When Craig and Robin Foster’s daughter decided to move to New Zealand for a year after high school, a passport was the least of the Colorado couple’s worries.
“We had a whole year before it expired, so I thought we had time,” Robin says.
She says it wasn’t until they applied for a travel visa that they realised they had a problem.
“It took three months to extend it beyond the time limit of the visa.”
To get a one-year visa, her daughter needed a new passport, but Robin knew it wouldn’t be ready in time. Her daughter was due to leave at the end of the month.
“So we were like, ‘Oh boy.'”
Her dilemma is not uncommon. The US State Department is receiving 430,000 passport applications a week due to the backlog caused by the pandemic. Millions of people have let their passports expire and are now rushing to renew them.
The current estimated processing time is 10 to 13 weeks, or 7 to 9 weeks for those willing to pay for expedited service.
“This has meant that at the congressional staff level, we’ve done everything we can to make sure that constituents feel like they have someone in their corner,” said Representative Joe Neguse, who represents Colorado’s 2nd Congressional District.
His office has been fielding more than 200 calls a week from panicked travellers this summer. He has assigned constituent advocate Erika Blum to work almost exclusively on passport service while he lobbies for more funding to allow the State Department to hire more processors. Last year, Blum says she helped more than 1,000 constituents. This year, she says she’s already surpassed that number.
“The reality is that navigating the federal bureaucracy can be complex and burdensome,” Neguse said. “Our staff will help, and they have great relationships with people in the federal government. They are trusted.”
While Colorado has one of only a few dozen passport offices that offer in-person renewals, getting an appointment can be nearly impossible. Blum says she can get same-day appointments for emergencies. She got the Fosters in just in time for their daughter’s trip.
“I sent an email and she got back to me right away, while she was on holiday, by the way,” Craig says.
His advice to other would-be globetrotters?
“Check the requirements of the other country first to make sure you meet their requirements, because it doesn’t matter what we say in the U.S. It’s what they require when we get there.”
Some countries won’t let you in if your passport expires within 6 months of your arrival, and from next year most of the European Union will require US citizens to get a special travel authorisation to travel there.
