State Department Addresses Unprecedented Passport Demand, Says Blinken.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has stated that the State Department is facing an "unprecedented demand" for passports, with wait times for regular passports at around 10-13 weeks and expedited passports at 7-9 weeks. The department is receiving 500,000 passport applications per week, which is 30-40% more than last year. The State Department has increased staffing and resources to deal with the demand, including hiring staff, authorizing overtime, and opening satellite offices. The department has also launched a pilot online renewal platform for passport renewals.