Passport delays putting prospective travelers in purgatory

Prospective travelers are facing daunting wait times to obtain their passports as they risk losing thousands of dollars if they do not receive the document before their international trips. 

State Department is blaming the multi-month waits on continuing pandemic-related staffing shortages and an online processing pause earlier this year, The Associated Press reported Monday.

The government has to deal with 500,000 passport applications a week, putting the agency on track to issue a record number of passports. 

Some people have been forced to cancel trips due to the delays. For example, Miranda Richter applied to renew her passport on Feb. 9 for a trip to Croatia in June. She did not receive her passport and had to cancel the trip, losing more than $1,000.

The delay is also being felt by those attempting to obtain visas. People in Bogota, Columbia, can expect to wait 801 days, or more than 2 years, before receiving an interview for a passport. 

Madeleine Hubbard is an international correspondent for Just the News. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram.