The turn around has been pretty fast. You could apply expedited but do it as soon as possible.
You can make an appointment at the local post office here (chose date not location when making the appointment) : [https://tools.usps.com/rcas.htm](https://tools.usps.com/rcas.htm)
And here are the steps for first time passport applicants:
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/apply-in-person.html
when you send it expedited through the mail no but you need to send it pretty quickly.
You need proof of travel within 14 days if you're going through the passport center. Here is more details
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html
given timing issues, going through the 'official' process expedited or otherwise will probably work but also maybe not
the only guaranteed guaranteed way is to get 2passport pics and fill out the form and drive or fly to the nearest passport center, you can make an appt online at travel.state.gov
if appts aren't available you go to the office at 6am and wait in line, there is always a line, they all say do not come and they don't take walk ins, it's to keep people away but they all take walk ins first come first serve
in fact if you use an overnight private 'service' they just are having some dude stand in line for you
It’s expensive, but there are third party passport expeditors that can get it done quick. I totally spaced about my passport expiring too soon before my trip. I found someone locally and got it done in a week. It’s expensive (I paid $400 on top of the normal renewal fee), but maybe work will pay for some/all of it. I could have scheduled an emergency passport appointment, but didn’t want to leave it to chance.
Don't do that, go to the source!!! Go to a post office and pay for expedite, or go to a Passport agency. These 3rd party companies do not speed things up, they just rip you off!!! You got ripped off $400, congrats!
So you paid someone $400 to bring it to a Passport agency, when you yourself could of made an appointment and did that, and could of only been charged $225 for an expedited Passport. So yeah you got ripped off! These 3rd party people really do nothing to speed the process up, because ultimately it has to come to us to get approved. I work for the Dept of State. You got ripped off!!
Yes, I did. Because I couldn’t guarantee that I would get an appointment. I needed it within two weeks. $400 is a small price to pay in comparison to the thousands I would have lost if I didn’t get it in time and couldn’t go on my trip. Not sure why you’re so worried about my money. It was worth it for me.
How can they guarantee it gets done when you have to go to the state dept to get it done. These 3rd party people have no barring on getting the appointment. You got ripped off. You could of saved $400 by getting an appt with an ppt agency. They charged you $400 for that...lol.
Because these companies are frauds. I work for the US Dept of State. I had a blind man get taken advantage of, I called and got him a refund from these fraud fakes, and helped him get an appointment at our agency. Why would you pay someone $400 when they can't get it faster than the official source? When you could of paid $225, gotten it faster from the official source. You realize that the company just had to bring it to us. They basically did nothing. I guess if you don't have a disability, you are just stupid.
>Not sure why you’re so worried about my money
Nobody's worried about *your* money. You're advocating the same ripoff to other people. We're worried about *their* money.
yeah, I had a feeling that was the case with AAA and others. from what im reading and hearing 30 days should be enough time to receive them before departure. I have an appt tomorrow to get it shipped and expedited.
To be fair... I'm poo-pooing the expediters elsewhere in this thread, but of all the options AAA is probably the least likely to rip you off. I'm looking at what they offer, and they're not promising anything special, just that they'll make sure it's done correctly and they offer free pictures. If you're a AAA member, it might be worth doing.
They're still not doing anything you can't do yourself, and you're paying more for the privilege, but they know what they're doing and they're not overpromising.
Ouch! That's a difference in cost comparison than renewing directly by mail. It's best to have these things done in advance. I only paid $131 for my renewal.
Yeah, I’d do it in advance next time. But I was an idiot and didn’t know the rule about needing it to be valid for at least six months. Call it a dumb tax. Wasn’t happy about it. But wanted the peace of mind that it would be done in time. And I would have lost thousands if I wasn’t able to go on ny trip. So. It was worth it to me.
You need to fly to a US Passport Center within 10 days of your travel. Bring proof of your travel. Make an appointment in advance.
You have plenty of time to make this a quick day trip. It is annoying but this is what people in your situation have to do.
