You Can Now Get a U.S. Passport FASTER

If you’re traveling to another country soon, we’ve got some good news!

U.S. Passport

Since 2020, getting a U.S. passport has been tricky. The COVID-19 pandemic created a backlog that caused extra-long processing times for those applying for a passport. Now, things are starting to get back to normal.

According to CNN, processing times have returned to pre-pandemic levels. The US State Department announced the news this week, referencing a “commitment to return to benchmarks from March 2020.”

Air travel

With things back to normal, the processing time for the service is six to eight weeks, or two to three weeks for the expedited service (which costs an additional $60). Keep in mind, however, that this does not include mailing times.

Orlando Airport

In 2021, processing times could take as long as 18 weeks. As a result, some travelers had to cancel their plans after not receiving their passports in time. In the summer of 2021, the State Department had a 1.5 million to 2 million backlog of applications.

Time to Travel — Where Will You Go?

The extra processing time over the last few years is not only due to pandemic-related delays but also a significant increase in the number of people applying for passports. Between October 2022 and September 2022, the department issued more than 24 million passport books and cards — the highest number in U.S. history.