Vice President, Retail and Post Office Operations
The U.S. Postal Service is here to help with all your passport needs
Applying for a passport is a major milestone, whether it’s your first international trip, a long-awaited family vacation or travel abroad for work. For many travelers, that excitement can quickly turn into anxiety when the paperwork begins.
Every year, more Americans are applying for passports, and more are choosing the Postal Service to help them get started. Last fiscal year alone, USPS processed close to 8.9 million passport applications, some 12 percent more than the previous year, showing that travelers trust the Postal Service because the process is straightforward, the staff are friendly and well-trained, and the experience is streamlined from start to finish.
The best way to begin is at usps.com. The passport portal walks you through every step, from gathering your documents to filling out the application form. In-person appointments at thousands of Post Office™ locations nationwide are quick and easy to book, whether it’s through our online USPS Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler® tool, self-service kiosks at 2,200 USPS locations or through our customer care phone line at 1-800-ASK-USPS®.
Some locations even offer walk-in hours, which you can also find in the online scheduler.
Getting started early is the best way to manage any passport application. With State Department processing typically taking six to eight weeks, and longer during busy travel seasons, it’s never too early to get things started. When you apply ahead of time at your local Post Office™ branch, you can focus on the fun parts of travel, knowing your documents will be ready when you need them.
We are constantly looking at ways to make the passport application process smoother, and last year, in line with new State Department passport renewal guidelines, we started a digital photo pilot program.
At select locations, passport renewal applicants can now have their photo taken with a USB-enabled camera. Instead of waiting for prints or worrying if your photo meets State Department standards, our experienced employees will take your headshot, save it on a USB drive and hand it to you right there at the Post Office. You can then upload the photo from your home computer as part of your application.
This pilot program is currently being tested at 719 Post Office locations and the feedback has been positive. The goal is to expand the program to 1,500 locations by the middle of this year, and eventually to all USPS passport photo locations, making it even easier for more applicants to benefit from this streamlined process.
This is just another example of how USPS has continued to improve the passport application process since we first partnered with the State Department more than 50 years ago. Over these years, the Postal Service has worked diligently to build a reputation for trust, accessibility and ease of use, and we are proud that more travelers each year turn to USPS for help and guidance.
So, don’t let paperwork or procrastination stand in your way. Whether you’re traveling solo, with your children or planning a family adventure, getting started early makes all the difference. Visit usps.com/passport, book your appointment and let the Postal Service help you take the first step toward your next journey.
Jennifer Vo
Vice President, Retail and Post Office Operations