I have the following data points:
In their possession May 11
Check Cashed May 12
In Final Stages Jun 2
"Should be mailed on or about Jun 7"

This was for expedited and I will be requesting a refund of the $60.
My trip is for Jun 6.
I hope as some wrote above that it comes before this expected mail date.

Second week of April and of May submissions result in passport issue dates around the 1st of the next month, thus making it around three weeks on average quite often for in-expedited passports currently. But there are delays post-issue that are also resulting in delays of sorts.

Wow just checked again and it now says to be mailed on June 10.
This is quite ridiculous for a expedited renewal. 4 weeks door to door.
I really hope this is inaccurate.

We are approaching 8 weeks since passport applications for two minor children, planning to travel in a few weeks, still "processing". See below for timetable and questions.

History:
~4.5 years ago: applied with zeros for SSN; received standard processing (not expedited) passports in ~2 weeks.
April 8, 2017. Pre-filled application forms online. Used zeros for SSN as before.
April 10, 2017. Applied for two new passports at Post Office. Sent two old passports in for renewal. Unfortunately, minor passports are processed as new applications (not as renewals). Standard 6-8 week processing.
April 27, 2017. Department of State generated letters stating that SSNs were now required. The outgoing administration made changes to allow the IRS to revoke passports, which now effectively require SSN.
April 28, 2017. We received an emailed version of the form, printed it, and mailed it with the numbers. The application hotline refused to take the numbers over the phone.
May 5, 2017. Our application was updated with the new data.
June 2, 2017. Still "processing". Calling the phone number gives no useful information.

Future:
June 5 will be 8 weeks.
June 11 we are planning to drive to Canada (Adults have passports/NEXUS/Global Entry, kids have NEXUS) for a conference in Victoria.
June 15 we fly internationally from Vancouver.

Questions:
1) Is there any way to find actual status of an application?
2) Is there any actual phone number for the Seattle Passport Agency?
3) If we request an in-person appointment in Seattle, how will that impact the already-in-process applications?
4) We are considering requesting a June 9 appointment; Seattle is a 700 mile drive, but at least "almost" on the way. Any comments/suggestions about the Seattle office? Note that they already have our application documents and old passports.

Hopefully the above narrative will help some of you avoid future problems. In hindsight, we should have fully submitted to our benevolent government and provided SSNs and paid their "protection" fee (expedited processing, which seems to be almost a month for some). But at this point, we are really starting to worry. Any help, suggestions, or experience others can provide for us would be appreciated.

Primary question:
What is the best way to get two children's passports next week from Seattle, if we already applied through the mail 8 weeks ago?

Other questions:
Is there any way to contact the Seattle Passport Agency directly, or speak to someone who knows actual details about a specific application?
Will making an appointment help or hurt the process?

I can guarantee that State is still issuing US passports to US citizens who don't have a SSN. Plenty of US citizens don't have a SSN and are yet legally entitled to a US passport upon paying a fee and otherwise meeting the conditions to qualify for a US passport; and these people are still getting US passports issued as of today at least. If the passport applicants have a SSN, then the SSN of the passport applicant must be filed with the passport application for smooth processing.

The former Admin didn't come up with the IRS passport denial/revocation law. That was done by pretty much the same US House and Senate majority as is currently in place. And that law about passports wasn't fully implemented by the prior Admin; and it still hasn't been fully implemented by the current Admin.

The gap between passort issue date and the date of passport delivery by mail/courier is the slowest it's been in quite some time.

The difference is that now, if you enter 000-00-0000, they require a signed statement, under penalty of perjury, that the applicant does not have a SSN. So while the SSN is not required, and in fact requiring cannot be legal as it violates the Privacy Act of 1974, they can prosecute on the catch-all "perjury" if you sign that form. So effectively, if you have a SSN, you must use it, or you will be denied a passport. This is what I was told by multiple people at the information number. So the only people that can get a passport without a SSN are people that do not have an SSN. This is a major change from previous policy.

