PHOENIX — Expect major delays if you need a U.S. passport to travel outside the country.

As more people get vaccinated against COVID-19 and start to travel again, it’s taking weeks and even months for applications to be processed.

U.S. Rep. Greg Stanton of Arizona told KTAR News 92.3 FM his office has seen an uptick in calls from constituents asking for help to expedite their applications.

“Every congressional office is getting a ton of requests, and the state department is getting a ton of requests,” he said. “The problem is we can’t expedite every single one.”

That’s why he’s advising people who are thinking about traveling internationally to plan accordingly.

“Check now and then plan your trip far enough out so that you don’t have passport challenges, because there is a long wait for passport renewals right now,” he said.

Stanton noted it’s taking the state department about 12-18 weeks to process passport applications.

He attributes the longer than usual wait time to people starting to travel again.

The state department only approves expedited applications for limited reasons, including a life-threatening illness or the death of an immediate family member.

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