How to Quickly Get a US Passport
Because they last a long time, it’s easy to forget that your passport will soon expire. Whether you have an unexpected international trip or you have carefully planned your international trip without paying attention to the most important details , sometimes you need a passport – quickly.
If you need to get your passport in a hurry, the US Department of State can expedite your passport approval process.
A General Expedited Passport can currently be delivered to your doorstep in two to three weeks. If you go to the passport agency in person, you can cut it down to a week or even a few days. You can check the current processing time here .
Here are the State Department’s general rules for an expedited passport:
Speed up your mail renewal
Form DS-82 must be mailed. You cannot apply with Form DS-82 (Passport Renewal by Mail) at the Reception Center. To find out if you are eligible to use Form DS-82, see Passport Renewal.
- Fill out the application and pick up the documents. Be sure to include the $ 60 expediting fee in addition to your regular application fee. See Passport Fees for more information. Mark clearly “EXPEDITE” on the outside of the envelope. The expedition fee does not include 1-2 days shipping. For more information on faster delivery of your application, see the Delivery within 1-2 days section below.
Delivery within 1-2 days (optional)
If you are really in a hurry, you can pay for the shipping service within 1-2 days for your application. If you are only applying for a passport card, they will send it to you by first class mail. (They don’t use 1-2 days delivery service for passport cards.)
You have a choice of one or both of the following shipping options:
- Delivery to the passport office: Purchase a delivery service within 1-2 days at the post office or other passport collection point in order to send your application to the passport agency faster. The cost of delivery service within 1-2 days varies depending on the region of the country.
- Return to you. Include in your check or money order in your check or money order to the US Department of State a 1-2 day shipping fee of US $ 15.89 for faster return shipping.
If you need this passport a few days later, you need to go to the passport agency. The process is also slightly different.
Contact your passport agency or center urgently
You can make an appointment online at a passport office or center . You can also call 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793 (TDD / TTY) and walk through the process in English or Spanish. After making an appointment, fill out the application and collect the documents, including proof of international travel. For more information see How to apply .
Acceleration at the receiving point
If you would like to expedite the application process, you must use Form DS-11 . You cannot apply with Form DS-82 (Passport Renewal by Mail) at a reception center.
Next, fill out the application and collect the documents. See How to apply to find a suitable form. Be sure to include a $ 60 expediting fee in addition to your regular application fee. You can also look at Passport Fees for more information. Find a claim center near you to submit your claim and fees. Contact the facility prior to arrival to determine if an appointment is required.
There were times when it took quite a long time to get a new passport, but luckily things are going pretty fast now.
Currently, the standard passport processing time is only four to six weeks, so if you realize that you will need it soon, but not right away, you can get your passport in the traditional way without spending an additional $ 60 for expedited service.
This story was originally published in 2018 and has been updated on 12/17/19 to provide more complete and up-to-date information.