A classically trained journalist, Caroline Tanner covers news and travel for TPG. She is a dual-journalism graduate of Mizzou and Northwestern.
July 06, 2023 4 min read
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With Fourth of July travel behind us, we're looking ahead to the rest of summer and beyond.
If you are heading abroad during the remainder of this summer or in the fall, the U.S. Department of State advises travelers to renew their U.S. passport a minimum of six months in advance.
As of July, current passport processing times are the same as they were in March — 10 to 13 weeks for routine service and seven to nine for expedited, not including processing and mailing times.
If you've already applied, we encourage as much patience as possible, but you can always check the status of your passport online for updates.
Once you apply for your passport, it'll take seven to 10 business days for your application to be trackable online via the online passport status system.
From there, enter your last name, date of birth, Social Security number and security code.
Before that time frame, the only updates you will see are either "Not Found," which means it is in transit to a passport agency, or "In Process," which means it is with the U.S. State Department and will be reviewed by staff.
Additionally, you can provide your email address to receive automatic email updates on your passport status.
An alternative to the online tool, you can also inquire about your passport status via phone by calling the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778 (or 888-874-7793 if you're hard of hearing).
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As mentioned, both new applicants and those renewing can expect to receive their passports within 10 to 13 weeks for routine service, costing $130. For more immediate travel, the U.S. Department of State provides the option for expedited service within seven to nine weeks for an additional $60.
Note those time frames do not include mailing times, so be sure to factor in an additional two weeks for applications to arrive by mail at a passport agency or center and up to two weeks for an applicant to receive a completed passport in the mail.
In addition to processing times, remember that many countries, including most of Europe, require your passport to be valid for at least six months at the time of entry, so factor that into when you plan to submit your passport application.
As of July, online passport renewal is currently unavailable, though the U.S. Department of State expects to roll that out later this year.
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Additional reporting by Mimi Wright and Samantha Rosen.
Featured image by SPENCER DAVIS/UNSPLASHEditorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
