With Passports, Think Ahead. Way Ahead.
July 18, 2007. As many people return home from their summer vacations, they are turning their thoughts to an important question: Where will we book a luxury vacation rental this winter?
Just as it is not too early to begin making plans for your winter vacation, it is not too early for you to apply for a passport. After the major backups at federal offices this past winter, U.S. officials delayed until Sept. 30 a rule that required Americans to show their passports upon reentry from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and non-U.S. Caribbean countries. The leeway was meant to ease the backlog.
Still, passports are currently taking 10-12 weeks to process. The savvy traveler will make preparations before Sept. 30 so she doesn't have to scramble at the last minute.
Fodors.com posted a helpful list of frequently asked questions. The travel authority's advice reflects a general consensus that the backlog may not get much better:
"The State Department says it expects to cut the waiting period to eight weeks by September, and be back to its standard six-week turnaround by December. But travelers should factor in a potential flood of new applications from people who have waited to renew their passports until the current logjam clears. This will no doubt cause continued delays in processing time."
