Passport Applications to Increase in 2016

The US Department of State passport services is predicting a strong increase in passport applications in 2016 and an even stronger surge in 2017.

One of the reasons for the increase in passport applications is due to the number of passports that will be expiring in the next two years. It is also thought that the strong dollar to euro ratio will encourage foreign travel. Peak time for the passport offices is January to August. During this peak time processing can take longer because of the abundance of passport applications. It is highly recommended that advance planning would allow your passport to be processed at an off peak time. It is also highly recommend starting the passport applications renewal process when there is one year of validity remaining on your current passport. Passport services is working towards an online passport applications renewal capability which they expect to have in place in the latter part of 2016.

There is also another major change with passports that begins on January 1, 2016. Page inserts for passports will no longer be available. For frequent travelers outside the US, you may request a passport with 52 pages. Another option is to obtain a second passport which will be valid for 4 years rather than the usual 10 years. To obtain a second passport you must show a reasonable need, i.e a letter from your company stating the requirement for recurring foreign travel.  A second passport would be very helpful in situations where your passport is sent to a consulate due to visa requirements and during that processing time you must also travel abroad.

Many travelers wait till the last minute to renew or obtain their passports and then find themselves in a bind. We urge you to allow yourself plenty of time so that there is plenty of time for the state department to properly process all the passport applications.

The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program , STEP, is highly recommended and can be accessed at www.step.state.gov. The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) is a free service to allow U.S. citizens and nationals traveling abroad to enroll their trip with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.


Deprecated: ltrim(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /home/ldfwlrfrhxph/public_html/wtbinc.com/wp-includes/wp-db.php on line 3030

Europe

Europe is packed with culture, diversity, and history. Europe is the world’s smallest continent in land surface area, however, there are profound differences between the cultures and ways of life in its countries. Europe has an amazing wealth of sights, sounds, and peoples. There are beautiful cities, architecture, history, mountain ranges, seas, and many countries.…

Read More

The Caribbean

The Caribbean is a dream tropical destination. The islands of the Caribbean Sea are an extensive island chain in the far west Atlantic Ocean. Cuba, Dominican Republic, Haiti, Jamaica, Puerto Rico, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, and the Turks and Caicos are just some of the destinations available. Here, there is year-round good weather with…

Read More

Canada

Canada the great white north. Canada is the largest country in size in North America and the second largest in the world overall (behind Russia.) Renowned worldwide for its vast, untouched landscape, its unique blend of cultures and multifaceted history, Canada is one of the world’s wealthiest countries and a major tourist destination. It houses…

Read More

Australia & South Pacific

Australia and New Zealand are ready to be explored.
Australia and New Zealand offer travelers unique cultural experiences and posses majestic beauty in both the people and the landscapes. Australia is world-famous for its natural wonders including beaches, deserts, and the Outback. Most of the country receives more than 3,000 hours of sunshine a year. Australia…

Read More

Asia

Asia is rooted in culture and history. Asia is a vast continent that encompasses such countries as China, Japan, Singapore, Thailand, India, Tibet, Nepal, and South Korea. It is home to Pandas, Geishas, Temples, Sushi, East Asian Tigers and Mount Everest, the world’s highest point along the border of Tibet and Nepal. You can visit…

Read More

Alaska

Alaska is majestic any way you look at it. Majestic is a great word to describe all that is Alaska. It is known as one of the last wild frontiers in the United States. Situated in the northwest extremity of North America, it is the United State’s largest state. Alaska houses Mt. McKinley, the highest…

Read More

Antarctica and the Falkland Islands

Antarctica and the Falkland Islands are breathtakingly beautiful.
A land of extremes, Antarctica is the 5th largest and most Southern continent. It is also the driest and coldest continent on Earth with the highest average elevation. Antarctica is scarcely touched by humans and houses only a few thousand permanent scientist residents. As a result, Antarctica has…

Read More

South Pacific and Micronesia

South Pacific and Micronesia are a real remote paradise. The South Pacific and Micronesia are undeniably the ultimate locations for paradise seeking travelers and scuba diving enthusiasts. The South Pacific houses Fiji, Tahiti, Tonga, Samoa, and the Cook Islands. It is famous for amazing snorkeling, sunset evenings, beautiful beaches, live volcanoes, lush forests, shipwrecks to…

Read More

South and Central America

South and Central America have amazing travel destinations. South and Central America boast amazing places to visit like the Amazon rainforest, Panama Canal, Machu Picchu, and the Galapagos Islands. Central America is the thin section of land that links the North American continent with the South American Continent. It is made up of seven small,…

Read More

Hawaii

Hawaii is a tropical paradise with amazing natural wonders. Hawaii is an island chain of over nineteen distinct volcanic islands located over a geological “hot spot” in the Central Pacific. The breathtaking, natural beauty, warm tranquil waters, lush rainforests, and lava flows to beautiful white sand beaches are some of the most inviting aspects of…

Read More