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Friday, May 5, 2023

Planning to travel out of the country? There's a major backlog in the passport system

Congresswoman Pramila Jayapal recently sent out current information on the passport system:

There’s been a major backlog in the passport system – which I know is a big headache if you’re travelling in the near future. 

Today, I’m writing with some information on the process for renewal and who you can contact to speed up that process if need be.

Current estimates suggest that processing times for passport renewal may be up to 13 weeks.

For general info on forms, costs, and processing times, visit the State Department's website. And to check the current status of your passport application, click here.

To contact the National Passport Information Center, call 1-877-487-2778 on Monday through Fridays from 5:00am to 7:00pm Pacific Time, or on Saturdays and Sundays from 7:00am to 12:00pm Pacific Time. The call center is closed on federal holidays.

The State Department prioritizes customers who are traveling internationally in the next 3 business days due to a qualified life-or-death emergency. What number you call to make an appointment depends on the day of the week and time of day. Learn more at their Life-or-Death Emergency page.

You can also schedule an appointment for urgent travel service if you are traveling internationally within the next 14 days or need a foreign visa within 28 days. To do this, contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.

Find your nearest Passport Acceptance Facility here.

Please make sure to check when your current passport expires and always leave yourself and your application extra time in case of delays. And as always, if you need assistance with these processes, please reach out to my office. We’re here to help.

Pramila Jayapal
U.S. Representative (WA-07)
Seattle Office 
1904 3rd Ave, Suite 510
Seattle WA 98101
Phone: 206-674-0040; Fax: 206-623-0256


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