State Department is working to deal with ‘unprecedented demand’ for passports.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on March 23, 2023 the State Department is facing an “unprecedented demand” for passports, and has increased staffing and resources to deal with it. The department is getting 500,000 applications a week for passports, which is 30% to 40% more applicants this year than last year.

The current wait time for a regular passport is about ten to thirteen weeks and seven to nine weeks for expedited. Processing times begin when the department receives an application and do not include delivery time. Individuals who applied online and have not received their passport within five days of planned should call the National Passport Information Center to make an appointment at a passport agency.

For those looking to travel to the U.S., the median wait time for visitor visa interview appointments is about two months, half as long as a year ago, and it is shorter in many parts of the world. The department is prioritizing visas with economic impact, like those for students, temporary workers and business travelers.

From late winter into summer, demand for passports is generally higher than other periods of the year. We encourage you to plan ahead amid passport processing delays. For more information, please visit The Department of State's website Processing Times for U.S. Passports (state.gov)