Getting a passport is not the rare occurrence that it used to be. Today, more and more people are using them on a regular basis because of the different law changes that went into effect. Anyone asking How long to get a passport? would do well to educate themselves on the whole process to make sure that they dont get caught without the proper documents during travel.
People are now getting passports like never before. Ever since the rumors of the new laws started to get circulated, the general public started to wise up a little bit in regards to getting a passport just for the sake of having one. It is never a bad thing to have the documentation and because of the long wait, it was safer to have it sitting in the drawer.
The applicant is responsible for the first step of the application process. The applicant must obtain passport photos, a government issued ID card, and a proof of citizenship. The faster this part of the application is completed, the faster the whole process will go.
As soon as everything has been gathered, the actual application for the passport can begin. Finding a local pass port office is as easy as going on the Internet and most local post office can do passport processing. To avoid getting caught in a crowd, try and go at hours when the post office will not see a lot steady walk-in traffic.
Once the application has been approved by the application center, it is sent off for processing. This is the longest part of the application process. This is also the part of the application that worries most new applicants, as this part of the application has been known to take a great deal of time.
Currently, the U.S. Department of State estimates passport-processing time at 4-6 weeks. This figure tends to fluctuate throughout the year. As high vacation season approaches, the number of applications tends to increase and the waiting period increases accordingly. During very busy times the wait can be several months. During the time preceding the law change, passport-waiting periods were occasionally seven months to a year. It is unlikely that such waiting periods will occur again in the near future.
If that time frame still does not work, there is actually an expedited service that is offered for $60. Anyone using this service will have their passport back to them in about two or three weeks. If this is still not quick enough, there are other services that cost a bit more, but the passport application literally gets pushed to the front of the pile.
While it would be nice to have a single answer to how long does it take to get a passport, the answer actually varies unless the person is going to pay to get the expedited service. However, it is reasonable to put a two month time frame on the process if you get it from your local U.S. passport office. If it gets there a little sooner, all the better.
