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How to Check the Status of Your Passport Application

Find out how long it will take to get a new passport.

You've booked your flight, booked your hotel, and now you're ready to jet off on your next international adventure . But before you do, you have to make sure your passport is still valid.

Some countries require your passport to be valid for six months after your intended visit, so it's important to make sure you renew before it expires. Renewing a passport can take up to 13 weeks (you can find current processing times on the State Department website ), and you need to make sure you have a good photo .

If you're waiting on your new passport , there are a few ways to check the status of your application. To check your passport status, you will need your last name, your date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Check Your Passport Status Online

If you applied for your passport in person or by mail, you can check the status of your passport application on the State Department's website — status updates are typically available 14 days after you apply or renew your passport. Your application status will be listed as "Not Found," "In Process," "Approved," or "Mailed." There, you can also sign up for automatic email updates by entering your email address. If you applied online, you can check your status on your MyTravelGov account.

Check Your Passport Status by Phone

You can call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793 (TDD/TTY) to check on your status. The center is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., Eastern Time, excluding federal holidays. You can use the automated system to check your passport information 24 hours a day.

What to Do If You Have Not Received Your Passport

If your passport has been issued, but you have not received it after at least 10 business days, you should call the National Passport Information Center and fill out a DS-86 form . You must report the fact that you have not received the passport within 90 days from the date it was issued, or you will have to reapply and pay the processing fees again.

What to Do If You Just Can’t Wait

Passport processing times can be over 13 weeks, but if you just can't wait, you can pay an extra fee to expedite the application and have it processed in five to seven weeks.

If you have an emergency , like a serious illness, injury, or death in your immediate family for which you need to travel outside the U.S. within three days, you can make an appointment for the emergency passport service by calling 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793 (TTY/TDD) Monday through Friday (except for federal holidays) from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm Eastern Time. For help outside those times, call 202-647-4000.

What to Do If You Applied Outside the U.S.

If you are residing abroad or traveling long-term you can apply for a new passport with the nearest embassy or consulate . However, the application process varies by country and you will either have to apply in person or by mail. Often, consulates will have specific instructions about what mail service provider to use. If you've already applied, you will need to contact the consulate or embassy directly about the status of your application.

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How to check the status of your passport for applications and renewals

“Where’s my passport?” It’s a question many people ask as they endure the long passport application process. The bad news: Passport applications and renewals take weeks, if not months. The good news: Tracking your passport status is easy. Here’s how to check the status of your passport in just a few simple steps.

In this post

How do I check on my passport status?

What do i do if my status is not available, first passport or renewal: is the processing time different, how long will my passport status be “in process”, how to proceed in case of emergency, where can you travel while waiting for your new passport.

It’s exceptionally easy to perform a passport status check, which is the same for new applications and renewals. All you have to do is go online or call the National Passport Information Center. There are five possible statuses: in process, approved, passport mailed, supporting documents mailed or not available. Here, you can also subscribe to email updates about your passport status.

3 steps to check online where your passport is

• Visit passportstatus.state.gov .
• Enter your last name, date of birth and last four digits of your social security number.
• See your passport’s current status.

Check your passport status by phone

You can also call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY). The opening hours are as follows: 

• Mondays through Fridays 8:00 am to 10:00 pm. Eastern Time
• Saturdays and Sundays from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm Eastern Time.
• Closed on federal holidays.

Expert Tip : You can check your passport status online 24/7, and the process is often faster.

Your passport status may be listed as “not available” for three reasons:

• Your passport is still in transit to the passport agency. This may take up to two weeks, plus additional time for processing payment.
• The system is experiencing technical issues. Try checking your status again in a few hours.
• You’ve mistyped your name when you searched for your passport status. If your name has a hyphen, try typing your name with and without it on the passport status tracker website. Also, be sure to add any suffixes to your last name.

No. New applications for passports and passport renewals take the same amount of time to process. The steps for tracking your passport status in either case are the same.

The short answer: about a month to three months. But it depends on which type of processing you’ve selected.

The usual processing times

• Routine: 7 to 10 weeks
• Expedited: 3 to 5 weeks

Expert Tip : Processing times do not include shipping time, which can add up to 4 weeks to the timeline from application submission to receipt. You can, however, pay for expedited shipping.

What does “in process” mean for a passport?

“In process” means that your passport application or renewal has been received by the processing center and is undergoing review. This is typically the longest part of the process, as indicated by the processing times above.

If you must travel abroad after submitting your passport application or renewal, you must call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY). If you are traveling in more than 14 days, you can upgrade routine service to expedited service for a fee. If you are traveling in less than 14 days, you may be able to make an in-person appointment to receive your passport immediately, but availability for these appointments is limited.

While you’re waiting for your passport to process, you can travel anywhere within the U.S ., including Alaska and Hawaii. You can also travel to U.S. territories, including Puerto Rico , the U.S. Virgin Islands , Guam, American Samoa and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Bottom line

Checking your passport status is easy to do online. Just keep in mind that the “in process” status might take several weeks or months. If you need to expedite your passport application or renewal after you’ve submitted it, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY).

How KAYAK knows what to put in this guide

I’m a travel writer, so having a valid passport is essential for my job. As such, I’m well-versed in the logistics of applying for and renewing passports. For this guide, I deeply researched the most up-to-date information, on the different government websites related to the topic, about checking your passport status.

