News
Latest News
news bulletin
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Other News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Beirut
28
o
Bekaa
20
o
Keserwan
29
o
Metn
29
o
Mount Lebanon
23
o
North
30
o
South
27
o
Live
Video
Audio
Schedule
shows
العربية
watching now
Sawa
SUBSCRIBE
Home
Notification
Live
Video
Audio
shows
Beirut
28
o
Bekaa
20
o
Keserwan
29
o
Metn
29
o
Mount Lebanon
23
o
North
30
o
South
27
o
News
Programs
The News
Breaking Headlines
Israel-Gaza War Updates
Variety and Tech
Sports News
Middle East News
World News
Lebanon News
Press Highlights
Lebanon Economy
News Bulletin Reports
Programs
Documentaries
Lebanon’s Centennial
News Bulletin
The Untold History
Talk Show
Series
Sports
Variety
Other
Comedy
Oldies
Breaking News
Latest News
Highlighted News
Most Read
Videos
العربية
Watch the latest programs and the latest developments on your favorite screen
Shows
Join millions of followers
Who We Are
Contact Us
Advertise With Us
Careers
Channel frequencies
Privacy Policy
Terms and Conditions
Renewing the US passport has become a lengthy and expensive nightmare after the COVID-19 pandemic
World News
2023-07-07 | 06:52
High views
Share
Share
4
min
Renewing the US passport has become a lengthy and expensive nightmare after the COVID-19 pandemic
Since the resumption of international flights and the reopening of borders after the lifting of COVID-19 restrictions, the demand for passport renewal in the United States has become an administrative nightmare.
Nyle Khaw, 20, traveled all the way from his residence in Houston to New York, over 2,600 kilometers away, to pick up his passport in time to catch a flight to London in a few hours. His father also managed to secure an appointment just before his travel date. "I don't know how he (my father) did it," the young man said, emerging from the passport office.
Outside the administrative building, dozens of people wait their turn, some compelled to travel abroad due to the death of a relative, for work, or even for tourism.
David Alwadish, co-founder of "ItsEasy", a company that handles administrative processes like passport renewals in the United States, believes that the difficulties faced by passport renewal applicants are linked to a combination of factors.
"It feels like all Americans decided to renew their passports and travel at the same time," he told AFP. "I have never seen this in forty years."
In addition to the surge in demand post-COVID-19, according to Alwadish, a new online renewal system was introduced, which did not meet security requirements and was temporarily suspended.
In March, the US Department of State estimated that the process of renewing or issuing a new passport would take 10 to 13 weeks, while expedited processes would take seven to nine weeks with an additional fee of $60. These waiting periods are twice as long as they were pre-pandemic.
Since the start of the year, nearly 500,000 applications have been submitted each week, according to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's report to a congressional committee, a 30 percent increase from the weekly rate in 2022, a year in which a record 22 million passports were issued.
This "unprecedented demand" comes at a time when the US Department of State had to "reorganize" a service that almost completely disintegrated during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to Blinken, as employees were delegated to other administrative tasks during that period. He urged US citizens to "make sure to check the validity of their document and renew it" as early as possible before their travel date.
To get a passport within a day, many Americans turn to private companies and spend hundreds of dollars. Some spend up to $2,500 to secure an appointment they would normally get for free under normal circumstances.
Those unable to pay these amounts find themselves standing in long waiting lines like Linda, 46, who began her administrative procedures in April for her and her family.
"We received our passports by mail in June, but we have not yet received our children's passports," she says. On the eve of a family trip to the Caribbean island of Aruba, she adds, "It wasn't like this before."
For his part, Blinken believes that the solution lies in rebooting the online service, which could handle at least 60 percent of the requests.
