Remember a few weeks ago when I told you that the State Department is recommending that you submit your passport application at least 6 months before it expires? Have you looked at yours yet to verify the expiration date? Most travelers haven’t glanced at their passports in the past 18 months. Now is the time! I’ll wait while you go pull that passport out of it’s safe place and check the expiration date. The State Department has updated the turn around times for passport issue and renewal. They are publishing a wait time of at least 12 weeks for expedited service and at least 18 weeks for routine service. Just to give you a reference – Christmas is 19 weeks away!
Remember, your passport needs to be valid for the 6 months AFTER your trip. Maybe you are planning to travel for Spring Break? For some schools, that’s as early as the first week of March 2022. That means, if your passport expires within the next year you need to renew. While adult passports are valid for 10 years, assuming they are in good condition and are not full of stamps; passports that are issued to children under 16 are only valid for 5 years, with the same stipulations. For families that had 2020 vacations postponed those expiration dates for the kids can sneak up quickly.
So, go check now! Don’t get caught in the backlog and miss out on the next vacation opportunity.
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