The foregoing article was last updated on the 14th of November 2023. It does not contain legal advice and is for informational purposes only. KAYAK does not guarantee, and accepts no legal liability arising from or connected to, the accuracy, reliability, currency or completeness of any of the information contained in this article and/or any of the content linked to within it. Always check the official government website of your departure and arrival destinations prior to travel for up-to-date information. Sources: https://passportstatus.state.gov/ https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/status.html https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/contact-us/passports.html

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How to Check Your Passport Status—and What to Do if It’s Taking Too Long

Passport wait times are still long, but you don’t have to wait in the dark. here are a few things you can do to check your passport application or renewal status..

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You sent in your passport application. Now what?

Photo by Charles Taylor/Shutterstock

The clock is ticking. International flights and hotels are booked, but still no sign of your new passport? We know the frustration. Current delays can stretch as long as two to three months due to an application backlog. Even with expedited processing (and an additional $60 fee), the wait can extend to two months, and the timeframe doesn’t technically begin until the agency receives your application.

So what’s an eager traveler to do? It turns out, there are a few ways you can ease the stress by checking your passport status.

It’s wise to keep an eye on your passport expiration date since countries have different requirements. Many European nations stipulate at least three months’ validity beyond the period of intended stay; others have a six-month minimum. Some countries require at least one full, blank page, too. It’s confusing, but a little advance planning can help. Here’s how to monitor the application once you submit it.

Check your passport status online

The State Department’s online system updates your application status 14 days after receipt of your documents (until then, it will say “not found”). Don’t expect a detailed report, however, as the verbiage you’ll likely see includes: “in process,” “approved,” or “mailed.” Obsessive checking won’t get you very far, but luckily on the same website, you can enroll in an automatic alert system for updates when the status changes.

Verify the status by phone

You can phone the National Passport Information Center (877-487-2778) to speak to a real person (or an automated response outside of business hours), but it will still be the same ambiguous answers of “in process” or hopefully “mailed.”

Check the status by using a third party to apply

If you use an expeditor company like Rush My Passport or CIBT Visa, it can provide additional details on where your passport is in the process. These agencies use a courier who physically hands over the documentation, adding a bit more clarity to the process. Expeditors can get a passport back to you in a few business days (this varies by agency), but expect to pay upwards of $600 for the privilege.

If you have an emergency situation

If you applied but haven’t received your passport and your travel is coming up soon , you may be able to get help.

If your travel is within the next two weeks , call the National Passport Information Center (877-487-2778) during business hours (Mondays through Fridays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET, Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.). The call center will notify the processing agency of your upcoming travel dates and put in a request to expedite it.

If your travel is within the next five days , call the same line to let them know—they may be able to give you an in-person appointment to finish up the passport process (although there are no guarantees, and you may have to travel to another city for the appointment).

If you have proof of a last-minute family emergency that requires travel within three business days (for example, a recent death or a severe illness that may lead to death of an immediate family member), call the same number to request a “life-or-death emergency service” appointment (different from the “urgent travel service” appointment). If you qualify and have proof of the urgency and upcoming travel, you may be able to secure one. If calling outside of traditional business hours or on a federal holiday, contact 202-647-4000. This number, reserved for emergencies only, should not be used during business hours. Your Congressperson can assist if you have a pressing emergency, too.

The moral of the story: Start early and allow plenty of time. While that’s not always possible, these tips can help you track your application status. Just be sure to pack some patience before you pack your suitcase.

Easy ways to check your passport application status

With Fourth of July travel behind us, we're looking ahead to the rest of summer and beyond.

If you are heading abroad during the remainder of this summer or in the fall, the U.S. Department of State advises travelers to renew their U.S. passport a minimum of six months in advance.

As of July, current passport processing times are the same as they were in March — 10 to 13 weeks for routine service and seven to nine for expedited, not including processing and mailing times.

If you've already applied, we encourage as much patience as possible, but you can always check the status of your passport online for updates.

How to check your passport application status online

Once you apply for your passport, it'll take seven to 10 business days for your application to be trackable online via the online passport status system .

From there, enter your last name, date of birth, Social Security number and security code.

Before that time frame, the only updates you will see are either "Not Found," which means it is in transit to a passport agency, or "In Process," which means it is with the U.S. State Department and will be reviewed by staff.

Additionally, you can provide your email address to receive automatic email updates on your passport status.

How to check your passport application status via phone

An alternative to the online tool, you can also inquire about your passport status via phone by calling the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778 (or 888-874-7793 if you're hard of hearing).

Phone hours are Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EDT and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. EDT on Saturdays. They are closed on Sundays.

Current processing times

As mentioned, both new applicants and those renewing can expect to receive their passports within 10 to 13 weeks for routine service, costing $130. For more immediate travel, the U.S. Department of State provides the option for expedited service within seven to nine weeks for an additional $60.

Note those time frames do not include mailing times, so be sure to factor in an additional two weeks for applications to arrive by mail at a passport agency or center and up to two weeks for an applicant to receive a completed passport in the mail.

Bottom line

In addition to processing times, remember that many countries, including most of Europe, require your passport to be valid for at least six months at the time of entry, so factor that into when you plan to submit your passport application.

As of July, online passport renewal is currently unavailable , though the U.S. Department of State expects to roll that out later this year.

Related reading:

• Now up to 13 weeks: Why you should renew your passport for summer travel now
• Guide to the 6-month passport rule — what is it?
• Guide to taking your passport photo at home
• This trick could help you bypass long waits for passport renewals
• 5 things I learned when renewing my passport for the 1st time

Additional reporting by Mimi Wright and Samantha Rosen.

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• Passport Offices in India
• Mission/Post Abroad
• Citizens' Charter
• General Information
• Chief Passport Officer
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Last Updated: 10 May 2019