Americans are traveling again in record numbers, and it seems like many of them want to visit other countries. Earlier this year, the U.S. Department of State reported receiving as many as 500,000 passport applications per week. According to an article by Travel & Leisure, this is tracking to be the highest demand year ever.
All of these applications are creating a bottleneck in processing. Right now, it takes upwards of 13 weeks for routine processing service and as many as 9 weeks with expedited service.
To help speed things up, the State Department has launched “Special Passport Acceptance Fairs” held at public libraries, recreation centers, and city administrative offices. These are for new passport applications only; travelers looking to renew a passport should do so by mail.
Most of the Special Passport Acceptance Fairs have been taking place in California and New Jersey, but there have been some in Louisiana, Massachusetts, Florida, Connecticut, and Georgia, with more events being added weekly. To see if there is one planned near you, a full schedule for each month is posted on the State Department’s website.
Are you one of the thousands of Americans still waiting for a passport? Message The Seniors Trust on Facebook or Twitter and let us know if you would take advantage of these passport processing pop-up events if there was one near you.
