Today, the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs is reducing processing times for passports to 4-6 weeks, down from our prior commitment of 6-8 weeks. This announcement comes after months of issuing passports well under the 6-8 week commitment and showcases our progress to continuously improve the efficiency, equity, and accessibility of the U.S. passport application process. The updated 4-6 week processing time applies to both applications submitted by paper or online.

For Americans in need of expedited service for U.S. passports, our processing remains 2-3 weeks. These processing times begin when an application is received by the State Department and do not include mailing times.

As we announced in September, Americans who wish to renew their passport now have the option to use the Online Passport Renewal system, a secure online process that will save time and effort. Online Passport Renewal is available at Travel.State.Gov/renewonline.

We encourage Americans to check their passport expiration date and apply early, research their destination by visiting travel.state.gov, and enroll in the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program.