Some passport centers are now in Phase Two of reopening — but you still can't book a same-day appointment
Home-weary travelers, rejoice: Your local passport agencies and centers are coming out of quarantine.
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As of July 6, a total of 17 passport agencies and centers are now open, according to the state Department's website: 13 under Phase One of the agency's three-phase reopening plan, and four under Phase Two.
As of July 6, the four centers that have entered Phase Two include:
All four are located in the northeast region of the U.S.
The centers that are open under Phase One include:
- Arkansas Passport Center
- Atlanta Passport Agency
- Chicago Passport Agency
- Colorado Passport Agency
- Detroit Passport Agency
- Honolulu Passport Agency
- Minneapolis Passport Agency
- National Passport Center
- New Orleans Passport Center
- Philadelphia Passport Agency
- San Juan Passport Agency
- Vermont Passport Agency
- Washington Passport Agency
And these centers are still waiting on the green light before reopening:
- Dallas Passport Agency
- El Paso Passport Agency
- Houston Passport Agency
- Los Angeles Passport Agency
- Miami Passport Agency
- San Diego Passport Agency
- San Francisco Passport Agency
- Seattle Passport Agency
- Western Passport Center
Unfortunately, this doesn't mean you can just march in to one of the open locations and walk back out with a passport.
During both Phase One and Phase Two of reopening, in-person appointments will only be granted for travelers who need a passport within the next 72 hours for life-or-death emergencies only.
Applicants must have a confirmed appointment for same-day processing, and must wear cloth face coverings in all common areas, including the lobby, and observe strict social distancing.
Related: Here's what to expect when flying into the United States right now
2020 has been a rough year for just about everyone on the planet, and travelers needing new or renewed passports have been no exception. The agency has been on lockdown since mid-March, with extremely limited services available to travelers with extreme emergencies only. Meanwhile, partner agencies offering expedited passport services have also been placed on hold, all while the State Department has accumulated an unprecedented backlog of approximately 1.7 million passport applications as of mid-June.
Related: Why you'll need to reserve all of your fun this summer
However, progress is hopefully just one phase away: By Phase Three of reopening, all agency staff will return to their posts, and passport agencies will once again begin offering limited appointments for travelers with trips within two weeks of appointment date.
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