This is quite unfortunate, especially since we live ~700 miles away from the Seattle Passport Agency. It looks like we will need to go in person this week.

Yes, it's a major change from previous policy, but the change in policy is due to a law passed by the still current majority in Congress and signed by the prior POTUS since the POTUS couldn't control Congress and had to deal what Congress sent him.

Update:

It seems that, after nearly 8 weeks, the application is finally entered in the system.

As of yesterday, 6/3, the online system now gives "processing" when last 4 digits of actual SSN are entered. Until 6/2, it only listed that status when 0000 was entered, and found nothing with the actual numbers.

Does anyone have experience with scheduling an in-person appointment to follow-up on a mailed-in application?

Renewed US Passport in 4.5 weeks
 

Gotta give credit to the U.S. government for turning-around our passport renewal application in a little over a month. Standard time frame is stated at 6-8 weeks.

If time frame should be 2 weeks on a reasonable basis but the government is 6-8 then 4.5 is a pat on the back.... some great system.

In most of the years prior to this one, most regular renewal passport applicants would get their passport issued and back within 3-4 weeks (if not faster) even without paying the expedite fee. This year it's taking longer than it used to on average in the prior several years. The most common time frame between passport application and passport delivery has been well under 6 weeks for most years between 2000-2016.

Aren't we approaching the 10 year anniversary of needing a passport for U.S./Canada flights? I wonder if that's part of the bump...

Many people can renew USA passports more quickly by going to a Passport Agency with the completed application form, new passport photos, and the old passport. You're supposed to make an appointment in advance but YMMV.

We've had to do this for our kids.

In Kansas City, getting an appointment is the harder part: you have to go to a post office in person, get the appointment, and then come back 8-12 weeks later for your appointment slot. We did this last year: I happened to be in the main Union Station post office the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and they had one appointment slot open in late July.

In other parts of the country, it's a lot easier. We did our other kid while we were on vacation in LA. Orange County has passport processing in a couple of their county offices. Online reservation system, 2-3 week lead time. I think one of the local library systems was another option, but we didn't investigate it since the county appointment worked fine.

MSPeconomist is referring to these:

https://travel.state.gov/content/pas.../agencies.html

Yes, and that's part of it. But it's not the all of it.

The post was about Passport Agencies, not about USPS facilities. These are the locations of PA's:

https://travel.state.gov/content/pas.../agencies.html

A Passport Agency is a State Department office. It can issue a passport on the spot. As others note, if you show up with your paperwork, photos, and people necessary to the process before opening time, you may well have your passport a few hours later and at worst, in the early afternoon.

This approach is supposed to be for emergencies only and only by appointment through the hotline required. But, the practicality is that if you are low maintenance and have everything in order, this may work. You will pay the expedite fees, but those may not be so high once you consider the time wasted on the in-person USPS process.

This process is also useful for people who may have out-of-the-ordinary situations, including secondary documents which are acceptable but not common.

The worst you get is a "no" and then you are stuck with the USPS mail/in-person process.

OK, great, you can get one lightning fast at a Passport Agency. We all know that.

Why would you go to the trouble of that if you only needed the passport in 4.5 (or even 6 to 8) weeks?

Some people don't like to be without a passport for a month or two. They could need to do some last minute business travel or there might be a family emergency requiring foreign travel. Or some people just tend to foreign travel at least every month or two. If someone lives near the Canadian border or has a second home near the border, they might routinely take unanticipated/unscheduled day trips into Canada.

IIRC you can do a regular (nonemergency) renewal at a Passport Agency and get the passport by mail in about two weeks.

3 passports ago, they were going to raise PP fees (significantly), it was cost effective for me to renew early. I mailed appl. material on a Saturday, I received new PP, 5 days later--regular processing appl.^
[I mailed my material in February...an off season date.]

Yes, non-expedited passport applications can also be done at US passport agency offices. It's been that way as long as they've been around.

Some rushed new passports in order to be able to have some additional ability to get additional page supplements inserted (before that option too would be pulled in part or whole).

