A record number of Americans are applying for passports in 2024. The U.S. State Department issued over 24 million passports this year, marking a 500,000 increase from the previous year and the third consecutive year of record-setting applications.
The rise in passport applications is driven by increased demand as more Americans plan to travel overseas.
The State Department has responded by boosting staffing by 20% since December 2022 and plans to open new passport agencies in six U.S. cities.
Online passport renewal was introduced nationwide last month, with over 1 million people using the service.
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