Why You Should Renew Your Passport NOW

Getting a passport is not that big deal for most people, except it can take a long time to get it processed, which is actually why you should renew it NOW.

According to a report on FOX News, the State Department is expecting a rather large amount of renewal requests because literally millions of passports are set to expire soon. Here's why.

Ten years ago, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was passed which required U.S. Citizens to have a passport to travel to all countries, including Canada, and resort destinations like Mexico, Bermuda, and the Caribbean. It won't be long and the passports that were applied for when the law was passed will no longer be valid.

To avoid a backlog similar to what was experienced a decade ago, the State Department is encouraging passport holders to go ahead and start the renewal process now, even if it's not yet time.

The current wait time on passports is about six weeks, compared to the four-week wait a year ago. You still have the option of applying for expedited processing, which takes three weeks, and will cost $60 on top of the regular $110 processing fee.

If you have international travel planned this year and are up for passport renewal or need to get one for the first time, starting that process right now is a really good idea!