Wait times for U.S. passports are the shortest they've been in years, making it an ideal time to order one ahead of the busy holiday travel season. Americans can expect to wait only 4-6 weeks for their passports,

Historically speaking, an average of four to six weeks is speedy. The former six- to eight-week processing time had been the norm for decades prior to the pandemic.

U.S. passport processing time has been reduced by two weeks at most, the State Department announced Thursday. The Bureau of Consular Affairs said wait times for both online and paper applications have been reduced to four to six weeks,

Late planners in the United States hoping to travel abroad have a little more breathing room than they once did.