Dear Friend,

As vaccine rates go up and COVID-19 rates go down, many Virginians are making plans to travel safely this summer. Whether you’re finally planning a long-delayed vacation or a much anticipated reunion with far-away loved ones, I urge you to make sure your documents are up to date if you’re planning on traveling internationally.

Increased demand, mail delays, and processing backlogs due to COVID-19 mean that it may take more time than you expect to obtain or renew a passport. The U.S. State Department is currently projecting a wait time of 10-12 weeks for renewals, and some folks are reporting even longer delays, resulting in stress, added expenses, and canceled trips.

Don’t let this be you. Instead, jumpstart the process today by visiting travel.state.gov/passport.

If you have travel planned in the next 14 days and still need assistance in getting or renewing a U.S. passport, my office can help! Please call us at 540-857-2676 or fill out the form here.

Please keep in mind that many countries require your passport to be valid for an additional 3-6 months beyond your planned stay in order to be granted entry. Don’t wait until it’s too late – if you’re planning to travel in the next six months, make sure you know when your passport expires, and make a plan to get it renewed as soon as possible.

If you ever want to share your thoughts about an issue that’s important to you, you can send me an email any time using the form on my Senate website. You can also follow me on Facebook and Twitter. I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,