Passport Processing Times Are Back To Pre-Pandemic Levels

Between October of 2022 to September of 2023, the department issued over 24 million passport books and cards which is the highest number in U.S. history.

Processing times for passport applications appear to be back to pre-pandemic levels.

In 2021, processing times reached a record high of up to 18 weeks and the U.S. State Department had a 1.5 to 2 million backlog of applications to work through.

On Monday, the department announced processing time for routine service is now back to six to eight weeks and two to three weeks for expedited service, which costs an additional $60.

The updated times apply for applications submitted from here on out.

The return to normal wait times comes after years of delays as the department worked through a backlog caused mainly by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Between October of 2022 to September of 2023, the department issued over 24 million passport books and cards which is the highest number in U.S. history.

Currently there are over 160 million valid passports in circulation which is almost double the number from 2007.