Passports holding up

The State Department says it is keeping U.S. passport processing near record-fast levels even as demand hit a new high in fiscal 2025. (federalnewsnetwork.com) Matt Pierce, the deputy assistant secretary for passports, said at Federal News Network’s CX Exchange 2026 that the department issued more than 27 million passport books and cards in fiscal 2025, the highest annual volume so far. He said processing times are still at “record lows.” (federalnewsnetwork.com) The State Department’s public guidance now lists routine service at 4 to 6 weeks and expedited service at 2 to 3 weeks, not counting mailing time. The agency says applicants should also budget up to two weeks for an application to arrive and up to two weeks for the finished passport to come back by mail. (travel.state.gov) That is a marked change from the 2023 backlog, when routine service stretched to 10 to 13 weeks during the summer travel crush. In a 2025 report to Congress, the department said it returned published processing times to pre-pandemic levels in December 2023 after surging overtime, hiring and workflow changes. (federalnewsnetwork.com) (state.gov) The workload is bigger because passports are no longer a niche document in the United States. Pierce said about 5% of Americans had a passport in 1990, compared with more than half of the population today. (federalnewsnetwork.com) The department is leaning on online renewal to absorb some of that volume. Pierce said the online passport renewal system launched publicly in September 2024, and the platform now handles more than half of all online passport renewals; the State Department’s renewal page says eligible applicants can renew online if they are applying for routine service. (federalnewsnetwork.com) (travel.state.gov) At the same time, the department has opened a rulemaking that would change the passport book itself. A notice published April 20 says the United States plans to move from two book sizes — 26 pages and 50 pages — to a single 38-page passport book with the next redesign, and comments are due by June 22, 2026. (federalregister.gov) The notice says 92% of customers now choose the 26-page book, while most of the 8% who get 50-page books receive them because of existing policies for overseas and special-issuance applicants. The department said a 2024 feasibility study found a single size could reduce waste and simplify production at the Government Publishing Office and in State’s issuance process. (federalregister.gov) The tradeoff is that some frequent travelers and Americans living abroad may need to renew more often once the 50-page option disappears. The department said planned upgrades to the online renewal platform could ease some of that burden as it prepares the redesigned passport for a 2028 rollout. (federalregister.gov) For travelers, the immediate message is simpler: passport demand is still climbing, but the long waits that defined the post-pandemic rush are not back. The next deadline is June 22, when public comments on the single-size passport book are due. (travel.state.gov) (federalregister.gov)