World
Record number of US passport applications
Sherwood News

US citizens can now renew their passports online

Americans will be able to update their travel papers paperlessly

Millie Giles

If you’ve been through the arduous process of renewing your passport, news that the system is shifting from paper-only to digital will likely come as a relief (unless you’ve just done it, in which case… sorry).

Secretary of State Antony Blinken released a statement on Wednesday announcing that the online passport system is now fully available to the public. The rollout is part of President Biden’s Executive Order to rebuild trust in government by improving customer experiences.

Digital citizens

Modernizing passport processing can’t come quickly enough: the current advertised wait period for a new passport is 6-8 weeks for routine service, having only recently returned to normal-ish levels after years of backlogs, which saw processing times reach up to 18 weeks in 2021.

While wait times are now one-third of what they were at this point last year, the number of requests that the State must process is only increasing, with US passport applications reaching an all-time high of 22 million last year — on top of a record 161 million passports already in circulation in 2023.

Still, there are stipulations to renewing online, including already holding a valid passport for 10 years and not having travel plans within 8 weeks. But, less red tape for applicants might see a similar bump occurring this year as in 2007, when tightened travel restrictions led to a surge in requests.

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OPEC and others are boosting oil production as the race to catch up with the US goes on

This month’s 137,000-barrel-a-day boost is a little more modest than some expected.

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China, the world’s largest carbon polluter, has pledged to cut emissions for the first time

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John Wayne Airport in Orange County tops the list of North America’s favorite airports

Despite a record year of passenger numbers, flight cancellations, and delays, a new survey has revealed that flyers have been increasingly satisfied about their experiences in North American airports. 

According to this year’s North America Airport Satisfaction Study from data analysts at J.D. Power, overall passenger satisfaction scores were up 10 points (on a 1,000-point scale), largely from “improvements in food, beverage and retail and ease of travel through the airport.” The annual survey measures overall traveler satisfaction across the region’s airports in seven categories (in order of importance): ease of travel, level of trust, terminal facilities, airport staff, airport departure experience, food and retail, and airport arrival experience.

Here are the region’s favorites:

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More than 40% of American adults now report being online “almost constantly”

While a new survey showed Japan has the greatest share of perpetually online people, there was a significant number reporting not using the internet at all.

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The Red Lion historic thatched village pub, Avebury, Wiltshire, England, UK

Britain is on track to shed more than one pub a day this year

Rising costs and lower spending are hitting the UK’s drinking establishments.

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