Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
  • News
  • Tours & Packages
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Niche & Luxury
  • Air
  • Training & Events
  • Who We Are
    • Brian Israel
    • Dan McCarthy
    • Denise Caiazzo
    • Dori Saltzman
    • Kelly Fontenelle

U.S. Passport Renewal Waiting Time Could Soon Get Even Worse

by Daniel McCarthy / March 16, 2023
U.S. Passport in hand waiting on renewal

U.S. Passport processing time could soon get even worse. Photo: Shutterstock.com

The U.S. State Dept. is on track to set the record for the highest demand year ever for passport applications, far surprising its previous highs in 2007 and 2017. While that is good news for a travel industry that has suffered through the lows of COVID-19, it could spell bad news for travelers.

According to the most recent update from the State Dept., that increase in demand, which has produced more than 500,000 applications during some weeks this winter, could easily mean more time waiting for passport renewal.  

The update, published earlier in March, said that the current processing times are 8 to 11 weeks for routine service and 5 to 7 weeks for expedited service. Expedited service costs an additional $60 per application on top of the $130 application fee for a standard passport book (a passport card will cost an additional $30).

However, the bigger news for the update for future international travelers is that the State Dept. admitted that the timeline could soon get even worse for travelers.

“These processing times fluctuate throughout the year depending on demand and we anticipate that they will rise, especially as we approach the busier travel season,” the U.S. State Dept. said in its most recent update.

The State Dept. is promising to do what it can to keep those times under control—it said it is “aggressively recruiting and hiring across our passport agencies and centers” and has already had its team members “contribute tens of thousands of hours of overtime a month to issue the millions of passports sought by traveling Americans.”

It said it has also opened a satellite office to help process “the large number of applications” it is receiving.

The State Dept. had been allowing some to renew their passport online. The online portal, which was technically still in testing mode, was open as recently as January, giving passport holders the chance to do everything online. However, that portal is now closed and while the State Dept. told TMR that the plan is to roll it out fully sometime this year, that’s not an option for travelers right now.

The online system also had its fair share of issues—according to CBS News, some who submitted applications through the virtual portal in January are still waiting on renewal.

  100
  1
Related Articles
U.S. State Department Warns of 4-Month Delays for Passport Renewal
Americans Can Still Renew Their Passport Online in 2023
The U.S. State Department’s Online Passport Renewal Service Is Now Open
Americans Will Be Able to Renew their Passports Online By Early 2023
U.S. Passport Wait Time Is Now 8 to 11 Weeks for ‘Routine Service’
U.S. Passport Holders Will Soon Be Able to Mark “X” As Gender Identity
TSA Threatens Unruly Passengers with Loss of PreCheck Credentials
U.S. Passport Services Start to Resume After ‘Unprecedented Challenge’
AAA Recommends Travelers Get International Driving Permit
FedEx Can Now Get You a Passport in as Little as 24 Hours

MOST VIEWED

  1. U.S. State Department Updates Jamaica Travel Warning to Level 3
  2. First Hand Look at the Soon-to-Open Sam Lord's Castle Barbados, A Wyndham Grand Resort
  3. TSA Will Now Allow Teens to Access PreCheck with Parents or Guardians
  4. Tips for Delivering Bad News to Your Clients
  5. Vantage Travel Website Down, Cruises Canceled Last Minute
  6. 25 Qualifying Questions to Help You Nail Your Clients' Vacation Plans

MOST EMAILED

  1. 5 Reasons You Need to Use a Travel Advisor Now More Than Ever
  2. First Hand Look at the Soon-to-Open Sam Lord's Castle Barbados, A Wyndham Grand Resort
  3. U.S. State Department Updates Jamaica Travel Warning to Level 3
  4. U.S. to End COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement for International Travelers
  5. 25 Qualifying Questions to Help You Nail Your Clients' Vacation Plans
  6. TSA Will Now Allow Teens to Access PreCheck with Parents or Guardians
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth coverage, analysis of industry news, trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
NOAA Forecasts Near-Normal 2023 Hurricane Season with 12-17 Named Storms
NOAA Forecasts Near-Normal 2023 Hurricane Season with 12-17 Named Storms

The NOAA said it has “70% confidence” in its 2023 prediction.

Read...
London Heathrow Airport Prepares for Security Worker Strike
London Heathrow Airport Prepares for Security Worker Strike

Security guards working at Heathrow are set to strike from May 25 through May 27. 

Read...
TSA Will Now Allow Teens to Access PreCheck with Parents or Guardians
TSA Will Now Allow Teens to Access PreCheck with Parents or Guardians

Children 12 and under are already allowed to do the same.

Read...
Federal Judge Strikes Down American Airlines and JetBlue’s 'Northeast Alliance'
Federal Judge Strikes Down American Airlines and JetBlue’s 'Northeast Alliance'

The judge called the alliance “the sort of ‘unreasonable restrain on trade’ the Sherman Act was designed to prevent.” 

Read...
Travel Agency Air Ticket Sales Dip Month-Over-Month
Travel Agency Air Ticket Sales Dip Month-Over-Month

For the first time in 2023, total travel agency air ticket sales dipped month-over-month.

Read...
WestJet and Swoop Start Canceling Friday Flights as Pilot Strike Looms
WestJet and Swoop Start Canceling Friday Flights as Pilot Strike Looms

WestJet Group is cutting its schedule this week ahead of an expected pilot strike.

Read...
TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
Cruise Trend Outlook 2023
river cruise 2022
group outlook 2022
View All
Advertiser's Voice
https://img.youtube.com/vi/TIZwKLcPwbg/0.jpg
We Appreciate our Travel Advisors
About Travel Market Report Mission Staff Advisory Board Advertise
TMR Resources Webinars Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
News |Tours & Packages |Cruise |Hotels & Resorts |Destinations |Retail Strategies |Niche & Luxury |Air |Training & Events |Who We Are
© 2005 - 2023 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | 243 South Street, Oyster Bay, NY, 11771 USA | Telephone (516) 730-3097| Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy