Important Updates on Passport Processing from the Department of State

The Department of State is committed to providing the best possible service for our passport customers.

We encourage all Americans to:

• check their passport expiration date before making plans for international travel, and
• renew their passport well in advance of international travel. 

Current Processing Times: Processing times have changed several times in 2023. As of October 2, we are processing routine applications in 8-11 weeks, and expedited applications in 5-7 weeks. Processing times begin when we receive your application at a passport agency or center, and do not include mailing times. It may take up to 2 weeks for us to receive your application after you mail it to us, and up to 2 weeks for you to receive your completed passport after we mail it to you. 

Set up your Passport application appointment today by calling the Cedar County Recorder’s Office at 563-886-2230.

High Demand: As more Americans are traveling internationally again, we are directing resources to meet the unprecedented demand seen so far in 2023. Between October 2022 and September 2023 (the federal fiscal year), the State Department issued more than 24 million passport books and cards, the most ever in our nation’s history.

Plans to Address Workload: We are addressing the increased workload through a number of efforts. We are aggressively recruiting and hiring across our passport agencies and centers. Our passport team members nationwide contribute tens of thousands of hours of overtime a month to issue the millions of passports sought by traveling Americans. We have opened a satellite office to help process the large number of applications we are receiving.

Contacting Us (Department of State): We understand some customers are facing extended wait times when calling the National Passport Information Center and we are taking steps to improve the experience. We encourage customers to check the status of their passport application and sign up for updates via email.

Apply Early: We are committed to transparency and will continue to provide regular updates about passport processing times, and to encourage Americans to apply for their passport well in advance of any planned international travel to avoid last-minute issues.