The Los Angeles Post

International Travel Recommendations

by · Published · Updated

04/26/2022 01:09 PM EDT

 

Office of the Spokesperson

U.S. citizens considering international travel should plan ahead and be informed about travel requirements before making decisions or firm travel plans.  We urge U.S. citizens considering international travel to check their passport expiration date early and if renewal is needed, to submit applications as far ahead of their travel dates as possible.  Travelers should check the Passports section of travel.state.gov for the latest information about applying for a passport, including application procedures, processing times, and fees.  Travelers should also research potential international travel destinations on the International Travel section of travel.state.gov and review the current Travel Advisory and Country Information Page for each country.  Keep in mind that many countries require six months’ passport validity for entry.

The U.S. Department of State is committed to meeting the needs of U.S. travelers.  The current processing time for routine passport service is 8-11 weeks and for expedited service is 5-7 weeks.  These processing times do not factor in mailing times to and from our offices. They begin the day we receive an application at a passport agency (not the day a customer applies for a passport at an acceptance facility or drops an application off in the mail), and they end the day we issue the passport.

Adults with valid passports expiring within one year should renew by mail.  Applicants with urgent travel within five days can make an appointment at one of our 26 regional passport agencies.  Applicants with life and death emergencies can make an appointment within three days of travel.  All such applicants must call 877-487-2778 to make an appointment and will be required to provide proof of travel and proof of the life-or-death emergency at the time they apply.

Applicants may schedule an appointment to apply for a passport if they are traveling within two weeks or need a foreign visa within four weeks; however, the appointment cannot occur more than five business days before the date of travel, or ten business days if a visa is required.

We continue to advise travelers to consider COVID-19 conditions and restrictions at their destinations, in addition to other safety and security factors, when considering international travel.  Our embassies and consulates around the world will continue to provide the latest country-specific COVID-19-related information on their websites.