Passport application wait times have returned to normal after years of backlogs, the State Department said Monday.
In 2021, the wait time for a passport was up to 18 weeks. As of Monday, officials said applications will be processed within 6-8 weeks for routine service and 2-3 weeks for expedited service.
"With this update, we have fulfilled our commitment to return to benchmarks from March 2020," the State Department said in a statement. "This reflects the work of dedicated employees working for the American people."
The wait time in early October was 8-11 weeks for routine service, with times shortened to 5-7 weeks for expedited service. Earlier in the year, the turnaround time was up to 13 weeks.
In March, the State Department was receiving 500,000 passport applications each week, Secretary of State Antony Blinken told Congress, describing the demand as "unprecedented".
The U.S. issued 22 million passports in the fiscal year that ended in September 2022 as Americans prepared to travel more freely again with COVID-19 subsiding. The following fiscal year set a new record, according to the State Department. Between October 2022 and last September, more than 24 million passport books and cards were issued.
Passport Ownership on the Rise in the US
According to the State Department, the percentage of Americans with a passport has increased significantly over the years. In 1990, only 5% of Americans had a passport, but that number has now grown to 48%.
The State Department commented, "More Americans can travel abroad now than at any time in our history."
Amid ongoing passport processing delays, Republican Sen. James Lankford of Oklahoma proposed legislation to address the issue. The proposed bill aims to improve online tracking of passport applications, increase staffing at the State Department, and limit passport turnaround time to 12 weeks. The bill is currently under review by the Committee on Foreign Relations.
"I've moved now three staff members into working just on passports ... it's overwhelming our office," Lankford stated in an interview with CBS News in July.
In September, Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff and Ted Lieu of California introduced the PASSPORT Act, which aims to streamline the passport application and renewal process. The proposal is also currently being reviewed by a committee.
