Passports Now Take Longer to Process
by Jessica Montevago /Travel advisors may want to tell clients to plan ahead when ordering passports.
State Department’s Passport Services agency increased the processing time for routine service to six to eight weeks, the Washington Post reported.
Until May 31, the interval between application and delivery was four to six weeks, marking a 50 percent increase for the minimum wait.
Customers who need their passports more urgently can request expedited service for an additional $60, which takes about two to three weeks.
In each of the past two years, the State Department said a record of more than 21 million passports and passport cards were delivered. About 18.6 million applications are expected this fiscal year.