US Passport Wait Times Return to Pre-Pandemic Levels

The US State Department has announced that processing times for passport applications have returned to pre-pandemic levels, with routine service taking six to eight weeks and expedited service taking two to three weeks. This comes after years of delays caused by a backlog resulting from the coronavirus pandemic. In 2021, processing times of up to 18 weeks frustrated travelers and led to abandoned travel plans. The State Department issued a record-breaking number of passport books and cards in the last fiscal year, and the number of Americans with passports has significantly increased over the years.