How to Expedite a Passport Application

(Reprinted with Permissions from the January 2010 edition of Dive Training Magazine)

Maybe you’re only a couple of weeks away from a dive vacation you've been anticipating all year - you're shaking out the gear, making sure everything is in order when you realize your passport has expired or is within six months of expiring. Or maybe you heard about a great, last-minute deal and you don't even have a passport. Whatever the reason, you suddenly realize you need to obtain a U.S. passport fast.
But is that even possible?

Applying for a passport the traditional way can take six weeks or longer during peak summer and holiday travel seasons. You can check the current processing time at the U.S. State Department Web site http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html then click on "Current Application Process­ing Times".

If you need your passport sooner than the turnaround time listed, you will need to expedite your passport application.  There are three ways to expedite a passport application. The method you choose will depend on how quickly you need your passport and how much time you can devote to the process.

First, Get Your Docs in a Row

Regardless of how you decide to ap­ply for your passport, you'll need to gather a few things. First, you'll need two identical 2-inch-by-2-inch passport photos. These can be taken at a nearby business, like Walgreens, CVS, UPS Store, FedEx Office or your local photography store, for a small fee or you can take the photo at home. If you do take your own photos, be sure to fol­low all of the guidelines regarding composition http://travel.state.gov/pdf/Photo-Quality-Requirements.pdf.

Next, you'll need a completed pass­port application. If this is your first passport or it's been 15 or more years since your last passport expired, you'll need form DS-11. For renewals, you can use form DS-82. These forms can be obtained from the local accep­tance facility, usually your post office or county clerk's office, or the U.S. Department of State Web site http://travel.state.gov then click on “Passports".

You'll also need to collect proof of citizenship and proof of iden­tity. Valid citizenship documents in­clude a certified birth certificate, expired passport, naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship. Proof of iden­tity can take the form of a passport, nat­uralization certificate, valid driver's license or government or military ID. You'll need a photocopy of your ID; be sure to photocopy both sides. Once you have the necessary docu­mentation, determine how quickly you need your passport.

If You Have Three Weeks

If you have at least three weeks to obtain your passport, then expediting your passport application through the National Passport Processing Center is generally the way to go. Anyone may request expedited service. If you opt to expedite your passport application, there will be an additional fee, currently $60, on top of the regu­lar application fee plus overnight delivery costs.

If you're a first-time applicant, take your unsigned DS-1 1 form and other application materials to your local ac­ceptance office. You can find the near­est one at the State Department Web site http://iafdb.travel.state.gov. You'll sign the form there. Be sure to tell them you need an expedited passport and re­quest overnight delivery.

If renewing, you can expedite your passport by mail using form DS-82. Clearly write "EXPEDITE" on the envelope so that it can be easily identified at the processing center as needing special handling. Overnight delivery is recommended by the U.S. Passport Agency for expedited requests. The Na­tional Passport Processing Center ad­dress can be found on the application.

Before mailing, double-check your application. Passports are often de­layed by simple errors such as not signing the application (for renewals by mail), miscalculating fees or submitting photos that do not meet speci­fications on composition.

You Have Two Weeks

If you have less than three weeks un­til your departure, there is still hope. But it may require you to take a little pre-trip trip since you will need to renew or apply for your passport in person at a Regional Passport Agency.

Regional agencies only handle pass­port applications for travelers whose departure date is within 14 days and who do not need a travel visa or whose departure date is within 28 days and need a visa. Regional agen­cies have the power to process your application and prepare your passport for pickup the same day. Of course, there is no guarantee.

Presently, passport agencies can be found in 18 cities across the United States - Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Tucson, Aurora (Colorado), Houston, Dallas, New Orleans, Miami, Washington D.C., Norwalk (Connecticut), Philadelphia, New York, Boston, Chicago, Min­neapolis and Detroit. Each agency is responsible for an area of the United States.

Find the regional passport agency that serves your state to begin the pass­port renewal process. You can set up an appointment at any location by calling toll-free 1 (877) 487-2778 or going on­line and filling out a form on the State Department Web site.

You'll be given a confirmation number with your appointment time. You will be unable to make an appointment unless you are leaving within two weeks.

On your appointment date, you will need to appear in person with your application, photos, proof of identity and citizenship documents along with proof of your travel dates. This can be a travel agency itinerary, plane ticket or e-ticket. If you forget any of your doc­uments, you may be denied a passport, so, again, double-check everything be­fore you leave. Also, bring your ap­pointment confirmation number.

Show up at the passport office a little early to give yourself plenty of time to get through security since being more than 15 minutes late could result in can­cellation of your appointment.

You will have to pay the additional $60 expediting fee for this service on top of the regular application fee, but there is no appointment fee. If your ap­pointment is early in the day and every­thing is in order, you could receive your renewed passport that same afternoon. Again, there are no guarantees and you might find yourself having to stay over to wait for your passport.

If You Have No Time

If you do not have time to travel to your regional agency prior to your trip, travel document expediters can represent clients who are unable to person­ally deliver their requests to the regional agency for processing.

Passport expediter's fees vary. One factor that determines the amount you will pay is how quickly you need your passport. The sooner you need it, the more you will pay.

The fee paid to the expediting ser­vice is above and beyond the fees you'll need to pay to the U.S. State Department. If you don't live near a regional agency, however, you may end up actually saving money in addi­tional travel expenses by using a pro­fessional expediter. You'll certainly save time.

Before you send your application for a new passport to an expediter, you'll need to jump through a few extra hoops. For first-time applicants, an authorized agent must witness your signature, so you'll need to take your application to an acceptance fa­cility and sign there before sending to the expediter.

Also, passport expediters cannot pre­sent your passport application to the State Department without your written authorization. Your expediter will have a form available for you to download, fill out, sign and send along with your other materials, including your itinerary proving dates of travel.

The expediter will then make an appointment - most have standing appointments already set - with the regional agency where they will present your doc­uments and collect your passport.

Check on Your Passport Status

After you've submitted your passport application, you can check on its status at the State Department Web site http://travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html then click on "Check the status of your passport application" or "Check the status of your passport renewal".

You'll need to enter your last name, date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number. You can also call the National Passport informa­tion line at

1 (877) 487-2778.

Now that you know the three ways to get a passport in a hurry, why not just go ahead and check that expiration date or apply for a passport now. You'll save money and hassle. And you'll have one less thing to worry about when you're planning your next dive vacation!