How long to get new passport?

[gretah]

Have you applied for a passport (new or renewal) since Covid? Have you received your new passport yet?

I tried a Search but didn't find any recent results.

I've got cabin fever being stuck at home. I would like to travel to Europe as soon as restrictions are lifted and museums have opened.

Thank you for telling us about your experience!

 

[rodi]

I haven't - but we need to renew our son's passports. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[audreyh1]

Oh yeah - mine expires next year.

 

[OldShooter]

I read just recently that they have a huge backlog. 6 months or more IIRC.

 

[cathy63]

The State Dept has info on their website: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/ea/passport-covid-19.html

Week (Thursday-Wednesday)	Applications Received	Passports Awaiting Issuance*	Passports Issued
This Week (Aug 6-Aug 12)	151,000	968,000	235,000
Last Week (July 30-Aug 5)	139,000	1.06 million	213,000
2 Weeks Ago (July 23-July 29)	143,000	1.15 million	206,000

*In prior years, the average number of passport applications in process during our busy season has routinely exceeded 1 million.

I'm not sure if the 151K is included in the 968K, but if not, and assuming they continue at the same rate as this week, it would be just over 5 weeks before they would get to an application received next week. Add a few weeks for holidays, mail transit time and miscellaneous delays and I would think that you should have it back sometime in Mid-October.

We're currently waiting for our Global Entry renewal to process. They're still deciding whether they need to interview us. They've extended the expiration dates by 6 months past our birthdays, so we now have until June and July of next year, but that's not possible with passports.

 

[chilkoot]

I applied for a renewal just before the clampdown took hold, so the whole matter was in suspended animation for awhile. It was 2-3 months before the new one arrived.

 

[rodi]

I just looked it up - and my son's renewal will be delayed by the fact that their old passports were issued when they were under 16. So we have to get an appointment to turn in the application (can't be done by mail.) Our acceptance office is the local post office - and has a long waitlist.

 

[VanWinkle]

I applied for a passport about 3 weeks ago. I will let you know when it is received.

 

[gretah]

Thanks to all for the helpful posts!

 

[braumeister]

Back in pre-COVID days, our most recent experience was in 2016 when DW renewed her passport. That took about five weeks, which was the normal experience then, and it sounds like it's still pretty much the same.

 

[braumeister]

We're currently waiting for our Global Entry renewal to process. They're still deciding whether they need to interview us. They've extended the expiration dates by 6 months past our birthdays, so we now have until June and July of next year, but that's not possible with passports.

FWIW, we renewed out NEXUS cards about 1 ½ years ago and it only took a few weeks (we didn't need new interviews).

 

[Lawrencewendall]

I submitted my paperwork in January and had it back in less than 4 weeks. Passport actually came in before my birth certificate was returned.

 

[audreyh1]

This article has a lot of answers. One person waited 19 weeks! But it sounds like they expect some improvements, but are still quoting several months.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/trav...ogjam-leads-long-processing-times/5392050002/

I think mine expires next year. Cr@p Jan of next year! I better get on it immediately, not that I’ll need one right then.

 

[cathy63]

FWIW, we renewed out NEXUS cards about 1 ½ years ago and it only took a few weeks (we didn't need new interviews).

We can hope that will be the case, but I know of several others who did have to be reinterviewed for Global Entry renewals. Seems like a complete waste of time and effort to me. I have heard that they will start processing pending renewals again after Labor Day, so maybe the backlog will be large enough that they will just decide to forego some interviews.

 

[Eucerin]

Have you applied for a passport (new or renewal) since Covid? Have you received your new passport yet?

I tried a Search but didn't find any recent results.

I've got cabin fever being stuck at home. I would like to travel to Europe as soon as restrictions are lifted and museums have opened.

Thank you for telling us about your experience!

We sent the renew application with passport and check in 8/1 and received new passport 10/6; the old passport arrived today. Yes, they sent back new and old passport separately.

 

[audreyh1]

Thank you! There is hope! That is one of my tasks later this month.

 

[VanWinkle]

I applied for a passport about 3 weeks ago. I will let you know when it is received.

I forgot to let everyone know but I received my passport on September 26th, the passport card and documents came back the following Monday.

Applied about 07/25 and received Sept 26th

 

[Dranoel]

Sent in old passport March 3rd. New one arrived in early September. Looks like they're faster now.

 

[braumeister]

Dept of State says routine processing time has stabilized at 10-12 weeks. Or pay an extra $50 and get 4-6 weeks.

 

[gerntz]

Our 8K burb offers passport renewal service at the city building. Not like we're a transportation hub of any kind.

 

[explanade]

I have until end of August.

Web sites says you can renew 9 months in advance.

But some people report they can do it earlier than that, though the 10-year cycle starts when they renew the passport, so the renewed passport would expire months before it otherwise would if you waited until the last couple of months.

But since there isn't a lot of travel going on, this is probably a good time to send your old passport in.

 

[Koolau]

Ours expired. Don't need one EXCEPT to avoid needing the "real id" (gold star BS) license. SO, we tried to get help at USPS. They don't do that anymore. Have to get application on line - our printer doesn't work. We can't find one of our little 'plastic' pretend passports. SO, since they have delayed the real id, we've given up for now. Guess we'll bite the bullet and go stand in the line if Covid ever gets over with. YMMV

 

[NYEXPAT]

My 5 y/o´s expired this past Sept. Due to Covid, the Embassy is only renewing on an emergency basis. You need to purchase your airline tickets first, so we have to wait for our Christmas trip to the USA to get an appointment.

 

[audreyh1]

I should have done it a couple of weeks ago, but I finally mailed in my passport renewal yesterday. It’s due to arrive next Monday 11/23. So we’ll see how long it takes.

It expires early Jan. But I’m not going overseas for a while.

State Department currently says

You can now apply for routine service and expect to receive a passport in 10-12 weeks. You also have the option of paying an additional $60 for expedited service to receive your passport in 4-6 weeks.

I’m hoping that I get mine by the end of Jan.

 

[braumeister]

Sent mine in over 11 weeks ago and it's still marked "in process".