If you need a passport for an upcoming trip, don't put it off. September, October and November are quieter months when your new or renewed passport will be processed more quickly than any other time of the year.
The U.S. Department of State on Tuesday said it expects demand to increase starting in January.
For one thing, it's expecting lots of renewals, thanks to the 18 million passports issued in 2007. (Adult passports are good for a decade.)
That year a backlog of applications swamped passport officials and meant long waiting lines at passport offices.