U.S. says passport processing time back to normal

The U.S. State Department said its passport service was back to the usual six- to eight-week processing time after the agency cleared a backlog caused by new border requirements. The number of passports issued so far during fiscal year 2007, which ends 30 September, rose to 16 million compared with 12.1 million for the same period a year earlier. State Department personnel were sent to passport offices around the country and the agency installed high-capacity phone lines to help eliminate the backlog. Applications began to pile up as the summer travel season approached after DHS in January required Americans returning by air from Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean nations to carry passports. Telephones at passport offices were jammed, and travelers formed lines that extended outside. The delays of at least twelve weeks in processing applications prompted DHS in early June to ease the rules for air travelers and postpone the requirement for Americans returning by land or sea.

The State Department said it plans to expand passport offices and will continue to hire more specialists to speed up processing. By January 2008 the capacity for handling applications at the biggest facility, the National Passport Center in New Hampshire, will double, the State Department said. DHS announced two days ago that, as of midnight on 30 September, it will end the temporary measure allowing air travelers to return to the United States with official proof of a passport application. Congress approved the new passport requirements in 2004. The length of time required to get a passport with higher- cost expedited service is currently no more than three weeks, the State Department said today.