If you plan to travel internationally in the future, including cruises, take a look at your passport, if you have one. Some destinations may require a passport that expires at least 6 months after trip dates. Current processing times for U.S. passports are 18 weeks. If you need expedited service it will be up to 12 weeks and cost an extra fee. Many people have decided to travel, so apply for, or renew, your passport at least 6 months before your trip. Appointments at passport service centers may be hard to get at this time, and some service appointments may only be obtained by telephone, especially for urgent service.
Your first stop to renew or apply for a passport should be to the Department of State Website. Be sure to also thoroughly read all the COVID-19 Travel Alerts posted on the top of the website, and Travel Advisories for the country you are planning to visit. They have important information that will affect your travel, and also applying for and renewing your passport. If you have a passport from another country, be sure to visit that country’s passport website for details.
