Passport Office Backlogged

The U.S. State Department's Passport Services unit is bogged down. It now takes 10 weeks to get a new or renewal passport instead of the usual four to six weeks; expensive, expedited service now takes three to four weeks instead of a couple of days.

Some of the major branded cruise lines that sail from the U.S. on shorter cruises are not insisting on passports at this time, but each traveler should check with the cruise line or travel agent to re-confirm that no passport is required.

Every U.S. citizen is now required to have a valid passport to fly between the U.S. Mexico, Canada and Western Hemisphere countries.