LOS ANGELES (KTLA) - Getting a passport anywhere in the U.S. is difficult right now.
On any given day, at the federal building in Los Angeles, hundreds of people can be found waiting for a walk-up appointment at one of only two passport windows.
The problem is two-fold - during the pandemic, passports expired for millions of Americans and like many agencies, the State Department has been dealing with pandemic-related staff shortages.
Processing time for renewals by mail can take up to 18 weeks.
On Wednesday, the State Department temporarily suspended an online booking system used for urgent appointments.
That's because third parties booked appointments online and then sold those appointments to customers who needed them.
The department does not charge a fee to make an appointment.
For the time being, people must call to book or change an appointment.
from KRON4 https://ift.tt/2UM8amh
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