AFP
World News
Renewing
US
Passport
Lengthy
Expensive
Process
Nightmare
COVID19
Pandemic
Next
France far-right chief confirms election pact with right-wing party
Recommended For You
d-none hideMe
0
World News
06:47
Russia says its forces take control of Kirove in Ukraine's Donetsk region
World News
06:47
Russia says its forces take control of Kirove in Ukraine's Donetsk region
0
World News
05:25
Chinese Navy survey ship enters Japanese waters, Japan's defense ministry says
World News
05:25
Chinese Navy survey ship enters Japanese waters, Japan's defense ministry says
0
World News
05:14
Ukrainian air defense downs 24 Russian drones, Kyiv says
World News
05:14
Ukrainian air defense downs 24 Russian drones, Kyiv says
0
World News
04:52
China, Philippines accuse each other of ramming ships in South China Sea
World News
04:52
China, Philippines accuse each other of ramming ships in South China Sea
Subscribe to our VOD
SUBSCRIBE
Our visitors readings
d-none hideMe
0
World News
2024-07-19
Biden begins to accept he may have to drop out of race: sources tell New York Times
World News
2024-07-19
Biden begins to accept he may have to drop out of race: sources tell New York Times
0
News Bulletin Reports
12:24
Algerian Fuel Grant to Lebanon: High Quality Confirmed Amid Speculations
News Bulletin Reports
12:24
Algerian Fuel Grant to Lebanon: High Quality Confirmed Amid Speculations
0
Lebanon News
2024-08-28
Israeli airstrike hits truck in Lebanon carrying military equipment, source tells Reuters
Lebanon News
2024-08-28
Israeli airstrike hits truck in Lebanon carrying military equipment, source tells Reuters
0
Variety and Tech
2024-06-22
Miss Lebanon 2024 pageant to air live in July on LBCI
Variety and Tech
2024-06-22
Miss Lebanon 2024 pageant to air live in July on LBCI
Videos
d-none hideMe
0
News Bulletin Reports
2024-08-26
LBCI Exclusive: Canada's Ambassador to Lebanon supports UNIFIL mandate renewal, aims to strengthen LAF capabilities
News Bulletin Reports
2024-08-26
LBCI Exclusive: Canada's Ambassador to Lebanon supports UNIFIL mandate renewal, aims to strengthen LAF capabilities
0
Lebanon News
2024-08-25
Hezbollah reveals footage of strikes in second phase of 'Day of Arbaeen' operation
Lebanon News
2024-08-25
Hezbollah reveals footage of strikes in second phase of 'Day of Arbaeen' operation
0
Lebanon News
2024-08-25
Hezbollah publishes new video revealing Israeli sites targeted in retaliation for assassinating its commander Fouad Shokor
Lebanon News
2024-08-25
Hezbollah publishes new video revealing Israeli sites targeted in retaliation for assassinating its commander Fouad Shokor
0
Lebanon News
2024-08-19
Israeli strike targets car in southern Lebanon, leaving one dead and several injured (video)
Lebanon News
2024-08-19
Israeli strike targets car in southern Lebanon, leaving one dead and several injured (video)
0
News Bulletin Reports
2024-08-13
Lebanon's authorities uncover five bodies in Kfarshima house: Here are the details
News Bulletin Reports
2024-08-13
Lebanon's authorities uncover five bodies in Kfarshima house: Here are the details
0
Lebanon News
2024-08-11
Lebanese Army finds main body of missile from Israeli Strike in Miryata forests
Lebanon News
2024-08-11
Lebanese Army finds main body of missile from Israeli Strike in Miryata forests
0
Lebanon News
2024-07-31
Mohammed Khair: Nine buildings damaged in Israeli attack; demolition planned for severely affected ones
Lebanon News
2024-07-31
Mohammed Khair: Nine buildings damaged in Israeli attack; demolition planned for severely affected ones
0
World News
2024-07-21
Full Transcript: Trump's Coordinator of Arab Relations Discusses Plan to Win Arab Voters and Achieve Peace
World News
2024-07-21
Full Transcript: Trump's Coordinator of Arab Relations Discusses Plan to Win Arab Voters and Achieve Peace
0
Lebanon News
2024-07-18
Two dead in Israeli airstrike on Jmeijmeh, south Lebanon (Video)
Lebanon News
2024-07-18
Two dead in Israeli airstrike on Jmeijmeh, south Lebanon (Video)
Most read
d-none hideMe
24 hours
7 days
Month
1
Lebanon News
03:23
FPM leader Bassil tells Hezbollah: We support you in defending Lebanon, not in starting wars
Lebanon News
03:23
FPM leader Bassil tells Hezbollah: We support you in defending Lebanon, not in starting wars
2
Lebanon News
04:29
Israeli artillery shelling in Yohmor Al Shaqif, South Lebanon, causes fires near homes
Lebanon News
04:29
Israeli artillery shelling in Yohmor Al Shaqif, South Lebanon, causes fires near homes
3
Lebanon News
05:59
Major fire breaks out on outskirts of Naqoura, South Lebanon, due to Israeli drone
Lebanon News
05:59
Major fire breaks out on outskirts of Naqoura, South Lebanon, due to Israeli drone
4
Lebanon News
05:46
Firefighters persist in containing Yohmor Al Shaqif fire in South Lebanon following Israeli artillery shelling
Lebanon News
05:46
Firefighters persist in containing Yohmor Al Shaqif fire in South Lebanon following Israeli artillery shelling
5
Lebanon News
08:57
Speaker of Parliament Berri: Call for presidential election remains open, dialogue and successive sessions expected
Lebanon News
08:57
Speaker of Parliament Berri: Call for presidential election remains open, dialogue and successive sessions expected
6
Israel-Gaza War Updates
03:31
Axios: Gallant says Israel must choose between Philadelphi corridor and hostages
Israel-Gaza War Updates
03:31
Axios: Gallant says Israel must choose between Philadelphi corridor and hostages
7
Middle East News
03:02
CENTCOM says raid kills 15 ISIS members in Iraq
Middle East News
03:02
CENTCOM says raid kills 15 ISIS members in Iraq
8
Lebanon News
03:42
Israeli airstrikes target forests and outskirts in South Lebanon
Lebanon News
03:42
Israeli airstrikes target forests and outskirts in South Lebanon
Download now the LBCI mobile app
To see the latest news, the latest daily programs in Lebanon and the world
Google Play
App Store
We use
cookies
We use
cookies
to make
your experience on this
website better.
Accept
Learn More