Getting a passport in time for an international trip can be stressful at the best of times. The government shutdown, which entered its 10th day on Oct. 10 and has impacted a range of federal operations, may seem like an additional cause for concern.
Nevertheless, travelers shouldn’t be too worried. Even as other parts of the travel sector have shown signs of strain, with flight delays growing at some airports amid air traffic control staffing issues, travelers can expect their passports to be processed as usual.
However, that could change depending on how long the shutdown lasts. Here’s what to know.
Yes.
“Consular operations domestically and abroad, including passport and visa services and assistance for American citizens abroad, will continue during a lapse in government funding,” the State Department told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.
Passport processing times remain the same as before the shutdown: Applicants will wait an estimated four to six weeks for routine service and between two and three weeks if they pay $60 to expedite it (excluding mailing times).
“So far, the passport processing has been relatively smooth because the agency that issues passports, the Bureau of Consular Affairs, is deemed both essential and funded by application fees,” Scott Keyes, founder of Going, told USA TODAY in an email.
Passport agencies and centers offer appointments for applicants who “have urgent travel to a foreign country in the next 14 calendar days, or need a foreign visa in the next 28 calendar days,” according to the State Department’s website. Travelers can find instructions on making an appointment and a map of locations online.
The quoted processing times released by the State Department tend to be reliable, according to Keyes, and past government shutdowns have had “little impact” on passport and visa processing.
Still, he recommended applicants traveling in the next month or two go ahead and pay for expedited service, or visit an in-person agency if they’re within that shorter window.
Like some Transportation Security Administration workers and air traffic controllers have done in previous shutdowns, Keyes said employees could call in sick in greater numbers if the shutdown continues for weeks or more, potentially stretching those processing windows. “The longer the shutdown goes on, the greater the impact on travel,” he said.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
