Passports: What to Know About Renewal Times, Prices and Global Entry

livemint.com:

If you haven’t yet renewed your passport ahead of an international trip, prepare to pay plenty to fix the problem. Wait times for passports have increased across the board in recent months. Standard processing times are 10 to 13 weeks, the State Department says.

Expedited processing times are seven to nine weeks. Neither estimate includes mailing times, which officials say can tack on two weeks each way. These times are up from five to seven weeks for expedited passport renewals and eight to 11 weeks for routine renewals a few months ago.

If you plan to travel internationally this year, the State Department recommends renewing your passport now. Travel advisers say that, given current processing times and international rules, travelers should renew passports nine months to one year before their expiration dates. Many destinations won’t admit travelers if their passports expire within six months.

Nearly one-third of American travelers expect to travel internationally this year, according to market-research firm Destination Analysts. Even for those behind schedule, addressing renewals immediately could make a big difference at departure time. Why are passport processing times so long? The State Department says it receives an average of 400,000 applications a week.

This is down from higher-than-normal volumes in January through May 2023 that exceeded 500,000 applications a week, the State Department said. At a congressional hearing in March, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the 500,000 figure was 30% to 40% more than last year. During the pandemic, demand plummeted; the department laid off contractors and reassigned other personnel, Mr.