State Department Reduces Passport Processing Times

Passports could arrive faster than ever before

-By Charles Givens

October 3, 2023

The U.S. State Department issued a record-breaking 24 million passports in the 2022-2023 fiscal year and is now reducing passport processing times by two weeks.

Beginning October 2, 2023, routine passport processing will take 8-11 weeks, and expedited processing will take 5-7 weeks. These new processing times only apply to applications received on or after October 2.

To achieve the goal of faster processing times, the State Department invested in new technologies, increased staffing levels and implemented innovative customer service and processing models.

“This is welcome news for Duke University travelers,” said Christy Parrish, Director of Global Travel Policies and Incident Management. “We’ve had a record number of students, faculty and staff reach out for support in applying for, or renewing, their U.S. passports and raising concerns as to the timing. This pledge by the State Department to add more resources to handle those applications is great and the timing is perfect, particularly for those who wish to do end-of-year travel abroad.”

The State Department encourages anyone considering future international travel to check their passport’s validity early and often. Applicants are advised to apply well in advance of their potential travel and at least 6-9 months ahead of their passport’s expiration date.

To learn more about passport requirements and processing times, visit travel.state.gov.

To learn more about Duke Global Administrative and Travel Support, visit travel.duke.edu.