Update, 12/20: An insider tells DansDeals that the US State Department is very close to launching a new online passport renewal platform! The new platform will address some of the bugs that led to the shutdown of the original platform back in March. As with the previous system, this will only be for passport renewals, so it won’t work for kids’ passports as they need a new application each time.
Additionally, many readers report that passport renewals are now taking just 1-2 weeks, and that it’s not currently worth paying for the expedite fee.
Originally posted on 12/19:
The US State Department reports that passport processing has finally returned to pre-pandemic times. Regular processing is back to 6-8 weeks and expedited processing is back to 2-3 weeks.
You can also schedule urgent appointments online here, with new batches of appointments apparently being released at midnight. That’s a big improvement over the phone system.
But even now I was able to find appointments in New York City and Buffalo.
But what’s wild is this tidbit. When I was a kid in 1990, only 5% of Americans had a passport. That number has climbed to a whopping 48%!
Pretty incredible how international travel has reached the masses over the past generation. Now if only they would bring back online passport renewal and make it easier to obtain kids’ passports and not expire them every 5 years.
Wild statistic in this State Department release about passport processing times returning to pre-pandemic levels: āIn 1990, only five percent of Americans had a passport. Today, that number is 48%ā pic.twitter.com/XooGpya6Bb
— John Hudson (@John_Hudson) December 18, 2023
HT: chff and youG, via DDF
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65 Comments On "[Online Passport Renewal Returning, Don’t Pay For Expedite Fees!] Passport Processing Back To Pre-Pandemic Times, Online Appointments Are Live, And How Many More Americans Have Passports Now Than A Generation Ago?!?"
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Filed for my Daughter’s passport on 11/30. Got it back 12/13 and was not expedited
Same here I filed in the Post Office, regular delivery and got it back 2 weeks later
Same! I renewed my son’s at the post office in November and received it in the mail exactly 3 weeks later. I did not pay for expedited.
Same with me, not expedited. Couldnāt believe my eyes.
Same. I mailed my renewal on the 1st and got it back on the 16th! Iām impressed. Not expedited.
Same
I wouldn’t be surprised if that number is a mistake.
Until they have dynamic updating photos, how can you not expire kids passports in 5 years?
5 years is an eternity for a child. The picture is completely outdated after 2 years, nevermind 5.
OK, so why 5? Is the 1 month old photo worth anything for my 3 year old now?
You’re right, should be every 2 years until age 12. But with a $25 fee, not the ridiculous price they charge.
Exactly. So 5 really is an arbitrary number. A baby is a different person 4.5 years later.
They had to draw the line somewhere so of course it’s going to be arbitrary. It’s easier to take my kids for a passport renewal than to the pediatrician and they only need an appointment once every 5 years so I’m certainly not complaining
Sent in my renewal application via mail on Monday with expediting, and received the new one the following Friday.
Seen this last week. Waiting for 2 weeks before my flight to get an appt. But There goes me easily getting one now that the dans world knows about it
That’s not a hard workaround.
It’s not exactly a secret that Dan’s telling the world. It’s literally right there on the their webpage.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html
Amazing that appointments for rush passports can now be made online.
There’s absolutely no reason that one should have to pay $500+ to these people who booked all the appointments. It’s time to put them out of business.
Yu Yu.
Letās hold our horses as the U.S. is still much slower than most other countries. In Canada wait times are 10-20 days U.K. 3 weeks. So while this is definitely a move in positive direction we still have room for much much more improvement.
We’ll take what we can get. The grass is always greener on the other side
In 1990 you didn’t need a passport to go to Canada.
There is NO WAY 48 percent have passports. I would bet my life on it
You better stay away from the casinos. It’s all about where you live, who you know and how much they make. In the rural there’s people who haven’t been out of state or more than a few hours from home. But to be honest I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a passport anymore. Even kids.
Also all this is during October-December when processing times are generally faster
In NYC its extremely difficult to get new passports or renewals for children. Non of the most offices have availability online and when they do itās weeks away and long lines.
Come to Lakewood.
I’m looking for 3 slots in Lakewood, I have to wait weeks
Why lakewood
Try to book an appointment to this Post Office:
Bush Terminal Retail – Post Office
775 4TH AVE STE 2, BROOKLYN, NY 11232-1415
Most of the times you can get an appointment within a week or less.
I used it many times in last few years.
Got within 3 weeks for my son about a month ago. And in under 2 weeks for my spouse last week.
Both non expidited
Don’t pay to expedite! I sent it in November 28 got new passport December 11, that’s 2 weeks! Amazing
What about Global Entry?
I also just got after 10 days not expedited
I applied for renewal of my passport expedited with Fedex on Wednesday November 22 (day before Thanksgiving). I received the new passport Friday December 1.
