency or center, according to the State Department.

“If you go through that process, you can get your passport in as fast as two weeks. I've seen it many times in my career,” Rose explained. “But you’ve got to have your paperwork together, you’ve got to have the documentation.”

If you’re in a bind, a 3rd-party company that specializes in passport services can help

Rose says if you’re going to use the urgent travel application, you might consider a third-party company that specializes in passport services.

“They can help ensure you got everything together, the right pictures, the right application, it's signed, your old passport, etc.,” Rose said, while noting the prevalence of potential scams and adding that it’s best to check with a travel adviser on reputable companies.

Check for passport, visa and vaccination requirements for the country you’re traveling to

“Different countries have different regulations on exactly how long you can have on your passport before expiration for entry,” Rose said, saying the country wants to avoid potential immigration status issues should a passport expire while traveling.

Rose also warned that you should make sure there are enough visa pages left in your passport, because some countries require two to four blank visa/stamp pages. He also reminds travelers to double-check vaccination or visa requirements of the countries to which they are traveling, as entry can be denied for those reasons.

You can contact your elected representatives to expedite your passport, but it’s not the best option

If you have exhausted all other options and are within 14 days of traveling, you can try to contact your elected representatives, though congressional offices have recently been overrun with requests due to the record number of passport applications.

“People can try, but I never recommend that avenue anymore,” Rose explains. “I recommend going through the normal channels because that has been effective with the clients that I help. I’ve never had that fail, but I shouldn’t say never.”