The State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs announced that passport processing time has been reduced by two weeks.
Previously, the ministry had estimated the processing time to be six to eight weeks, but this has now been shortened to four to six weeks.
A department spokesperson told Fox News Digital that the reduction in passport processing times went into effect on October 3.
Travelers will need a ‘permit’ and fee to visit the UK as part of a new digitization system
“In September 2024, we will fully launch our online passport renewal system, allowing millions of Americans to renew their passports online from the comfort of their home,” a spokesperson said in an email. said in a statement sent by. “We predict that nearly half of all passport renewal applications will be done online by 2025.”
The State Department announced that travelers can now receive their passports two weeks early. (St. Petersburg)
“By moving away from the traditional paper application process, we are embracing digital transformation to provide Americans with a more efficient and convenient passport renewal experience.”
For more lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle.
The department said in a press release that the changes “demonstrate our progress in continually improving the efficiency, fairness, and accessibility of the U.S. passport application process.”
“For Americans who need expedited service for a U.S. passport, our processing times remain two to three weeks. These processing times begin from the time the State Department receives your application and do not include mailing time. ” the release states.
About 48% of Americans hold a U.S. passport, and there are 160 million valid U.S. passports in circulation, according to the State Department.


According to the State Department, about 48% of Americans hold a U.S. passport. (St. Petersburg)
In September, Secretary Blinken announced that passport holders would be able to renew their passports by submitting an online form, eliminating the need to apply by mail.
Click here to sign up for our lifestyle newsletter
The process was introduced to speed up passport processing and is available to citizens wishing to renew their travel document up to one year before it expires, or within five years after it expires.
“We transformed Passport Services from top to bottom, from engaging change management and customer experience strategists, to hiring hundreds of passport examiners (more than ever), to focusing on modernization. We are making it more efficient and convenient for Americans to receive passport services,” a department spokesperson told FOX News Digital.


The State Department announced that travelers can now receive their passports two weeks early. It used to take six to eight weeks to process a passport. (St. Petersburg)
According to the International Trade Administration, 80.7 million Americans traveled internationally in 2022, and 18.7 million traveled in the second quarter of 2023.
CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP
Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department for comment.