The increased demand for passports has led to long delays, jeopardizing summer travel plans for many

Summer travelers planning to work abroad face a new challenge: delays in obtaining passports. The unprecedented increase in demand for travel documents has led to significant delays for those wishing to undertake international travel.

The regular passport renewal process, which normally takes a few weeks, can now take up to 13 weeks, with even an expedited service taking up to nine weeks.

Long wait times are causing travel stress for many.

Kylie Parker, a sophomore at the University of North Carolina, applied for a new expedited passport several months ago, confident she would have enough time before her summer study abroad program. But her passport has yet to arrive, putting her plans in jeopardy just days before she leaves for Portugal and Italy.

“I spent eight hours on the phone with the passport office,” she said. “No calls, no calls. No contact with anyone. I’m so scared I’m going to miss my trip abroad.”

After finally finding someone, it was revealed that the only in-person appointments were in New Hampshire or the next day in Minneapolis, requiring an overnight flight. Alternatively, she said she was told she would have an appointment in Seattle, Washington, on the day she was scheduled to leave for Europe.

A frustrated Caleb Monticalvo from San Francisco was told to look elsewhere.

“They said the other option was to go somewhere else, which is in LA. I’m not going to LA,” he said.

Last year, the State Department issued nearly 22 million passports, a record high. Demand for passports has increased by at least 30% this year, with 500,000 applications coming in every week.

Despite more funding and more staff, backlogs persist and wait times continue to grow. That prompted long lines at passport offices across the country as travelers rushed to secure their travel documents ahead of the record-breaking summer travel season.

Foreign Secretary Anthony Blinken said in March that he would recognize the problem and put in place a task force to coordinate efforts to address it.

“We’re giving it overtime, opening satellite offices to help headquarters in the process,” Blinken said.

Travel industry analyst Henry Hartevelt said the delay was “not only appalling” but embarrassing.

“I know people have been waiting three or four months to get their passports completed,” he said.

Travelers should be aware that even passports that have expired in 2024 may cause problems, because many countries will use the document for up to six months from the date of receipt.