Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) meets with the US State Department’s top passport official—Assistant Secretary of Consular Affairs Rena Bitter—in his office on Tuesday, July 18.

            Rep. Chris Smith (R-Manchester) this week met with the US State Department’s top passport official—Assistant Secretary of Consular Affairs Rena Bitter—to elevate concerns surrounding the long delays and numerous issues his constituents have been experiencing while trying to obtain or renew a passport and to discuss the most effective ways to resolve the ongoing backlog.

            “Over the past six months, I have heard from hundreds of constituents who were getting ready to travel abroad and were at risk of losing their vacations because they had not yet received their passports in the mail,” said Smith, who noted his office has helped thousands of New Jersey residents—including over 800 this year alone—receive passports that were “stuck” in processing, sometimes getting the passports delivered just hours before they were scheduled to leave for their flights.

            “Assistant Secretary Bitter heard my concerns loud and clear, and she agreed to examine the systemic flaws that I brought to light and look to make the necessary changes,” said Smith, who had asked to meet with the Assistant Secretary in response to hearing horror stories from his constituents.

            During the meeting, Smith also raised his concerns over the lengthy delays that US citizens have encountered in trying to get appointments for passports and birth certificates at the United States Embassy in Jerusalem and Branch office in Tel Aviv. The lengthy delays—many of which are remnants of the COVID-era shut-downs—are keeping families in Israel long after they wish to return to the United States.

            “There were some issues of which the Assistant Secretary was not aware and others that she is working to resolve,” said Smith. “She remains determined to reduce the delays in the passport processes and knows that I will continue to aggressively advocate for my constituents grounded by these unacceptable delays.”

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