Spring Break Travelers Should Heed Passport Agency’s Advice: Apply Now

March 5, 2007

Spring Break Travelers Should Heed Passport Agency’s Advice:
Apply Now

COLUMBUS, OH – Congresswoman Deborah Pryce (R-Columbus) submitted the following editorial:

It is that time of year when many central Ohioans have endured their fair share of bitter cold and snow, and have set their sights on a spring break vacation in a far more accommodating climate. Unfortunately for many vacation travelers – and particularly for those traveling abroad – stress and complication are typically their unwelcome but inevitable travel companions.

For those planning a spring trip abroad, do yourself a favor and eliminate one source of stress from your getaway plans –apply for your passport as early as possible. If you already have a passport and are planning to travel abroad, be sure to check its expiration date well in advance of your departure date.

In January, the U.S. Department of State, which oversees the Passport Services Offices, imposed new passport requirements. Effective January 23 rd of this year, Americans traveling by air to or from Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean are now required to carry a U.S. passport. Similarly, anyone traveling by car to Canada or Mexico will be required to carry a passport beginning January 1, 2008. Prior to the policy change, only a driver’s license and birth certificate were necessary to enter or exit most of these destinations.

Because of the spike in first-time passport applications resulting from the new requirements, and combined with the yearly influx of spring break applications, the Passport Services Office is experiencing a significant backlog. Under normal circumstances in past years, a typical passport application could be quickly processed by the agency in 6-8 weeks; however, currently the agency is taking 10-12 weeks to get your passport back to you. This delay has the potential to keep any procrastinating vacation planner unexpectedly on ice.

If you are planning to travel abroad in the coming months, there are safeguards you can take to ensure your trip goes as planned. For an additional $60, applicants with impending departure dates can request an expedited service of their application, and have their passport in 4-6 weeks. It is highly recommended using some form of overnight shipping of your application both to and from the agency. In addition to shaving valuable days off the processing time of your passport, it also offers you the peace of mind of being able to track your application to and from the agency.

First time passport applicants should begin the process by contacting your local post office branch – most, but not all, area branches are staffed with a passport application acceptance officer, who can guide you through the entire process. Additionally, some municipal offices, courthouses, and libraries have officers on site, but it would be prudent to call before visiting these locations to determine if an officer is located there.

Additionally, once your application arrives at the passport processing center and is entered into their computer system, you can monitor its progress online at http://travel.state.gov/passport. Because of the backlog, however, the agency reports that it is c urrently taking up to 7 days for expedited applications and up to 3 weeks for routine applications before they are even entered into their systems, so do not be alarmed if you cannot immediately chart your application’s progress. At any point in the application process, I welcome you to contact my district office in Columbus at (614) 469-5614; my staff speaks daily with the Passport agencies and can advise you and answer your passport and travel questions.

The Passport Services Agency expects to issue 4 million more passports in 2007 than it did in the previous year. While it has hired additional personnel in an attempt to absorb the increase in applications and reports that its agents are working overtime, please adhere to their recommendations to apply well in advance of your trip. This time of year, you don’t want to get left in the cold.

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