I know I’ve mentioned checking your passport well in advance of booking your trip. Here are some more reasons you should check it early.
For the first time, 10 years ago Americans needed passports to travel to Canada and Mexico. As you can imagine, the number of people applying for passports spiked. According to the State Department, they added about 17 million that year.
Guess what? Those passports are expiring this year. Many of those 17 million are applying for renewals. That doesn’t count the number of new applications.
In order to avoid the rush or get behind when you need your passport renewed, these tips can help:
1. If you apply by mail, your passport should arrive in about six weeks.
2. Only go to a passport office to expedite your request. It will cost an extra $60.
3. If you go, make an appointment to cut down on wait time.
4. Make sure you’ve checked the address of the closest passport office. Some of them have changed.