How many immigrants came to USA in the last 30 years.? I would assume they travel most…..
That definitely helps the stat.
Define immigrant. Someone who came to the US legally using the quota system? Yes, they have passports. Someone who crossed the border illegally? Donāt even have any form of ID let alone a passport.
WWYD
Sonās passport expires within six months
He turns 16 one month before it expires so I want to wait until he is 16 to renew (so he can get a 10 year book and to save on fees and not have both parents attend when he applies)
25-50% chance we need to travel before it expires but most countries require a passport with six months validity
I would wait til plans are more concrete but either way I would probably be going to the UK or Israel which only require passport validity for the duration of the stay not 6 months
Israel officially asks for 6 months because tourist visas are usually valid for three months and can be renewed.
But even if they would really let you in with less time remaining no airline will take the chance because they are responsible if you get turned back by Israel authorities.
I’ve seen people denied boarding at JFK with 3-4 months left on the passport.
I always found that to be one of the dumbest things ever. My passport functionally expires 6 months before it actually expires.
First of all, I have plane tickets with specific travel dates that fall within the timeframe that my Visa is valid. The counter to that is that something may come up and cause a change to my travel plans. So we refer to:
Second of all, there’s an embassy where I can either renew my passport or get a special limited-use passport.
The Israeli Gov’t does not officially ask for 6 months: https://www.gov.il/en/service/group_entry_to_israel
Neither does the UK Gov’t
Not sure why the airlines would need to be more frum than the gov’t but I guess that wouldn’t stop them.
Nice to hear as I need to renew my passport this year. We did my wife’s in 2022 with the new online system and it had some hiccups — I had to beg for them to get the passport back to her after 7 weeks of processing as we were about to fly overseas. Is online renewal working now? And if you use it, can you keep using your existing passport as they process the new one? That would make my life easier, as I don’t want to revisit the bad experience with my wife’s passport (having to strategically time the application and worrying whether we’ll get it back in time for my next trip).
DoS PPT has made significant efforts including getting adjudicators out of retirement to help with the backlog.
Do not pay for expediters.
Will it be quicker than the old system? Was very frustrating that online renewals took longer that mail. (Should be much faster).
I mailed mine in, check got cashed 12/12. Status as of today is approved and being printed
What does “very” close mean for the online renewals? As in this week, or next week? I’m able to mail in a renewal but will wait if the online system is imminently returning.
Also when people are saying renewals are taking 1-2 weeks, from when are they counting? The day they mail in the renewal application or from when the tracking system online shows that the application is processing or something else?
It sounds like that’s the goal, yes.
From the day they mail it in.
How close to expiration does your passport have to be for an appointment? Is it only based on travel within 14 days?
While my current passport has 6+ months of validity, I have upcoming work travel that will bump into that timeline. I’d like to renew way before that becomes an issue, but don’t know if that’s possible unless your passport is at the 6 m. point?
How long does it take them to send back my old passport?
While I received my new passport in just 2 weeks I’m waiting already 4 weeks for my old passport, why do they hold on to it?
Mine took 3 weeks (regular processing), sent it in end of Oct. Even though it says it only accepts “personal checks”, I sent a business check, I have enough business checks to renew my passport for the next 300,000 years.
Any DP on children renewal time frame?
I Applied in November. It took 3 weeks.
Any way to apply for 3 kids without waiting a few weeks for a appointment?
I had a baby recently and need to get back to Israel. I can’t see any available urgent appointments in my area, Brooklyn. Can anyone help me with this?
The big jump in passports (5-48%) is a bit misleading, because back in 1990 you didn’t need a Passport to go to Canada (this changed circa 2009). That probably accounts for a significant amount of that jump.
I can’t wrap my head around only 5% of people having passports in 1990. Either international travel has increased exponentially since then, or else the bureaucratic state has increased its reach exponentially, or both.
My grandfather (who survived the gulags in Siberia and fought the Nazi’s in WW2) was of the opinion that it was incumbent on every Jew to have a valid passport (and a go-bag) at all times, as one never knows when the will of our host country may change and we need to flee. And he was not the worrying type.
Exciting! Will the online renewal system allow for name change?
@Dan any updates regarding this? I have been waiting to re-new, and would love to renew online of possible.
Was wondering the same thing. Can this “insider” give us an update?
“Very close” means a whole month Dan?
You expect the feds to run on time? š
On time would’ve been the “end of 2023” I’m just curious what your “insider” is saying
I’ve been pushing off renewing my passport once I saw this post. I’m not sure how long this will be. @Dan, can you advise if you think this will be within 2/3 weeks from now? If not, I would probably try and renew it the old way for now. thank you.
Will this be resumed in March? (It has been about a year now)
Any update on online renewal’s?