I need my passport for my ordinary obligations just about each and every week.

For those US citizens in some kind of less than common circumstances, using a US Passport Agency office may be the best way -- or just about the only way -- to go about getting a passport within even 6-8 weeks.

I try to renew during low season too, and early so that I don't risk problems with countries that require six additional months validity, etc.

I renewed mine in November and it was 3 weeks from putting it in the mail to getting it back. I was shocked.

I renewed my wife's passport last year by mail and it took only two weeks to get the new one back. And that was without paying for any expedited treatment at all.

No, "we" don't. This is an informational board and there are many people who have no idea that the PA's exist or that they may be accessed without an appointment.

I suppose that if you absolutely knew that you under no circumstances will need to travel abroad before some specific date in the future, you might as well use the Post Office. But, many people may not expect travel, but it pops up.

In addition, there are many people who have oddball document situations. While there is no prohibition on using the Post Office, the State Dept. people tend to be more knowledgeable and can actually be helpful.

I have always, for myself and my kids, either done it at Passport Agency offices or at missions abroad. At PA's I have never waited more than a day (often same day) from abroad, it has never been longer than 8 days, and has been as few as 4 (which is impressive as the document is being made in the US shipped to the mission). I do not think I could be without my passport for more than 10 days or so (oh yeah, and I demonstrate that to the and is one of the reasons they let me have two!)

The last couple of times I've renewed my Canadian passport, I figure they must be bored stiff with nothing to do, because I usually would get it back in 1-2 weeks by Fedex next day air. Glad that my higher fee from renewing outside the US is going to good use! But I always renew my passport between 9-12 months to expiry just as a rule.

Thankfully Canada recently, a guess a couple years ago now, joined the rest of the western world, moving to 10 year validities as opposed to 5.

Getting passport at US missions is significantly faster. My wife's passport was ready in 10 calendar days.

My best friend had hers renewed through the mail last month, took just 14 calendar days to get it back.

I wonder what would happen if you provided a signed statement saying, "I have entered 000-00-0000 on my passport application because, while I have a SSN, I do not have to give it to you per the Privacy Act of 1974, and I am retaining that right."

...other than that if you were going to take that approach, you should probably allow at least 6 months before travel.

In any case, agpt, good luck.

Los Federales have a history of getting exempted from the Privacy Act of 1974 when it comes to some aspects of travel and life beyond even just that.

A SSN is not needed to verify identity to get a US passport.

The last standard passport application I saw without a US SSN on it took less than 3 weeks between:

application being accepted for filing by State with all the required proof of citizenship and of identity; and

passport issue date.

And it was for a person who had no US photo ID to submit prior to application. But this was for a natural-born US citizen who never had a SSN as far as I know.

An application the same day with a US SSN took a day or two longer while another took a day or two less.

Can I go in person and apply at a passport agency if I don't have an urgent need in the next 2 weeks, but need it within 4 weeks? I tried to make an appointment but it wouldn't let me as I don't have travel within 2 weeks. I travel almost every month, and I don't want to wait till 2 weeks before travel to do this.

Then show them proof that you are traveling in the next two weeks. Perhaps after you get your passport, your plans will change.

I can't even get an appointment. And you are not allowed to submit an application or be there without an appt I think.... Are you suggesting I just show up with my travel plans of 4 weeks later and I'll be allowed to submit the application?

At most US passport agencies, walking in with a ticketed itinerary that shows you leaving within two weeks, and claiming so, has ordinarily worked even if the applicant hasn't booked a specific appointment time.

That is what I was saying.

I wanted to see if they accept applications 4 weeks before the date of travel - not 2 weeks. I don't want to wait till 2 weeks.

I think what's being suggested is that you create an emergency, i.e., book a fully refundable ticket for two weeks out, print out your receipt, proceed immediately to the passport office, apply for the passport, go home, cancel refundable ticket.

Ahhhh - brain freeze on my part I guess. Thanks!