However, for those who need a last-minute passport for leisure travel, they should expect that our appointments will fill up quickly. We also have procedures in place for individuals who have urgent international travel within 14 calendar days. This typically refers to travel within three business days because an immediate family member outside of the United States has died, is dying, or has a life-threatening illness or injury. “We have procedures in place for those Americans who must travel at the last minute for emergency, life-or-death situations. What do you say to people who can’t get an appointment at a passport agency within their 5 days of planned travel… even though they applied within the expected processing time? This pause allows us to process existing applications submitted through OPR and continue to make improvements to the customer experience.”Ģ. On February 7, we temporarily closed the online renewal service to new customers. Based on feedback and learning from the limited releases, we continue to make improvements to optimize the user experience for renewing passports online. Since that time, over 500,000 customers have successfully applied online. In August 2022, we expanded the audience to include the public, with controlled availability on a monthly basis to allow for training of employees and to test the system. We launched the limited release of OPR in February 2022 for federal government employees and contractors. Delivering on this promise, we began testing a secure online passport renewal (OPR) option. “We are committed to the President’s Executive Order on Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government. Is this correct? When will it be back online? Why was it paused and what changes will be made before it’s available for use again? More from a Department of State spokesperson:ġ.It’s come to our attention that people who renewed passports online are now being referred to as “volunteer” who helped “test” the system… and the online renewal system has been put on pause.
Leonard also shared a pro-tip for the shortest wait time on the phone: start dialing just before 8 a.m. The good news for Leonard, she got her passport just in time for her trip thanks to her local congresswoman. The Office of Passport Services doesn’t call it a backlog, by the way, but “an elevated level of work.” “We are projecting that those times are going to get longer,” he said. “We have employees working many hours of overtime,” said Rodriguez.īut a warning: Passport Services does not expect the situation to improve any time soon. Passport Services says it has increased its hiring efforts. “The only appointments we have are in Seattle, Honolulu and San Juan, Puerto Rico,” said Rodriguez. The Department of State’s website says processing time is eight to eleven weeks with routine service and five to seven weeks for expedited.īut that is not what consumers are experiencing.Īnd good luck getting an appointment at a passport agency near you. “What we’re seeing now is just a higher number of people applying for passports earlier in the year.” We have over 1,000 phone lines with hundreds of customer service representatives,” explained Andres Rodriguez of the U.S. We have two call centers throughout the country. “That’s the reality of our situation right now. “I proceeded to wait on hold for two hours, roughly two hours or 45 minutes,” said Leonard. Meantime, when her passport didn’t arrive, Leonard tried to get help from the Office of Passport Services.
#Us passport renewal online full#
It says a full online rollout with improvements is expected later this year. The Department of State is calling customers who renewed online “volunteers” who helped “test” the system.
WHYY thanks our sponsors - become a WHYY sponsorĪnd the online renewal program has been put on pause.
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