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NOTICE: if you are within eight (8) weeks of international travel and need a new or renewed passport, please call my Rock Hill office at (803) 327-1114 before submitting your passport application for important advise and information.

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If you or someone you know is planning (or even considering) international travel anytime in the foreseeable future, please read this carefully.

My congressional office in South Carolina is once again receiving a massive number of requests to help expedite passport applications. We’re always happy to try to help, but the problem is the State Department and passport acceptance facilities appear to be completely overwhelmed with the sheer volume of applications.

Passport acceptance facilities in our area are reporting large volumes of people, with lines forming outside before those offices even open each morning. This photo, for example, was outside the York County facility one weekday morning this past week  “Walk up” lines can easily be many hours long, and some centers that accept appointments are saying they are fully booked months ahead.

The State Department’s website currently says processing times for routine passport applications is 8-11 weeks, or 5-7 weeks for expedited requests. However, I believe these estimates are not reliable. My staff is currently trying to help a number of constituents who have not received their passports within those estimated timeframes, many of whom are scheduled to depart the country very soon.

So before booking any international travel requiring a passport, please consider these important recommendations:

First: If you already have a passport, you should double-check its expiration date. Remember: some foreign countries require your passport expiration to be at least six months ~after~ the dates of your trip! Make sure you know the rules for the country you’re visiting and ensure your passport’s expiration date will meet that country’s requirements.

Second: If you need a new or renewed passport, I do not believe you should rely on the State Department’s estimates for when your passport will arrive. For example, if you book a trip 8 weeks from now thinking you can go tomorrow and apply for an expedited passport to arrive within 7 weeks, I believe there’s a very high likelihood you won’t receive your passport in time. Whether you apply for a routine or expedited passport, it would be smart to pad the State Department’s estimates by at least 4 weeks.

Third: If you cannot get an appointment and need to instead do a “walk-up” at a passport acceptance facility, be sure to check their hours of operation before you go. You should also plan on being there for several hours. Many of my constituents are taking at least half-days off from work to stand in line. Also remember: each family member who needs a passport must be physically present. This includes young children.

If you are a constituent within 14 days of travel and have still not received your passport, please contact my Rock Hill office at (803) 327-1114. Every situation is different and absolutely no guarantees can be made. However, depending on your circumstances, we may be able to help move things along at the State Department.