Hey international travelers, Revenge Travel is really real!
And the US passport office is really really behind on processing applications – AGAIN!
The warning below says that, currently, it might take 6 weeks just to show that your passport application has been received in the office.
Passport Renewal Application Status June 2021
Word on the street is… that some people who paid for expedited service received their new passports within 8-12 weeks with only a few needing corrections for misspelled names. On the other hand, some had to beg ask for emergency assistance from their state’s representatives to get their passport in time before departure. Even worse, some people had to cancel their long-awaited summer vacations due to the backup.
Nonetheless, DO NOT put yourself into an unnecessary panic or be left behind. Renew your passport NOW, if:
🛑 your passport expires anytime in 2021
🛑 your passport expires in the first half of 2022
🛑 your passport is low on blank visa pages
Processing takes even longer if your passport has already expired or if this is your first passport.
SPECIAL NOTE: A lot of countries require that your passport:
⚠️ be at least 6-months old based on your arrival date,
⚠️ has at least 6 months left before it expires based on your departure date, and/or
⚠️ has at least 2 blank pages
So, check and double-check your passports!
The passport office’s online scheduling system has been taken off-line because some fraudulent expediting services were booking up appointment slots then selling them at outrageous prices to desperate people.
Walk-ins are also not allowed at this time!
So whenever you submit your passport, you might want to pay for expedited service. Also please make sure that you pay for tracking with the mail carrier (USPS, UPS, Fed Ex, etc.) and that you check the status online with the passport office, at least once a week.
My friend, Calvin, wrote a great article for first-time applications titled “Applying for Your New US Passport?: Don’t Make these Six Common Mistakes“.
Book a chat with me, if you need clarification or want to inquire about the requirements of a specific country.
