why is taking so long to get a passport?

Question

if anyone knows why it takes like 12 weeks to get a american passport?

Answer 1

Because of the new regulations that require anyone in the US travelling to the Carribbean, Mexico, Canada to have a passport. There has been an overflux of passport applications and not enough people to handle it all. And by next year, anyone travelling by car to the same countries will need a passport to enter the US as well. I heard on CNN today that you could still travel to some countries provided you have proof of a submitted passport application from the US government and a photo ID.

Answer 2

More people are getting passports these days because of new security measures and the need in 2008 to have them when you travel by car to Mexico or Canada. With so many people applying the system is just overloaded.

Answer 3

The new rules that were implemented by Homeland Security, and the State Department, are creating a larger burden than expected.

Partially because people in America don't seem to understand that Tijuana is in fact, outside of the U.S., and Toronto, CANADA, is actually outside of the U.S., many people have delayed getting their passport, rather than allowing additional time for the new security measures to get going smoothly. This has put a dramatic load on the DHS and the State Department, a load that they didn't seem ready for.

So, partially because of the sudden increase in passport applications, partially because the Government wasn't prepared like it should have been, and partially because of human error, things are taking longer than one would expect.

Answer 4

Because the government changed the rules without adding staff.

You now need a passport to return from Mexico or Canada and before you didn't need one.

Answer 5

because it takes time to make the passport. The people who makes it have to determine facts. It will take long to get a passport if it is your first time. But it will take couple of weeks to renew passport

Answer 6

They just said on the TV news that it is taking 4-5 months. You can travel to Canada and Mexico with just the receipt showing you have applied. Along with regular ID and a Birth Certificate. I filed for mine on April 10th and haven't heard a word yet.

Answer 7

I find that they may tell you it will take 12 weeks, but it usually only takes 1/2 that.

Answer 8

because u need a passport to get into places that u didn't need to before.so there backed severely it used to take a few weeks to get now a few months.

Answer 9

huge back log, the just relaxed the Mexico, Caribbean and Canada rule untill they catch up

Answer 10

I dont know i had to do the express thingy i got mine in the mail within 2 days