Passports The Wait

FILE - The cover of a U.S. Passport is displayed in Tigard, Ore., Dec. 11, 2021. Seeking a valid U.S. passport for that 2023 trip? Buckle up, wishful traveler, for a very different journey before you step anywhere near an airport. A much-feared backup of U.S passport applications has smashed into a wall of government bureaucracy as worldwide travel rebounds toward record pre-pandemic levels — with too few humans to handle the load. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, File)

Your article regarding applying for or renewing a passport caught my attention. I recently realized that my valid passport was inadequate for an international trip planned in the near future.

The U.S. Department of State requires American travelers to have six months remaining on a passport to travel internationally. My passport fell just shy of that requirement. I immediately submitted my renewal application and paid for two-day delivery by the U.S. Postal Service, expedited processing and two-day return. Eight days later, my new passport awaited me in my mailbox. I was both pleased and surprised by the efficiency of both agencies. So, thank you USPS and the U.S. Department of State for a job well done.

THERESA DALY

New Orleans

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