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Does the US government shutdown currently occurring affect either my ability or the speed at which I can receive a passport? If so, what can I do to ensure I can receive my passport as quickly as possible?

By the way, this is the most similar question I have found, on the 2015 shutdown, but the question and the answer did not directly address Passports, although a comment did vaguely say passports are "being affected" Does the US governmental shutdown affect traveling to/from the US and if so, how?

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Passports are not currently affected by the government shutdown. The passport service is, I think, not dependent on federal funding to operate.

I suspect that the rules here are the same as for USCIS services -- the majority of the budget for providing the passport service comes from the application fees rather than the federal government. Therefore a lapse in appropriations will not affect passport processing, save when they need to interact with agencies that are currently shutdown / significantly impeded.

According to the current passport office advisory notice:

We continue to offer passport services during the lapse of appropriations for the federal government.

You can still apply for a U.S. passport book or passport card at all passport agencies and centers and acceptance facilities (such as U.S. post offices, libraries, or county clerk’s offices) during the lapse of appropriations. You can also renew your passport by mail. Our processing times remain the same: 4-6 weeks for routine service and 2-3 weeks for expedited service.

If you have a scheduled appointment at a U.S. Department of State passport agency or center, please plan on keeping your appointment. If you need to cancel your appointment, you may do so by visiting the Online Passport Appointment System or by calling 1-877-487-2778. If you have a scheduled appointment at a passport acceptance facility and need to cancel your appointment, please contact the facility directly.

We will update this notice if there is a change in passport services during the lapse in appropriations.

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    The Department of State issues them, not USCIS (which is an agency of the Department of Homeland Security).
    – phoog
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 18:44
  • Quite correct. I was fooled by own familiarity with USCIS and their being the top google result for US passport. Answer corrrected.
    – Mark_Anderson
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 18:47
  • I suppose that the point about being funded by fees probably also applies to the passport office, though.
    – phoog
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 18:48
  • Agreed, I made the correction at top speed to avoid being potentially misleading! The overall budgeting point remains true, and I put it back in after getting the main correction saved :).
    – Mark_Anderson
    Commented Jan 8, 2019 at 18:53
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    In particular IRS is among the shutdown, and if they have previously certified you for delinquent tax debt over $51k, State must deny a new passport (including IINM a renewal) and may revoke an existing one, until you pay or otherwise resolve the debt and IRS reverses the certification which I'm pretty sure will be delayed.
    – dave_thompson_085
    Commented Jan 9, 2019 at 1:45
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The official government website, found with a Google search for "passport services government shutdown", says, as of now:

You can still apply for a U.S. passport book or passport card at all passport agencies and centers and acceptance facilities (such as U.S. post offices, libraries, or county clerk’s offices) during the lapse of appropriations. You can also renew your passport by mail. Our processing times remain the same: 4-6 weeks for routine service and 2-3 weeks for expedited service.

Of course that may change.

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