Americans face months-long wait for passports as State Department deals with massive backlog
Written by Site Hub on July 16, 2021
Looking to travel overseas this summer and still need a passport? You may need to rethink your plans.
Currently there is a massive wait for passports. The State Department is dealing with over a million applications backlogged. It is believed the extensive wait is due to COVID.
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Passport Services Rachel Arndt told reporters:
“Currently, our wait time for both new and renewal routine passport applications can be up to 18 weeks, and that includes our processing time, the initial internal intake of the applications, and mailing,”
Arndt went on to say that even if you pay for an expedited passport which has a $60 fee, there is a 12 week wait.
Arndt stated:
“This means people who submit new passport applications right now will not get their new passport until well into the fall. Last-minute passport appointments are extremely limited.”
