Passports
My office can assist constituents seeking a new passport or renewal through the U.S. Department of State. Currently, the State Department is experiencing an unprecedented passport demand so if any constituents have international travel plans, it is important to check the passport expiration date now.
Below are some reminders to avoid an expired passport from ruining travel plans:
U.S. passports are valid 10 years for adults and 5 years for children under the age of 16.
Many countries require passports to be valid for at least six months prior to entering the country.
Constituents should always research their destination’s entry requirements at travel.state.gov/destination before booking travel.
When applying for one’s first passport, constituents will need to apply in person at one of the State Department’s acceptance facilities.
Passport renewal requests can be mailed in.
Steps to take when passport not received:
If it has been 90 days since the constituent has received the “mailed” status, contact the National Passport Information Center (NPIC).
If the constituent will be traveling within 14 days, call NPIC to check if there is time to reissue the passport or request an appointment based.
The current passport processing times do not include mailing times to and from the State Department facilities and are as follows:
Routine: 7-10 weeks*
Expedited: 3-5 weeks and an extra $60*
*Mailing times are not included in processing times. Processing times only include the time your application is at one of our passport agencies or centers. The total time to get your passport includes both processing and mailing times. It may take up to 2 weeks for applications to arrive by mail at a passport agency or center, and up to 2 weeks for you to receive a completed passport in the mail after we print it. Consider the total time it will take to receive your passport when you are booking travel.
It can take up to eight weeks after constituents receive their passport for their supporting documents to be returned. If it has been longer than eight weeks, call NPIC.
If you are 14 days from your travel date, our office can further expedite your passport within that time frame. If it's before that date, passport agencies will not respond to our request.
If you need a visa, it will take 28 days from your travel date.
If you are a resident of the 11th Congressional District and need assistance with your passport or have questions, please contact my Hendersonville district office at (828) 435-7310.