NYC passport seekers in a panic over lack of appointments

The hardest appointment to book in New York may be a slot at the Passport Agency, where desperate travelers are lining up for hours to get their travel documents.

Some 30 people stood outside the 376 Hudson St. office Thursday morning, even though walk-ins were not allowed. Others are trading tips in Facebook groups or besieging their Congressional reps for help. The State Department is still operating under some COVID-19 staffing restrictions, which have all but eliminated the ability to get a passport in person within three days of an international trip, which was the norm pre-pandemic. The waiting time to get a new passport or renewal through the mail is now 18 weeks — more than double what it was before COVID-19 hit.