The passport office, which opens at 7.30 a.m., closed its line by 7.40 a.m. both Tuesday and Wednesday. Tourists gawked at the long queue as they headed to the NBC studios for a sidewalk glimpse of the Today Show broadcasting nearby. While the Passport crush in Manhattan is particularly heavy, State Department spokeswoman Nyda Budig said passport offices nationwide have been busy since January this year rather than March or April-the eve of the summer travelers. By year's end, they expect to process more than 5 million passports, she said. New passports cost $65 (1,625 baht).