Getting a passport nowadays is crazy, y’all. How crazy? Well, Joe and I are going on a Virgin Voyages cruise in February 2024. My passport expires in June 2024 and it’s supposed to have at least 6 months left on it in order to be allowed to board the ship (well, sorta). So I’d need to get it renewed before the cruise. I sent it out this week, to make sure I have PLENTY of time.
The State Dep’t is currently estimating 10-13 weeks processing time for passports (or 7-9 weeks if you get expedited service for an extra $60). I got expedited service and have just shy 7 months…I should (fingers crossed) be OK.
Some people though, sent in the application months ago and still haven’t received it back. For some, it means they have to reschedule or cancel their overseas travel entirely. Last week NPR focused on 2 people who canceled their plans:
- Dakotah H. from Virginia Beach, VA, missed out on seeing her deployed husband in June, even though she sent her expedited passport application in 4 months ago. She’s been able to change her plans to now meet him in the Mediterranean in mid-July. She has her fingers crossed that her passport will show up in time. Otherwise, she won’t be able to see him until he returns from his deployment at the end of the year.
- Keisha P. from MD, was supposed to go to the Bahamas with her daughter. She sent her daughter’s applications in March. In late June, she learned that she was missing some paperwork. After submitting the proper documents, Peterson in early July that the department made a mistake about which documents they needed. She’s looking to see if she can get a voucher or credit for their flights.
Of course, if you have imminent travel plans, you can get an emergency passport. But facilities that can issue those are few and far between, and you have to have the means and time to get there before your travel dates.
A TikToker named Carissa documented the lengths her boyfriend, Landon, took THE DAY BEFORE their trip to Europe, when his passport still hadn’t arrived. The video shows when she’s dropping him off at the airport:
@carissapars
“Dropping off my boyfriend to the airport so he can fly to Atlanta to get his passport at the passport agency @8am tmr that he applied for in March but had not received it yet,” the narrative says. “We leave for Italy tomorrow at 7:40pm, just to catch a flight from ATL to TPA @1pm tomorrow and get on our international 12 hour flight to have a European summer with my family.”
We don’t know why he waited until the day before their trip; emergency passports can be issued with “as much” as 2 weeks. We also don’t know if or why they didn’t try to contact his congressperson to help. But this is what he did. And did it work?
Nope.
@carissapars HERE IS FINALLY THE UPDATE… sorry ive been traveling all day and ill keep giving yall updates! Come back to see some itsly content😊🇮🇹🫶🏻
Carissa explained in another clip that Landon wasn’t able to make it in time. The passport agency in Atlanta wasn’t able to get him his passport until 3pm, and their flight from ATL (to TPA and then on to Italy), was at 1pm. He eventually joined the family vacation a few days late.
The State Department is in the midst of hiring more staff and authorizing more overtime so they can keep up with the demand (and hopefully work on the backlog). The department, which has offered on-again-off-again website access (it’s currently off-again. I tried) for passport renewals, hopes to have the website up, full-time, by the end of the year. The online option is expected to help process about a quarter of applications.
Until then, they’re now recommending you send in your passport application/renewal SIX MONTHS ahead of when you plan to need it.
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4 comments
I was really lucky.
No expedited handling or anything special.
5/25: Mailed application to Philadelphia
5/31: Application received
6/01: Check cleared
6/06: In progress
6/23: Mailed
6/28: Received
34 days!
Appointments at agencies have been almost impossible to obtain. So one day before your flight might be the only appointment available. I know of two people in the last 2 months who had to fly to the only appointments they could get, one end Puerto Rico and the other in Honolulu.
I had 3 months to my expiration date which would be August 23rd, I applied for my renewal in person on May 3rd check cleared May 10th, travel plan was for July 2nd didn’t happen, made many calls to the agency sometimes no answer other times waiting more than 3 and a half hours just for someone to tell you to check back there’s nothing they can do or check website for Status, eventually I called and get an appointment for tomorrow July 18th at 7:30 am in Atlanta, at first I was being sent to Washington DC at 11:30am which would have been impossible for the next day. I have been so stressed out over this Passport situation hopefully I get it to travel by the weekend, the system is very terrible and you also have some really nasty attitude representatives working there.
I’ve put in my Application for my passport in January it was received on the 26th it been in progress since then…the number that they give they cannot help you only expedite your passport which doesn’t make sense because they had it since January it’s now July going into August I’ve received no emails no letters nothing it’s just saying in progress you call no one nothing can be done but they cashed my money order.