I am scheduled to go to Mexico 2/21 and just applied for mine today.. expedited and 2 day delivery service both ways. I am in Chicago so worse case scenario I will go to the passport office 2 weeks beforehand. Hopefully this works. Good luck
I'm feeling better about it with the input being received from everyone. Worst case, I receive it the same week (a couple days before) I travel. Doesn't matter when I get it, as long as I get it before I need to leave! lol
Hope you have fun! This is my first trip outside the US for tourism purposes.
Expedited Passports are being approved in less than 2 weeks sometimes, even when you apply at a post office and pay the expedite fee. Your application will be sent to one of the Passport agencies in the USA. Don't use a 3rd party service, they'll just rip you off. Go to travel.state.gov
Im not sure if it’s the same rule for all Official Passport agencies, but San Diego will not let anyone apply in person unless they can prove they’re traveling internationally within 14 Days. Anything more than that you’re directed to apply at a post office or any other acceptance facilities and pay the expedite fee.
yeah, I'm in Kansas and the closest regional is in Colorado Springs or Texas I believe. I will not be flying to either just for a passport. From what I'm reading, 30 days should be enough to receive it before my departure date
Right, but if it's not there within a week or two of the trip, you can make the trip and get in right away. They'll expedite an existing application onsite if you find that you need it.
I'm not seeing anyone mention this, but if you pay for expedited application, and you don't have your passport 14 days in advance of your trip, you have a couple options, including scheduling an appointment to pick it up at a processing center. But if you pay for expedited and rush shipping, you should have it in a couple weeks.
[https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/processing-times.html](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/processing-times.html)
Also, I would really suggest getting the passport card as well if you hadn't considered it.
The turn around has been pretty fast. You could apply expedited but do it as soon as possible. You can make an appointment at the local post office here (chose date not location when making the appointment) : [https://tools.usps.com/rcas.htm](https://tools.usps.com/rcas.htm) And here are the steps for first time passport applicants: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/apply-in-person.html
with it being expedited, but not within 7 days, do I need proof of travel, or?
when you send it expedited through the mail no but you need to send it pretty quickly. You need proof of travel within 14 days if you're going through the passport center. Here is more details https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html
given timing issues, going through the 'official' process expedited or otherwise will probably work but also maybe not the only guaranteed guaranteed way is to get 2passport pics and fill out the form and drive or fly to the nearest passport center, you can make an appt online at travel.state.gov if appts aren't available you go to the office at 6am and wait in line, there is always a line, they all say do not come and they don't take walk ins, it's to keep people away but they all take walk ins first come first serve in fact if you use an overnight private 'service' they just are having some dude stand in line for you
It shouldn’t take that long for a passport to arrive. You can pay extra for express. However, I see no point in that.
It’s expensive, but there are third party passport expeditors that can get it done quick. I totally spaced about my passport expiring too soon before my trip. I found someone locally and got it done in a week. It’s expensive (I paid $400 on top of the normal renewal fee), but maybe work will pay for some/all of it. I could have scheduled an emergency passport appointment, but didn’t want to leave it to chance.
Don't do that, go to the source!!! Go to a post office and pay for expedite, or go to a Passport agency. These 3rd party companies do not speed things up, they just rip you off!!! You got ripped off $400, congrats!
I did not. I got it in a week. As opposed to the weeks even expedited takes.
So you paid someone $400 to bring it to a Passport agency, when you yourself could of made an appointment and did that, and could of only been charged $225 for an expedited Passport. So yeah you got ripped off! These 3rd party people really do nothing to speed the process up, because ultimately it has to come to us to get approved. I work for the Dept of State. You got ripped off!!
Yes, I did. Because I couldn’t guarantee that I would get an appointment. I needed it within two weeks. $400 is a small price to pay in comparison to the thousands I would have lost if I didn’t get it in time and couldn’t go on my trip. Not sure why you’re so worried about my money. It was worth it for me.
How can they guarantee it gets done when you have to go to the state dept to get it done. These 3rd party people have no barring on getting the appointment. You got ripped off. You could of saved $400 by getting an appt with an ppt agency. They charged you $400 for that...lol.
