Editor’s Note: This post is constantly updated.
With the 4th of July tour behind us, we are looking forward to the rest of summer and beyond.
If you plan to be abroad for the rest of this summer or in the fall, the U.S. Department of State advises travelers to renew their US passport at least six months in advance.
As of July, the current passport processing time is the same as in March — 10 to 13 weeks for regular service and 7 to 9 weeks for expedited service, excluding processing time and Mailing.
If you have already applied, we encourage you to be as patient as possible, but you can always check your passport status online for up-to-date information.
How to check the status of your passport application online
Once you apply for your passport, it will take 7 to 10 business days for your application to be tracked online via online passport status system.
From there, enter your last name, date of birth, Social Security number, and security code.
Prior to that timeframe, the only updates you’ll see are “Not Found,” meaning it’s in transit to the passport authority, or “Processing,” meaning it’s at the State Department. United States and will be reviewed by staff.
Alternatively, you can provide your email address to receive automatic email updates on the status of your passport.
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How to check the status of your passport application by phone
In addition to the online tool, you can also inquire about the status of your passport over the phone by calling the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778 (or 888-874-7793 if you are disabled). hard of hearing).
Phone hours are Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EDT on Saturdays. They are closed on Sundays.
Current processing time
As mentioned, both new applicants and renewers can get their passports within 10 to 13 weeks for the regular service, which costs $130. For a more immediate trip, the U.S. Department of State offers a seven- to nine-week expedited service option for an additional $60 fee.
Note that those timeframes do not include mailing times, so be sure to include an additional two weeks for the application to be mailed at the agency or passport center and up to two weeks to the applicant receives the complete passport in the mail.
bottom line
In addition to processing times, keep in mind that many countries, including most of Europe, require your passport to be valid for at least six months at the time of entry, so take that into account when you plan to apply for a passport.
As of July, Online passport renewal is currently not availablealthough the US State Department is expected to roll out the feature later this year.
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Additional reporting by Mimi Wright and Samantha Rosen.
