Another major backlog created by coronavirus pandemic: Passports

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The State Department stopped processing most passports in March, but it’s starting to ramp up again slowly.

It’s tackling passports in phases and just started phase one a few days ago, focusing mainly on life-or-death situations.

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If you need a passport in the next 72 hours for a life-or-death emergency, you can go to a passport center. You have to make an appointment (no walk-ins) and you’ll need proof.

If you already applied for a passport or a renewal, the agency is working on those, but expect major delays. If you haven’t applied yet, it says you should wait.

Unfortunately, there’s no way to check the status of your application. The State Department isn’t giving updates right now.

According to published reports, as many as 1.7 million people are in a holding pattern.

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Margaret Tambling is trying to go away in August. She told Action 9′s Jason Stoogenke she and her husband booked a cruise to Alaska and Canada. She said it cost roughly $15,000 and that they paid in full.

“This was like our bucket list trip, you know? We finally decided to pull the trigger and do it and I don’t know what’s going to happen,” she said.

She told Stoogenke she went to renew her passport in February. She thought she had given it plenty of time, but then the pandemic hit.

“I never imagined it would take this long,” she said. “I’m just in limbo. I don’t know if I should cancel the trip.”

Flights from COVID-19 hostspots continue to arrive at airport Flights from COVID-19 hostspots continue to arrive at airport

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