US halts passport services

[Tony O]

https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2020/04/01/coronavirus-state-dept-halts-passport-services-most-travelers/5102705002/

 

In an effort to the slow the spread of coronavirus, the U.S. Department of State has temporarily halted its passport services with the exception of travelers who have a "qualified life-or-death emergency."

The reduced services went into effect March 20 after the department raised a global travel advisory warning Americans not to leave the country. 

Citizens who qualify for a passport must have a family emergency that requires them to travel outside the country within 72 hours. Qualified emergencies include serious illnesses or deaths of immediate family members such as a parent, child, spouse or sibling, aunt or uncle. 

These travelers will be required to provide proof of the emergency which can be a death certificate or a signed letter from a hospital or medical professional. They will also be asked to show proof of international travel such as an airline ticket. 

The Department of State did not say when it would resume normal passport services.

If you filed for a passport prior to March 20, the Department of State said it still plans to issue those passports. 

[mac_tlc]

I noticed this a couple days ago when I went online to start the renewal process. My expires on 5/31, but I don’t need it until August (at the earliest) but thought I’d get a jump on the process. 
 

I bet it will be quite a crush of renewals once they restart. 
 

mac_tlc

[Hoppy2cruise]

Although the quoted article states “The Department of State did not say when it would resume normal passport services, if you go to the State Department website, you’ll see the following:

 

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. 

[blueridgemama]

I just went online and it accepted all my information for a passport renewal. It did say that expedited isn't available.

[NCMtnBoys]

I had my passport photo done on March 16th, then saw a few days later that they had released this message regarding possible delays, so I mailed my renewal in on the 23rd and it was received on the 26th. Mine expires in mid June but I don't need it until mid September. Hoping it's processed by then. 

Edited April 3, 2020 by NCMtnBoys

[jsf]

I guess I'm lucky, renewed mine on Feb. 7 and received new one on Mar.24

[bearette]

If you need one  renewed this year I would send it in already as they will process in the order received. Luckily we are good until 2022 and later.

[DaKa2002]

We just renewed our passports because they were almost out of blank pages; however, i am waiting on a Global Entry interview and all interviews have been postponed indefinitely.  My wife got her Global Entry updated via internet application (mine didn't). 

[Wine-O]

Both mine and my wife's updated via the internet after the 5 years.  If yours didn't, were you flagged for being a "bad boy"?  😀 🍷

[Coralc]

We submitted renewals for Global Entry in Jan. and Feb. respectively and paid the $100. Both renewal applications still say "pending review". 

Edited April 4, 2020 by Coralc

[NavyCruiser]

Global Entry just renewed for 5 yrs in Jan.

 

Hope they'll reopen Passport office by 6 months before our expiration in 2027....

[NCMtnBoys]

On 4/3/2020 at 6:22 PM, NCMtnBoys said:

I had my passport photo done on March 16th, then saw a few days later that they had released this message regarding possible delays, so I mailed my renewal in on the 23rd and it was received on the 26th. Mine expires in mid June but I don't need it until mid September. Hoping it's processed by then. 

I noticed this evening that my check for the $110 passport renewal fee was cashed last Monday (30th), four days after they received my renewal by mail. Maybe they're working on it!?

[Wine-O]

I would send in the renewal so it gets into the queue.  You never know when they will be going back to work.  🍷

[TiiiSailor]

On 4/3/2020 at 8:56 PM, DaKa2002 said:

We just renewed our passports because they were almost out of blank pages; however, i am waiting on a Global Entry interview and all interviews have been postponed indefinitely.  My wife got her Global Entry updated via internet application (mine didn't). 

My wife's new Global Entry card came in the mail also.  I need to go for an interview.  They'd already said before all this Coronavirus stuff came up, that current card holders were valid for a year after expiration if they've applied  to renew due to the backlog of renewals.  I think that backlog just got longer

[DaKa2002]

27 minutes ago, TiiiSailor said:

My wife's new Global Entry card came in the mail also.  I need to go for an interview.  They'd already said before all this Coronavirus stuff came up, that current card holders were valid for a year after expiration if they've applied  to renew due to the backlog of renewals.  I think that backlog just got longer

Yes.  My wife received her new GE card in the mail; we have also been told there is a one year extension for my existing card.  I am not sure all this will be over in a year, and then there is the backlog.  Maybe the queue will be arranged based upon when one applied on the internet.

[Biker19]

12 hours ago, NCMtnBoys said:

Maybe they're working on it!?

Likely, though the wait might be longer than usual.

[SRF]

USA Today is WRONG.

 

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

 

*Updated April 3, 2020*

Because of public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, effective March 20, 2020, we are only able to offer in-person service at passport agencies or centers for customers with a qualified life-or-death emergency and who need a passport for immediate international travel within 72 hours. Learn more below to see if you qualify for a life-or-death emergency appointment.

While you can still apply in person for a U.S. passport at some acceptance facilities and renew through the mail, you should expect significant delays receiving your passport and your citizenship evidence documents. Please consider waiting to apply until we resume normal operations. We suspended expedited service on March 19 and are not offering this service to any applicants.

[APDMOM]

We sent DH’s passport renewal in 3/17/2020.  USPS says it was delivered on 3/19/2020 in the morning.  How convenient is it that the government says they received it 3/20/20????? .... Food for this conspiracy theorist mind. 🧐🙄

[rhiannon35]

On 4/5/2020 at 4:43 PM, SRF said:

USA Today is WRONG.

 

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

 

 

 

USA TODAY wasn’t wrong. The State Dept updated its status to disqualify emergencies AFTER the article was written on April 3. I have been checking regularly as I need a renewal. I believe things changed last week. 

[rhiannon35]

Can I ask how/where everyone is getting their 

passport renewal photos done? I assumed photo services weren’t available at the usual places. 

Edited April 21, 2020 by rhiannon35

[mac_tlc]

5 minutes ago, rhiannon35 said:

Can I ask how/where everyone is getting their 

passport renewal photos done? I assumed photo services weren’t available at the usual places. 

If you have photo paper and a printer, you can take your own. Instructions are on the State  Dept passport site. 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/photos.html

 

[APDMOM]

20 minutes ago, rhiannon35 said:

Can I ask how/where everyone is getting their 

passport renewal photos done? I assumed photo services weren’t available at the usual places. 

Our local post office did it on 3/17.

[Milwaukee Eight]

22 minutes ago, rhiannon35 said:

Can I ask how/where everyone is getting their 

passport renewal photos done? I assumed photo services weren’t available at the usual places. 

Walgreens is open and I believe they can take a photo. 

[Scarlette]

1 hour ago, rhiannon35 said:

Can I ask how/where everyone is getting their 

passport renewal photos done? I assumed photo services weren’t available at the usual places. 

 

Walmart does them.

[SRF]

12 hours ago, rhiannon35 said:

USA TODAY wasn’t wrong. The State Dept updated its status to disqualify emergencies AFTER the article was written on April 3. I have been checking regularly as I need a renewal. I believe things changed last week. 

 

The article is wrong.

 

It stated that passport services were suspended.  They were NOT.  Only walk in services were suspended.

 

From article:

 

Quote

In an effort to the slow the spread of coronavirus, the U.S. Department of State has temporarily halted its passport services with the exception of travelers who have a "qualified life-or-death emergency."

Edited April 21, 2020 by SRF