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If you plan to travel outside the United States this summer, you will need an important document to enter most countries: Your passport . If your identity document issued by the government is up to date, congratulations - you are ready to leave! However, if you get your first passport or renew a passport that is about to expire, make sure it does not influence your Upcoming travel projects . An increase in demand for new passports and passport renewals creates serious delays, certain documents taking up to 13 weeks or more to arrive, against eight weeks in 2022.

Travelers visiting international countries generally need a passport to prove that they are American citizens during customs and immigration control points. An American driving license can help Check your identity , but that will not cut it when you are at the airport or cross a border.

"We hear customers that they are ready to experience the world again," said Heather snaman , director of commercial operations at Queen of To Do, a company specializing in Travel concierge services .

Snaman says that many travelers want "increased mobility that accompanies an American passport", which grants holders Access without visa to 186 countries or territories, according to goisafree.com.

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Destination analysts, a tourism market research company, have found that 31% of Americans are more International interested that domestic trips these days. If you are part of the jet set population abroad, make sure that your passport is up to date or risks posting this vacation abroad a little longer.

Why are passports delayed?

International trips were extremely limited during the pandemic and slow to recover once the vaccines were part of the protocol. In 2022, when numerous travel and restrictions were lifted, Wanderlust repressed began to resume quickly.

Today, travel expenses are Four percent higher that the 2019 pre-countryic levels, according to the US Travel Association. The US State Department has expressed almost 22 million passports In 2022, against 15.5 million in 2021.

This year is "on the right track" this record, American secretary of state Antoine flashes reported during a Budget audience in March And processing centers "obtain 500,000 requests per week for passports". The request is so high that the State Department has not been able to follow the unprecedented thrust.

The State Department plans to hire more employees and introduce an online renewal system, but until the unsubscribe begins to regulate, travelers should anticipate longer waiting times. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB

How long does the treatment of American passports last?

Treatment times vary depending on the time of year. Summer is often the busiest travel season, so those trying to ensure that their passports generally apply at the end of winter and early spring. Blinken noted that the overvoltage had made the "constantly high" request, which explains the delays in the renewal of the passport.

It doesn't matter whether you get a passport for the first time or renew one. The Ministry of State notes that routine treatment can take between 10 to 13 weeks , without counting the time necessary to send your documents, which can take up to two weeks in each direction (two weeks from the moment you send your filled forms and two weeks from the treatment center to your hands).

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What can I do to speed up my passport?

The State Department's website indicates that accelerated treatment varies from seven to nine weeks and costs an additional $ 60 in addition to standard request costs of $ 130.

These processing times also depend on the location where your passport ends. In Reddit conversations Between people from different states and American territories, some users report that their accelerated passports are currently treated in the announced time range and that others have also received them more than seven weeks.

A Reddit user submitted his documents on April 19. It was treated at Locator 35 (a Charleston passport center, according to the State Department website ), and they say they received their accelerated passport May 18.

"I applied for mine February 8 [2023]," wrote another Reddit user. "A new adult passport with an accelerated service of $ 60. And Arrived today on February 17 [2023]. It comes from the San Juan passport agency. ""

A third Reddit user relayed that he had problems with their documents, which prolonged the accelerated process . This involved several back and forth conversations on the verification of wedding certificates so that the name on their passport changes, and the document was lost by post.

"It turns out that the package was delayed because it was damaged," they said in the position. The couple had to involve a congress representative and cancel part of their honeymoon while they were waiting for an emergency passport to be treated.

Can you travel with a passport soon expressed?

It depends. Many foreign countries require your passport to be valid for at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. It is Prevent emergency situations When visitors exceed or extend their original travel plans, according to Visa Guide. If your passport expires while you are abroad, you find yourself without going home until you receive an emergency travel document.

Some countries will allow visitors to travel with only three months of validity, but six months is the time recommended in all destinations. All the gaps could have you refused boarding at the airport and show friends and family on the way to summer pleasure.

How much does the passport renewal cost?

THE Processing fee For a passport book is the same as you apply for a new passport or that you renew an existing - $ 130 for adults and $ 100 for minors under the age of 16. Crunch, there are optional costs of $ 19.53 for delivery of 1 to 2 days once the passport has completed the treatment.

Make sure to provide correct payment according to your needs, as the Ministry of State warns that "the submission of incorrect passports could delay the processing of your request".

How do you check the status of your passport?

It is important to know where you are on the passport processing calendar, which is why the Ministry of State allows citizens to follow their passport documents. The easiest way is to visit the official website of status of status of American passport, where registered candidates Can find information such as location numbers and how far is along their passport is in the process, which can help determine future travel plans according to any unexpected problem or delay with your new passport or renewal of the passport.

Other status trackers are based on the type of application you have submitted. There is a separate site For those who send renewal documents by mail or who have attended meetings in person, while those who have renewed online have access to a Different tracker .

Anxious travelers have also made the help of their Local government . "I salute the ability of my voters to renew their passports thanks to a secure paper process," wrote American senator Mark R. Warner (D-VA) in a letter to the State Department. "However, the OPR system seems to be loaded with significant errors that have caused headache, stress, and unfortunately in some cases, delayed or missed trips. In other words, the service that my voters have received is unacceptable."

In some cases, congress offices may be able to help delay passports for their voters. However, this is on a case -by -case basis with local offices and not a guaranteed way to obtain your passport on time for your trip.

The bottom line

An updated passport is one of the most important elements that you will have to pack, you are a experienced traveler or leave the United States for the first time. Know how long a passport can take to be treated and that the time to renew the current passport could do or break your holiday plans, so consult your passport expiration date to ensure that you can submit a renewal request with a lot of additional time. What if your passport expires soon? Well, you can always choose a transporting getaway, such as national parks or the American islands, where Passports are not necessary .