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last yr.

US Passport Processing Times Drop for Second Time in 2023 Amid State Department Hiring Surge

With the recruitment of additional staff and the opening of satellite office, passport processing times are reduced from 8-11 weeks to 7-10 weeks with 24 million passports issued in the past year, reflecting the highest in U.S. history.

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Overview

  • The U.S. State Department has reduced passport processing times for the second time in 2023 due to an aggressive recruitment and employing drive in state agencies and processing centers.
  • Passport processing times have reduced from the earlier 8-11 weeks for regular applicants and 5-7 weeks for expedited ones to now 7-10 weeks and 3-5 weeks respectively, excluding mailing time.
  • Further, a satellite office has been opened to aid in processing the surging number of applications, a response to the increased demand for international travel post-pandemic.
  • Moreover, processing of new or renewal passport applications begins when the application is received at a passport agency or processing center, and does not include mailing times, potentially extending wait times by up to 2 weeks.
  • Lastly, between October 2022 and September 2023, the Department issued a record 24 million passports, marking the highest number issued in a single year in US history.