The Worst Time To Renew Your Passport Has Been Announced, So Be Sure Yours Is Up To Date
With summer fading into fall, and holiday travel in the back of everyone’s mind, you’re going to want to be sure you have everything set when the day of your departure arrives. This includes not forgetting to pack anything, scoring the cheapest flights possible, and of course, an updated ID and/or passport.
Though passport processing has somewhat rebounded to pre pandemic speed, currently operating at a routine 6-8 weeks or 2-4 weeks when expedited, it’s best to avoid renewing your passport during peak seasons. These peak seasons, according to the U.S. Department of State, are late winter, spring and summer.
We regularly change our processing times as demand for passports varies throughout the year. From late winter into summer, demand for passports is generally higher than other periods of the year.
Therefore, if you’re looking to renew your passport in the near future, you might want to begin the process right now, or table it for next fall. “Avoiding the busiest times for passport renewal can save you from processing delays, unnecessary stress, and cancelled international travel plans,” echoes the U.S. Passport Service Guide.
Of course, there are situations and expiry dates that cannot wait, and in those cases you’ll just have to deal with possible delays due to high volume. In such cases however, there’s always the option to expedite the process, which comes at a higher price tag.
Due note that renewing your passport via mail without expediting the process can be a lengthy wait, with the possibility of an additional two weeks extra considering mailing times. Though renewing your passport online is still in beta phase, the reintroduction of this option intends to create a more streamlined process.
Renewing a passport card and passport book is the same process. The options only differ by renewal fees. Renewing passport cards is $100 cheaper than renewing passport books. Passport books are more expensive because of their greater global travel capability, numerous pages (necessary for international travel), access to consular and legal services abroad.
So whether you’ve got an upcoming trip or nothing in the works, be mindful of keeping your passport up to date so you don’t have to renew during any of the peak seasons.
The post The Worst Time To Renew Your Passport Has Been Announced, So Be Sure Yours Is Up To Date appeared first on Secret NYC.