As more people are beginning to feel comfortable traveling since the pandemic began three years ago, the demand for passports is up. Joanne Rajoppi, Union County clerk, says there has been a tremendous increase in applications to offices in Westfield and Elizabeth. According to U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the state department is dealing with an “unprecedented demand” for passports across the country, with about 500,000 applications a week.
County clerks say the best advice is for people to apply for a passport as early as possible, especially since many countries don’t accept passports that expire within six months. In emergencies, a limited number of state agencies can create a passport on the spot but the would-be recipient must show proof of need and clerks warn that appointments are very difficult to get.
“And one of the biggest complaints is that it’s very hard to get somebody on the phone in the federal government. People are waiting for a very long time to reach someone or they’re hung up on,” said Christine Hanlon, Monmouth County clerk. “So people are very distressed, because people are thinking about travel plans. And they’re not getting their passport or the assistance they need.”
