Passport Processing Times Are Finally Decreasing—Here’s the Current Timeline

Over the past year, obtaining a new or renewed passport has been a challenge for Americans, as rising processing times have left travelers anxious and sometimes scrambling for alternatives before their planned international trips.

Following more than a year of increasing wait times from the usual 6 to 8 weeks to 10 to 13 weeks, the State Department announced yesterday that processing times are finally beginning to decline.

Applicants who submitted their passport requests on or after October 2 can now expect to receive their new passport by mail within 8 to 11 weeks for standard service. Expedited passport processing times have also improved, reducing from 6 to 9 weeks down to 5 to 7 weeks (though still longer than the pre-pandemic estimate of 3 to 5 weeks).

“Our dedicated team has invested countless hours to expedite passport processing times,” stated the State Department in a press release. “We are continually evaluating our operations to enhance efficiency and are implementing innovations in our customer service and processing systems. We are also investing in modernizing our technology, increasing staffing levels by 10 percent, and have many additional hires in progress. Our goal remains to further reduce processing times, and this decline is a significant initial step.”

The overall slowdown in processing times is attributed to ongoing staffing shortages, a pandemic-induced halt in online processing, and a surge in travel demand, which U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken referred to as “unprecedented” during a House Appropriations subcommittee budget hearing in March.

From October 2022 to September 2023 (the federal fiscal year), the State Department reported issuing over 24 million passport books and cards—the highest number ever distributed by the agency in a single year. The previous year saw just under 22 million, marking the previous record since records began in 1974.

It’s important to remember that mailing times are not included in processing durations, so it’s advisable to account for a few additional days for shipping. Even with quicker turnaround times, the State Department advises, “We encourage anyone planning future international travel to check their passport’s validity frequently. Apply well ahead of your travel plans and at least 6-9 months before your passport’s expiration date.”