Passport office in Miami experiences historic influx of applications

The demand for U.S. passports has reached historic levels, with a notable increase in the influx of applications at the Miami Passport Agency.

Last year, agencies across the country faced difficulties in handling the volume of applications, resulting in wait times of up to 13 weeks and complications in obtaining appointments, reported Local 10.

However, Kathe Harrell, regional director of U.S. passports, noted a significant improvement this year, attributing the success to proper staffing and technological advancements.

The hiring and training of additional workers, along with the implementation of an online beta process, have improved the applicant experience.

This system allows a limited number of people to complete their applications online, thereby optimizing the service in the offices that Harrell supervises, including those in Houston, Atlanta, Miami, and Puerto Rico.

This was confirmed by some families like the Whiteheads, who reported a smooth and efficient process when renewing or replacing their passports, even obtaining them on the same day, as they told Local 10.

"It was easy and hassle-free," commented George Whitehead, highlighting the convenience of completing the process online and having passport photos taken in advance.

While this is the situation in the Miami offices, the reality is different in Havana, where Cubans applying for Spanish passports face a different scenario.

The government of Spain, in its report on the Balance of Consular Activity in 2023, indicated that its Consulate in Havana was one of the offices that issued the most Spanish passports in the last year.

The document details that the Consular Offices were processing the nationality applications submitted under Law 20/2022, of Democratic Memory (Grandchildren's Law), which responds to a recurring demand from the Spanish community abroad.

At the beginning of 2024, the Spanish passport tops the list of the most powerful passports in the world, with access to 194 destinations without the need for a visa, according to a quarterly ranking compiled by the consultancy Henley & Partners.

The Iberian nation shares the top spot on the list with Singapore, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan.