The Passport Act of 2023 aims to fix problems with the State Department's passport processing that worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. The bill requires the department to process routine passport applications within an average of 12 weeks and to publish weekly updates on processing times online. If the department fails to meet this 12-week deadline for four consecutive weeks, officials must notify Congress with an explanation and recovery plan, and passport office staff cannot work remotely until the deadline is met for three consecutive weeks.
The legislation also authorizes the State Department to reassign employees from other departments to help process passports during busy periods and requires the department to train additional staff to handle surges in demand. Within one year, the State Department must develop a plan for keeping passport operations running during national emergencies. The bill requires the creation of an online tool by which applicants can track their application status and receive estimated processing times. Additionally, the National Passport Information Center must add an online chat feature within 30 days, and the Government Accountability Office must review its customer service quality. The bill encourages the State Department to increase passport appointment availability and allow walk-ins again, consistent with pre-pandemic levels. Finally, the legislation allows the State Department to expedite hiring for the passport office without following standard competitive hiring procedures.
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