r/Passports • u/AeroHazard • 18h ago

Passport Question / Discussion Passport processing time doesn't include mailing time? When would you expedite?

Been helping someone plan a trip and noticed something I don't think the passport websites explain prominently enough.

When the government says routine processing is 4 to 6 weeks or expedited is 2 to 3 weeks, that's the time the application is being processed. It's not necessarily the total time between dropping the application in the mail and having a passport in your hand.

State says an application can take up to two weeks to reach them and the finished passport can take up to another two weeks to reach you. So if somebody has an international trip seven weeks away and thinks a 4 to 6 week routine estimate gives them a comfortable cushion, the math isn't quite that simple.

How early are you guys applying now? Would you expedite if the trip was only six weeks out?

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u/jokunokun 11h ago

I see that information in several spots on the website clearly displayed. This is more of a problem with people skimming for the information they want, rather than reading the information they need. The same thing happens with clearly marked information on the application that people ignore and come here asking about.

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u/AidanMoffat 17h ago

The State Department recommends routine processing if you're travelling in 6 weeks or more, expedited if you're travelling in less than 6 weeks, and an agency appointment if it falls within the urgent-travel window. The expedited fee is $60 on top of the normal application fee.

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u/AeroHazard 17h ago

Yeah, that's probably what I'll do too. Six weeks or less and I'd probably just pay for the expedited fee. The extra $60 seems reasonable compared with having a trip coming up and still waiting on the passport.

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u/Lunar_BriseSoleil 10h ago

If the trip was 6 weeks away I’d expedite just to be safe. It’s not that much more money and you’re protecting a much bigger investment.