Good News on US Passports – Expedited Service Available and New Status Update

Here is the latest US passport update which includes the fact that expedited service is now available! Also, see how many passports were issued last week and where the passports currently stand.

US Passport Update – Status and Expedited Service Available

Remember, they are processing them a first come/first out basis. To understand how the whole passport processing is accomplished (as well as where your passport is sent), check out this post for a cool infographic to break it all down.

Here is how the State Department did in the last week, as well as the two previous weeks:

While the numbers may not look that encouraging since they actually climbed to 3,000 more passports awaiting issuance than the previous week, this is the good news. Here is what the US State Department has to say:

“We have finished processing applications received in June and prior months. We are well on our way through applications received in July. Due to nationwide variations in staffing and the type of applications, some of our passport agencies and centers are already working on applications received in August and September. If you applied before July and have not received your passport yet, we may have sent you a letter requesting additional information to continue processing your application. Please respond to this letter.”

So, if you had submitted prior to July, you should have your passport by now. If not, definitely contact them if you had not received some kind of letter.

One reader recently commented that they had submitted a passport on August 18 and received a message yesterday that it is being sent out.

Expedited US Passport Service Now Available

For those who cannot wait the up to 10 weeks that they are saying regular service takes, you can now pay the $60 expedited fee to get it back within 4-6 weeks. This is a great update for anyone that had been holding off since you may not be able to be without your passport but you need a new one soon.

It is simple enough to do this – just check that you want the expedited service on the app and pay the extra $60 at the time of submission. But, you still cannot apply at an actual passport agency or facility unless you have a life-or-death emergency.

Here is a page with more information.

What Are the Three Phases of Passport Operations?

Getting Your Passport Status and Update

Here is what you need to do, per the US State Department:

Status updates are available online or by calling us at 1-877-487-2778. You can go to our Online Passport Status System and sign up for automatic email notifications about your passport status.

You will receive an email when your passport is 1) In Process: your application is being reviewed at a passport agency or center, 2) Approved: your application has been approved and will be printed, and 3) Mailed.

If you receive a status update of Not Found, your application is still in transit to one of our agencies and centers or we are experiencing a temporary, technical issue with our Online Passport Status System.