US Faces Passport Backlog

The U.S. State Department is facing a massive backlog of passport applications as it brings back staff.

According to ABC News, Americans are looking to travel overseas and they will need current passports in order to do so. This has created a glut of applications that need to be processed, which is overwhelming the State Department.

The agency has warned Americans that they need to submit their applications at least six months in advance.

The backlog has created frustrations for Americans looking to leave the country to travel this summer and from Congress.

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Two lawmakers urged the State Department to expedite applications and cut down the "well beyond usual processing times."

Currently, passport renewals submitted by mail could take as many as 18 weeks and, for those who pay for expedited processing, can expect to wait 12 weeks.

Those applying in person, which parents must do for young children, appointment times are hard to come by.

The State Department has said that it is trying to return staff to offices even though many cities across the country have fully reopened.

"We continue to adapt to the COVID-19 situation while we work to meet demand as U.S. citizens increasingly seek to travel overseas again," a State Department spokesperson told ABC News.