Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger Flags Skyrocketing Claims Of Passport Delays

3 years ago 455

BALTIMORE (WJZ) — Millions of Americans trying to question overseas are present hopeless to get a passport.

“I’ve been having truthful galore issues, I waited, I tried the 877 number, it doesn’t work, radical were selling appointments online it was crazy,” said Stacey Kearney.

Stacey and Devin Kearney had been trying for weeks to get 1 for their lad Kamren earlier their long-awaited travel to the Bahamas.

But the household from Owings Mills recovered that conscionable astir everything they tried to bash to get his passport rapidly didn’t enactment due to the fact that of a monolithic 2 cardinal exertion backlog.

“They telephone the State Department and the passport part and they’re connected clasp for 3 hours,” said U.S. Congressman C.A. Dutch Ruppersberger, who represents Maryland’s 2nd legislature district.

Now, radical are waiting 12 to 18 weeks from the clip they nonstop successful their exertion to get a passport.

The occupation is staffing shortages astatine passport agencies, on with a surge successful planetary question arsenic pandemic restrictions person eased.

“We’ve had implicit 180 of my constituents calling for passport issues. That’s much than the full 4 years previous,” Ruppersberger said.

Ruppersberger and his unit person been capable to get passports for astir of his Maryland constituents who called him for help, including Kamren, who got his passport conscionable days earlier their trip.

“I didn’t adjacent cognize what to say,” Kamren said.

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Ruppersberger says he’s asked the State Department to prosecute much radical to woody with the volume. His bureau is recommending that you use for a passport oregon renew it astatine slightest six months earlier your trip. Even applicants who wage for expedited work tin expect to hold up to 12 weeks.