Friday, July 17, 2026

Summer travels face disruption as U.S. citizens struggle to get passports

The State Department plans to reduce processing times to six to eight weeks for routine service and two to three weeks for expedited service.

• August 17, 2023
American passport (Credit: Unsplash)
American passport (Credit: Unsplash)

Millions of Americans may be unable to go ahead with their scheduled summer travels due to a backlog of passport applications, causing a months-long wait for many to renew their expired passports.

“While running a competent passport application process may not make a panel at Davos, this is an important function of the federal government that directly affects the lives and plans of millions of Americans,” Republican Senator Eric Schmitt said in a letter to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.

The State Department, which is responsible for issuing and renewing passports for Americans, said the backlogs are due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and it is only recovering from the disruption as it faces a record of pending applications.

“We’re throwing everything we can at this, trying to make sure that people have those blue books, that they’re able to travel,” Mr Blinken said at a news press conference last month.

He added, “It’s something that comes up repeatedly with members of Congress, with folks that I come across.”

According to The New York Times, the State Department is expected to issue 25 million passports this year, an increase from last year’s 22 million as it continues to 430,000 applications a week.

The State Department said its goal was to reduce processing times to six to eight weeks for routine service and two to three weeks for expedited service.

We have recently deactivated our website's comment provider in favour of other channels of distribution and commentary. We encourage you to join the conversation on our stories via our Facebook, Twitter and other social media pages.

More from Peoples Gazette

farmers

Agriculture

FG tasks ECOWAS on leveraging financing strategies for agroecology

The federal government has urged stakeholders in the agriculture and finance sectors in the West Africa region to leverage financing strategies to enhance agroecology practices

Katsina State

Politics

Katsina youths pledge to deliver over 2 million votes to Atiku

“Katsina State is Atiku’s political base because it is his second home.”

COURT OF APPEAL

Heading 5

Court of Appeal nullifies Electoral Act provisions on parties’ primary election, membership register

Zenith Party argued that the disputed Electoral Act provisions unlawfully interfered with the internal affairs of political parties. 

Babajide Sanwo-Olu

Lagos

Governor Sanwo-Olu inaugurates climate investment fund

Mr Sanwo-Olu described the fund as a landmark intervention. 

Kano-Daura rail project

NationWide

NRC reaffirms police partnership to protect rail assets

Mr Opeifa described the nation’s railway infrastructure as critical national assets that must be safeguarded.