U.S. travelers hoping to take advantage of newly-reopened international travel may have one more hurdle in their way, and it’s one that could just wipe out chances for summer travel out of the country, as passport delays are now up to eighteen weeks.
And that number applies to both new and renewal passports. That means that if you apply today, you’re likely to get your passport in time for… Thanksgiving. If you’re willing to pay an extra $60 for what the State Department still calls ‘expedited’ service, you could travel to Europe for Halloween.
The situation is caused by a cascade of factors. For most of the year, nearly all passport processing offices were closed. And during that time, many people who might have renewed or applied waited until travel was possible again, not wanting to waste any passport time. And now, suddenly, everyone is ready to go. Among those feeling the brunt of the rush are members of Congress who are getting hundreds of requests from constituents for emergency help.
