Passport Operations in Response to COVID-19

[N400NYC 380]

The COVID-19 fallout continues:

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

 

Quote

*Updated March 19, 2020*

The Department of State advises U.S. citizens to avoid all international travel at this time due to the global impact of COVID-19. Many areas throughout the world are now experiencing COVID-19 outbreaks and taking action that may limit traveler mobility, including quarantines and border restrictions. Even countries, jurisdictions, or areas where cases have not been reported may restrict travel without notice. You can find additional guidance about the Department's recommendations in response to COVID-19 here.

 

Change in Passport Services Operations          

                    

Due to public health measures to limit the spread of COVID-19, effective March 20, 2020, we are only able to offer service for customers with a qualified life-or-death emergency and who need a passport for immediate international travel within 72 hours.

 

Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (e.g. parent, child, spouse, sibling, aunt, uncle, etc) that require you to travel outside the United States within 72 hours (3 days). You must provide:

• A passport application with supporting documents
• Proof of the life-or-death emergency such as a death certificate, a statement from a mortuary, or a signed letter from a hospital or medical professional. Documents must be translated or in English.
• Proof of international travel (e.g. reservation, ticket, itinerary)

To make an appointment at a passport agency or center for a life-or-death emergency, you must call our National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY) on Monday- Friday, 8:00am to 5:00pm Eastern Time, except federal holidays or on Saturdays, 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Eastern Time. Call 202-647-4000 outside of these hours to make an appointment. 

 

If you applied and requested expedited service on or before March 19, 2020, we will honor our commitment of 2-3 weeks door-to-door for expedited service. If you applied in-person at a passport agency or center on or before March 19, 2020, the passport agency or center will contact you and ask if you want to pick-up your passport in person or have it mailed to you.

 

Customers in Puerto Rico should be aware that our San Juan Passport Agency is closed to the public until at least March 30, 2020. 

 

Due to public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, some passport application acceptance facilities, which include libraries, clerks of court, and post offices may not be accepting U.S. passport applications at this time. If you need to apply in person for your U.S. passport, please contact the facility directly to confirm if they are accepting applications. 

 

If you are applying for or renewing a U.S. passport on or after March 20, 2020, we will not offer expedited service and routine service may be delayed. 

 

The status of our operations may change quickly. We will update this notice as the status changes. 

 

[N400NYC 380]

Long story but I was due to apply for a passport at a national passport center this past Monday and they cancelled. And then I was due to go again this coming Monday due to imminent travel within the next 2 weeks.

 

Now today the state department issued the Level 4 travel alert and have cancelled the option to get a passport in person unless you have a life/death emergency.

 

So the short story is the only option now is the standard route (no expedite option) of 6-8 weeks....and maybe it will take even longer than that...who knows...

[xyz12345 260]

2 hours ago, N400NYC said:

Long story but I was due to apply for a passport at a national passport center this past Monday and they cancelled. And then I was due to go again this coming Monday due to imminent travel within the next 2 weeks.

 

Now today the state department issued the Level 4 travel alert and have cancelled the option to get a passport in person unless you have a life/death emergency.

 

So the short story is the only option now is the standard route (no expedite option) of 6-8 weeks....and maybe it will take even longer than that...who knows...

Obviously it's only standard passport processing for now. However, if their policy changes again in the near future, you can always call them up and ask for expedited processing.

Edited March 20, 2020 by xyz12345

[N400NYC 380]

3 hours ago, xyz12345 said:

Obviously it's only standard passport processing for now. However, if their policy changes again in the near future, you can always call them up and ask for expedited processing.

OK good to know - thanks!

[M1987 5]

I have applied for my passport on march 6 -routine service . Due to the changes with COvid-19 , Does this mean whoever applied for passport before march 20 with routin service , their passport will not be processed anymore until whole pandemia stops or they are still working on it but it might be late ? Please advise 

[N400NYC 380]

On 3/21/2020 at 9:43 AM, M1987 said:

I have applied for my passport on march 6 -routine service . Due to the changes with COvid-19 , Does this mean whoever applied for passport before march 20 with routin service , their passport will not be processed anymore until whole pandemia stops or they are still working on it but it might be late ? Please advise 

They are still processing passport applications through routine service, but said it may take 6-8 weeks (or more). So you should get it by late April, early May.