In 2024 the State Department has broken annual U.S. passport processing records for the third consecutive fiscal year by issuing approximately 24.5 million passport books and cards - half a million more than last year's record-breaking totals. The Department is also making the passport application process more efficient and convenient. Now the service commitment for issuing routine passport applications is four to six weeks.
More than one million Americans have successfully applied to renew their passports through the Online Passport Renewal (OPR) system, which we fully launched in September. OPR allows applicants to securely renew their passports without leaving their homes or putting anything in the mail - a major modernization of government services for the benefit of the American people.
These efforts deliver for the American people by improving the efficiency, equity, and accessibility of our passport application process. They contribute directly to America's economic growth by facilitating international travel to build crucial business and investment ties.
In the coming years, we look forward to opening six new passport facilities - in Utah, Florida, Kansas, Texas, Ohio, and North Carolina - reducing travel time for Americans in need of passport appointments and other essential services and making international travel more accessible to the American people.
