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Are You Trying To Figure Out How Long Will It Take To Get A Passport
By CruiseDirector | February 20, 2010
Because of new passport laws, many new people are applying for passports. One of the most common questions people ask is, “How long will it take to get a passport?” This is a complicated question and there is no definite answer. The following article will try to explain the passport process and inform a new applicant what they can expect in terms of a passport time frame.
First, it is important to note that passport applications have skyrocketed in recent years. This is not due to a spike in international travel, but is instead due to a new law that requires passports for land travel to border countries. The law, which went into effect on June 1st, 2009, made passports mandatory for travel between the U.S. and Mexico or Canada. Word of this law caused a spike in passport applications as early as 2006.
The applicant is responsible for the first step of the application process. The applicant must obtain passport photos, a government issued ID card, and a proof of citizenship. The faster this part of the application is completed, the faster the whole process will go.
As soon as everything has been gathered, the actual application for the passport can begin. Finding a local passport office is as easy as going on the Internet and most local post office can do passport processing. To avoid getting caught in a crowd, try and go at hours when the post office will not see a lot steady walk-in traffic.
Once the application has been approved by the application center, it is sent off for processing. This is the longest part of the application process. This is also the part of the application that worries most new applicants, as this part of the application has been known to take a great deal of time.
Currently, the average wait time to receive a passport once it has been accepted is about 4-6 weeks. When vacation seasons are coming around, this time frame can be a bit longer as there will be many more applications coming into the offices. The law changes that went into effect actually helped this cause as people would wait close to a year at times to get their passport.
The State Department also offers a passport-expedited service. Currently the waiting period for expedited passports is two to three weeks. The cost of an expedited passport is $60 plus the cost of overnight delivery. The State Department also offers various types of super-rush passports for dire emergencies. Obviously, it is best to try to plan ahead to avoid this kind of hassle. Applicants can also save significant money by obtaining the passport through standard channels.
While it would be nice to have a single answer to how long does it take to get a passport, the answer actually varies unless the person is going to pay to get the expedited service. However, it is reasonable to put a two month time frame on the process if you get it from your local American passport office. If it gets there a little sooner, all the better.
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