The Passport Crunch: What You Need to Know

According to the U.S. State Department, passport processing times have increased due to a "record-breaking" high volume of requests. Setting aside, for the moment, the veracity of this claim, which presumes that Americans are suddenly more eager to travel than ever before, this could mean trouble for Americans wishing to travel abroad.

If you already have a passport, even if it has expired, you may be in luck. Renewal of a U.S. passport is quicker and cheaper than getting a new one. Better still, you can renew by mail. However, if your most recent passport is damaged, more than fifteen years old, was issued to you while you were under sixteen, or was issued to you before you changed your name, you'll have to apply for a passport from scratch.

To the government's credit, if you do need to apply for a new passport, the application isn't complicated. All the forms are available to be filled out online. To apply for a passport, you'll need the birth dates and locations for both your parents, and you'll need your birth certificate and your driver's license. (If you're a married woman who has changed her name, you'll need your marriage certificate as well.)

Gone are the days of hunting down a photographer before making an appointment with the passport office. Many locations (most within post offices) will do your passport photos on site. Some passport acceptance locations don't even require an appointment. They'll take cash or a check and hand you a receipt for your trouble.

This passport application receipt will be very important, because as you're about to find out, the actual application process is the simple part.

Passport processing has become so backed up that the regular service is expected to take at least three months, costs at least $97 and is not guaranteed. That's right. You can pay an extra sixty dollars plus overnight delivery costs to have it processed quicker, but there is still no guarantee that it won't take just as long as it would have if you didn't cough up the extra cash.

The long passport application delays promise to cause pre-travel anxiety for citizens travelling abroad, but can also cause other problems. Remember, when you apply for a passport, they keep all the documentation until your passport is processed. That means you can go for more than three months without access to your birth or marriage certificate both of which, incidentally, you may need in lieu of a passport if going on a cruise.

Luckily, the State Department and the Department of Homeland Security have announced that U.S. citizens travelling to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or countries in the Caribbean region, who have applied for, but not yet received passports, can re-enter the United States by air. They have asked countries in this region to take a flexible approach towards U.S. citizens who can produce the earlier mentioned receipt issued to those who have applied for passports.

If you're travelling by cruise ship, there may be additional flexibility in terms of passports, but ultimately, the passport crunch spells trouble for the average citizen. It's not enough to apply early. You may be well-advised to secure a second certified copy of your birth certificate to bring with you while you travel in case the passport office does not return your original to you on time. Also be advised to keep the number of your local congresscritter handy, because you may need his or her help in securing your passport in time for your departure.