A Passport Processing Time Will Increase Soon: Here Are The Reasons Why

Anywhere we travel that is not within the United States, a passport is required. Whether you are getting a passport for the first time or renewing one, the wait time to obtain one might be the most tedious and annoying part of the whole process. Even more disappointing now is the fact that the wait time is not getting any shorter any time soon.

Unfortunately, it is the complete opposite; the time to process a US passport is currently about 4-6 weeks but soon will take 6-8 weeks. However, there are a set of reasons to pinpoint this time increase and a possible way to solve these problems.

Reasons For Processing Time

Over the past year, the United States State Department has cut jobs while making employees work more in an attempt to not spend as much money on funding government employees. As a consequence of these layoffs, the people whose job it is to process these passports can’t do their job as efficiently because fewer people do more work.

A combination of fewer employees to produce passports, more security at airports, and more people traveling might create the entire traveling process more of a pain than it already is for so many people.

Use Expedite Processing To Decrease Time

If you have no intention of waiting up to 8 weeks to obtain a passport, you can expedite a passport from several expeditors. The process to obtain one is no different than getting a regular passport. You will need the following to apply:

  • Application form
  • Proof of US citizenship
  • The passport-size picture that follows exact passport format and rules
  • Submission of this information to the United States State Department

Getting an expedited passport is not different than getting a regular passport except for the fact that it is quicker to get but will generally be more expensive.

Ways To Help Improve Your Trip Experiences

Besides paying the extra dollar to get a passport sooner, there are three beneficial yet straightforward ways to make sure your trip goes smoothly even with all the holdups in traveling.

  1. Always plan early

If you plan on going to another country shortly but do not yet have a passport, it is better to get one now and not have to worry about it later. By doing so, you take away another thing to stress about as you are planning out the trip for yourself and maybe even for others.

  1. Only carry what you need

When packing your bags to take your trip abroad finally, make sure you have everything you need and a little of what you don’t need. When your luggage is being put through inspection, airport authority might find something you might not be allowed to have, taking you out of the line and wasting more time than you had planned. Don’t carry sharp or flammable objects and any otherwise dangerous things with you.

  1. Better too early than too late

You never know what you might come across when going through an airport to board your plane. Instead of going through the airport and rushing through all the checkpoints, it’s better to go in, do everything you need to be cleared to board and relax with that extra time you have. Coming late can have worse consequences than just running through the airport. Depending on how late you are, you might not be able to board your plane, resulting in a loss of money, time, and possibly a memorable trip.

In conclusion, the whole process of getting a passport has not gotten easy and might not be any time soon, but there are always ways to stay ahead of the curve and not have to worry about these setbacks. As long as you plan responsibly and safely, there should be no problem going on your next trip abroad.

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