The last time the United States faced major disruptions in the federal government, wait times for passports soared.
Starting in March 2020, pandemic-related understaffing in the U.S. State Department began impacting the government's ability to fulfill passport applications in a timely manner, causing major headaches for travelers. By the start of 2021, there was a backlog of 2 million applications piled up on federal desks.
At their worst, the delays for American passports stretched as long as 13 weeks. The situation was so disastrous that the government had to warn that "U.S. citizens who wish to travel overseas ... and do not currently have a passport may need to make alternate travel plans." Some people who applied in March in preparation for summer travel still hadn't received their documents in time for July trips.
By late 2024, just a few months ago, the U.S. government had finally gotten those waits back under control, and the processing delay had shortened to a more typical 4 to 6 weeks for a standard passport application (or 2 to 3 weeks if you paid a $60 surcharge for expedited service).
One of the biggest factors in the reduction of the delays was the institution of a new online system for passport renewals that was ordered into existence by President Joe Biden after he took office in 2021. Online renewals became fully operational by last September.
But this is 2025—and you're reading the same headlines we are.
In recent days, there have been mass firings of government workers in the State Department, which also has a new head. The news is filling with reports of uncertainty from people about the staffing situation in the federal departments where they work as well as of federal web pages that are flickering in and out of service.
The prognosis for passport applications is still hazy.
Right now, the State Department's website is still listing the wait for a passport as 4 to 6 weeks.
But we're still in the early days of this uncertainty, and there's no guarantee the official estimate is being updated or whether much effort will be put into keeping wait times brief.
That's why we're recommending that you take a look at your passport's expiration date. If it's anytime in the next year—which should also give you enough buffer time to avoid running afoul of some countries' validity requirements for entry—then get your application in.
We also recommend that first-time passport applicants begin that process now, well in advance of summer travel plans.
This would be an excellent opportunity to erase some of the disparities in passport ownership among Americans. A recent YouGov poll found that only about one third of Black Americans have a passport at all, and the same holds for all citizens aged 45 to 64. What gives? Get your passports, people!
Even if you don't have immediate plans to travel internationally, having a passport will make the forthcoming May 7 deadline for Real ID much easier to meet. And with stiffer voter ID laws incoming as well, having a passport will help protect your right to vote.
To get you started, Frommer's has an article about how to apply for or renew a U.S. passport.
