Connect with us

Travel

Americans want to see the world, but only 51% took this important step to do it

Published

1 month ago

on

Americans want to see the world, but only 51% took this important step to do it

play

If you got a passport recently, you’re in good company.

The State Department announced Wednesday that it issued 24.5 million passport books and cards in fiscal year 2024, up by roughly 500,000 from the year before. That marked the third record-breaking year in a row.

“More Americans now than ever before have passports, which means more Americans can travel abroad than at any time in our history,” Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter told USA TODAY in an interview ahead of the announcement. “It’s exciting for them, and it’s really good for our country.”

Those numbers have increased significantly in recent years.

How many people have US passports?

Fifty-one percent of Americans now have passports, up from 46% in 2023 and 30% in 2008. There are more than 171 million valid U.S. passports in circulation, according to the State Department.

How long does it take to get a passport?

After passport processing times dipped to their lowest since before the COVID-19 pandemic in December, they dropped again earlier this month. Travelers can now expect to wait between four and six weeks for routine service – excluding mailing times – while estimates for expedited service remain two to three weeks.

Wait times ballooned in the wake of the health crisis, but Bitter said the State Department has worked hard to bring them down, particularly since last summer. Those steps included bringing in efficiency experts, implementing new technology and improving messaging to applicants to encourage them to apply early.

“I mean, we have really, really turned everything around in just a year’s time,” said Bitter.

The State Department has also added team members to help meet demand, increasing staffing by 20% since December 2022. Bitter noted they will open new passport agencies in six U.S. cities “in the coming years,” as well.

“And the idea there is just, some people really do need to or want to renew their passport in person,” she said. “They want that personal service, and we want to make sure that we bring that to people a little bit closer to where they live.”

Can I renew my passport online?

Online passport renewal became available nationwide last month after beta testing. More than 1 million people have used the service, according to Bitter, and 5 million are expected to do so each year going forward.

That will help both travelers and workers. “We’re not going to have different standards for different kinds of products, but overall because such a large percentage of our work will be done online, we think it’s going to really give us quite a bit more flexibility in our service commitments,” said Bitter.

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.

Related Topics:
Continue Reading