NPR

Canceled trips and no refunds: Passport delays are derailing travelers

In March, the State Department said the standard processing time for a new or renewed passport can take up to 13 weeks. But many passport seekers are finding that the wait is well beyond that.
The U.S. is on track to surpass the record-setting 22 million passports issued last year.

Dakotah Hendricks from Virginia Beach, Va. made sure she did everything right in order to visit her husband, who is deployed overseas, this summer.

She filed an application for a new passport months in advance and paid for expedited processing. She spent hours on the phone with the passport hotline and even sought help from her local congressman.

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from NPR

NPR3 min read
WNBA Teams Will Travel On Chartered Flights For The Next 2 Seasons, The League Says
Before, teams could travel on chartered flights during the postseason and for back-to-back games in the regular season. Many players said the change will make recovery easier and make them feel safer.
NPR2 min read
What's Past Is Present For Ukrainian Composer Valentin Silvestrov
The 86-year-old Kyiv native, living in exile in Berlin, has a new album of symphonic works that explores the idea of reminiscence.
NPR4 min read
Yes, Apple's New IPad Ad Is Ugly And Crushing, But Art Can't Be Flattened
The newest iPad ad depicts instruments, books and art supplies flattened into Apple's thinnest product ever. But anyone who owns and loves art in any form knows: The practicality isn't the point.

Related Books & Audiobooks