18 Million

Did you know that in 2007 over 18 million passports were issued to people in the United States. Compared to only 12 million the year prior. And the majority of those are going to expire within the next 12 months.

The State Department is expecting a rush of renewals due to the expiration of the 18 million passports that were issued in 2007, following the implementation of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which required anyone traveling by air from the United States to another country to have a passport.

“We expect increased passport applications through 2018, so we are continuing to get the word out to applicants to apply for or renew their passports well in advance of their travel,” said Beth Finan, a press officer with the Bureau of Consular Affairs, Department of State. “We’re currently advising applicants that it will take about six weeks for routine service, up from four weeks last year.”

The state department is currently projecting that they will process around 20 million passports this year, between renewals and first time applicants.

Couple this with many countries now requiring your passport to be valid at least 6-months beyond your intended length of stay. As a result, it is advisable to renew your passports even earlier.

The best advice for travelers? If you are planning on traveling, plan to renew your passport at least 8 months prior to travel.