By tf-lawyer.com The cost for applying for a new passport or renewing an existing one starts at $100, with an additional $60 charge for expedited service, a policy that has been in place for the last 20 years. However, a resident from Oakland, California, is challenging this practice. They argue that even after paying the expedited fee, applicants still have to wait two to three weeks to receive their passport, which is only a slight improvement over the normal processing time. Previously, the application process took six to eight weeks, but the State Department has recently announced a reduction to four to six weeks.
On October 10, this resident filed a class-action lawsuit against the State Department in California federal court. The lawsuit claims that before 1994, applicants could avoid the expedited fee if they provided a valid reason for needing their passport quickly. However, a new fee of $35 was introduced, which increased to $60 in 2002.
The lawsuit contends that since passport applicants have already paid the initial $100 or more for their new or renewed passport, the additional $60 expedited fee is excessive. The plaintiffs are requesting that the court declare this fee unreasonable and order the reimbursement of all unlawfully charged expedited processing fees.
Under federal law, the agency responsible for processing passport applications has the authority to charge expedited fees as service charges. Nevertheless, the lawsuit claims that the $60 charge is not justified, and the State Department has never adequately explained why the expedited fee was set at this amount.
Neither the State Department nor the plaintiff’s attorney has commented on the lawsuit.
According to State Department statistics, the number of passports issued annually has risen significantly from 13.5 million in 2013 to over 24 million last year, though they have not disclosed figures specifically for expedited processing.
Separately, the Bureau of Consular Affairs, which manages passport issuance, announced that processing times have been reduced to four to six weeks, effective October 3. A spokesperson for the bureau stated via email that an online passport renewal system was launched in September 2024, allowing millions of Americans to comfortably renew their passports from home. They anticipate that nearly half of all passport renewals will be processed online by 2025.
The spokesperson added that by transitioning from traditional paper applications to a digital process, the agency aims to provide a more efficient and convenient renewal experience. For those who still require expedited services, the processing time remains two to three weeks, starting from when the State Department receives the application, not including mailing times.
Currently, approximately 48% of Americans hold a passport, with about 160 million valid passports in circulation.
