The processing time for passport applications has returned to pre-pandemic levels, the U.S. State Department announced on Monday (18).
The processing time for regular applications is now six to eight weeks and two to three weeks for emergency applications (which cost an additional $60), the department said. The updated wait time applies to applications submitted from December 18.
In 2021, wait times of up to 18 weeks frustrated travelers and even caused some to abandon travel plans due to not receiving their documents. That summer, the State Department said it had between 1.5 and 2 million pending applications.
The return to pre-pandemic processing times comes after a record fiscal year: between October 2022 and September 2023, the department issued more than 24 million passports – the highest number in U.S. history.
According to the State Department, only 5% of Americans had a passport in 1990, compared to the current 48%.
There are currently over 160 million valid passports in circulation – nearly double the number from 2007.
Visit travel.state.gov/passport to plan your 2024 trip with the latest guidance on passports and processing tips in mind. The State Department encourages all U.S. citizens traveling abroad to renew their passports in advance. They also advise U.S. travelers to enroll in the State Department’s Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP.state.gov) so they can receive important messages about their destinations, including alerts and travel advisory updates.
Source: CNN and U.S. State Department