When An Urgent Passport Is Needed

by erin on April 29, 2010

In this hectic travel age, when people are globetrotting with regularity, there may be times when an urgent passport is needed in order to travel quickly. Perhaps one expired and just wasn’t renewed in time or maybe one was lost or stolen. Whatever the case, understanding where to go and what to do to obtain a passport in an urgent manner can be important to know.

First of all, there are many different services available on the Internet that can assist in expediting a quick passport application. As well, the State Department – which is the administrator and issuer of all US passports – has a comprehensive website set up to give advice on how to obtain an expedited passport in as little time as possible.

Keep in mind that normal processing time for a passport that is requested to be issued in a hurry is usually from two to three weeks. This is via an expedited service that includes overnight delivery to and from one of the US passport processing centers. For those who need a passport in a seriously short amount of time – for example, within one day – getting one can be accomplished, though it will take some work.

Urgent passports that need to be obtained within a day or two are always easier to get if the person who needs it is willing to work closely with an expediting service or go directly to a regional passport processing center. There are 14 of them, with three in the Midwest (Chicago is the main one) and several on both coasts. New York, Los Angeles, Washington DC and Miami all feature centers.

The first thing one is going to need to do to get an urgent passport, outside of working with an expediter service, is to make an appointment at one of the regional processing centers. This is done by calling a toll-free government number to schedule the appointment. It’s always advised to make the appointment as early in the day as possible, because processing can take from three to five hours.

Understand that most passport agency or regional processing centers don’t have facilities for taking passport photos. There are more than a few businesses, however, that can produce instant photos. This can even include many larger US postal service centers or offices. Showing up without photos can delay passport processing for several days, so keep that in mind.

As well, when trying to obtain a quick-issue passport never show up without proof of citizenship and identification. Homeland security regulations require that passport centers determine definitive proof of citizenship. This usually means producing an already-issued passport or an official birth certificate that has a raised seal on it. Check the State Department website for more information.

Given the nature of travel these days, especially as it relates to the global economy, it just may be the case that a passport will be needed at some point or another in time. If an urgent pass ports requirement arises, remember that they are best obtained through either an expediting service or by traveling to one of 14 regional passport centers spread across the United States.

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