US Passport Processing Delayed Due to Unprecedented Demand

The State Department warns that due to "unprecedented demand," receiving a new passport could take more than four months, with processing times estimated at 10 to 13 weeks for routine applications and 7 to 9 weeks for expedited submissions. Secretary of State Antony Blinken attributes the surge in demand to renewed travel, with the agency receiving roughly 500,000 passport applications a week, a 30% to 40% increase from last year. The State Department is still rebuilding after the pandemic's impact on travel demand, but Blinken expressed optimism that processing will improve once the agency rolls out an option for current passport holders to renew online.