US passport processing times are down. Here's how long you'll wait.
Procrastinators, rejoice: U.S. passport processing times are down, the State Department said.
Travelers whose applications are received on Monday or later can expect to wait between eight and 11 weeks for routine service, down from 10 to 13 weeks. Expedited service will take five to seven weeks, dropping from seven to nine weeks previously (applicants will also pay an extra $60 for the service).
Those ranges do not include mailing times.
“Our dedicated staff have worked countless hours to reduce passport processing times,” the State Department said in a news release. “We are continuously reassessing our operations to maximize efficiencies and are introducing innovations to our customer service and processing models.”
Staffing is up 10% with “hundreds of additional staff in the hiring pipeline,” the State Department said. More than 24 million passport books and cards were issued from October 2022 to September 2023, a record high.
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Even with the faster turnaround, though, travelers should plan ahead and make sure to check their passport’s validity. The State Department recommended applying a minimum of six to nine months before its expiration date, and “well in advance” of a possible trip.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for Paste BN based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.