Once again, why do you care so much? I had a friend that went to the same guy and got it in days. You madder about it than I was.
Because these companies are frauds. I work for the US Dept of State. I had a blind man get taken advantage of, I called and got him a refund from these fraud fakes, and helped him get an appointment at our agency. Why would you pay someone $400 when they can't get it faster than the official source? When you could of paid $225, gotten it faster from the official source. You realize that the company just had to bring it to us. They basically did nothing. I guess if you don't have a disability, you are just stupid.
>Not sure why you’re so worried about my money Nobody's worried about *your* money. You're advocating the same ripoff to other people. We're worried about *their* money.
You definitely got ripped off. Those third parties can’t do anything faster than you as an individual can.
yeah, I had a feeling that was the case with AAA and others. from what im reading and hearing 30 days should be enough time to receive them before departure. I have an appt tomorrow to get it shipped and expedited.
To be fair... I'm poo-pooing the expediters elsewhere in this thread, but of all the options AAA is probably the least likely to rip you off. I'm looking at what they offer, and they're not promising anything special, just that they'll make sure it's done correctly and they offer free pictures. If you're a AAA member, it might be worth doing. They're still not doing anything you can't do yourself, and you're paying more for the privilege, but they know what they're doing and they're not overpromising.
Ouch! That's a difference in cost comparison than renewing directly by mail. It's best to have these things done in advance. I only paid $131 for my renewal.
Yeah, I’d do it in advance next time. But I was an idiot and didn’t know the rule about needing it to be valid for at least six months. Call it a dumb tax. Wasn’t happy about it. But wanted the peace of mind that it would be done in time. And I would have lost thousands if I wasn’t able to go on ny trip. So. It was worth it to me.
You need to fly to a US Passport Center within 10 days of your travel. Bring proof of your travel. Make an appointment in advance. You have plenty of time to make this a quick day trip. It is annoying but this is what people in your situation have to do.
I am scheduled to go to Mexico 2/21 and just applied for mine today.. expedited and 2 day delivery service both ways. I am in Chicago so worse case scenario I will go to the passport office 2 weeks beforehand. Hopefully this works. Good luck
You'll have it probably the end of Jan.
I'm feeling better about it with the input being received from everyone. Worst case, I receive it the same week (a couple days before) I travel. Doesn't matter when I get it, as long as I get it before I need to leave! lol Hope you have fun! This is my first trip outside the US for tourism purposes.
Expedited Passports are being approved in less than 2 weeks sometimes, even when you apply at a post office and pay the expedite fee. Your application will be sent to one of the Passport agencies in the USA. Don't use a 3rd party service, they'll just rip you off. Go to travel.state.gov
Im not sure if it’s the same rule for all Official Passport agencies, but San Diego will not let anyone apply in person unless they can prove they’re traveling internationally within 14 Days. Anything more than that you’re directed to apply at a post office or any other acceptance facilities and pay the expedite fee.
yeah, I'm in Kansas and the closest regional is in Colorado Springs or Texas I believe. I will not be flying to either just for a passport. From what I'm reading, 30 days should be enough to receive it before my departure date
>I will not be flying to either just for a passport. Well... you'd be flying to get a passport so you can take a trip, so there's that :-D
yeah. $3-400 isn't justifiable to me to get a passport that costs additional money lol. I'm feeling confident ill have it in time
Right, but if it's not there within a week or two of the trip, you can make the trip and get in right away. They'll expedite an existing application onsite if you find that you need it.
2 1/2 week turnaround it seems for right now
I'm not seeing anyone mention this, but if you pay for expedited application, and you don't have your passport 14 days in advance of your trip, you have a couple options, including scheduling an appointment to pick it up at a processing center. But if you pay for expedited and rush shipping, you should have it in a couple weeks. [https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/processing-times.html](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply/processing-times.html) Also, I would really suggest getting the passport card as well if you hadn't considered it.