Whether last-minute travel plans have suddenly sprung up or a big international trip is here before you’ve had time to double-check the expiration date on your passport, it’s not uncommon for travelers to have to expedite their U.S. passport applications.
Several other situations might require a new or renewed passport in a hurry as well. For example, some countries don’t permit entry if your passport has less than six months of validity. Some, like South Africa, require that you have at least two consecutive blank pages in your passport book. If you have any concerns about whether your existing passport will be accepted for your flight, check the U.S. State Department’s website for each country’s visa and passport requirements or contact your airline or travel agency.
How to get a new U.S. passport fast
Expedited: If you’re traveling in less than seven weeks, you can apply normally and choose expedited service, whether this is your first passport or to renew your current passport. While you may be able to renew your passport online, there is no expedited option.
Urgent travel: If you have a life-or-death emergency or urgent international travel coming up within 14 days, you can make an in-person appointment at one of the 26 passport agencies throughout the United States. You must have an appointment to visit an agency. Make an appointment online or by calling 1-877-487-2778.
How long does it take to get an expedited passport?
Even in March of 2023, the regular processing time for a passport was as high as 13 weeks, but luckily things have calmed down and passport processing times are now back to normal. This means that if you apply for an expedited passport directly through the U.S. State Department, it will take two to three weeks. But it’s very important to note that this does not include mail delivery times. The State Department says, “It may take two weeks for your application to get to us, and two weeks for you to get your passport after we mail it,” although this depends on the area of the USA in which you live.
For a faster turnaround, use an expeditor like RushMyPassport.com, who offers expedited passport services ranging from two to four business days to eight weeks from the time documents are received by the State Dept. These will cost you: $599 for the two-to-four-day turnaround or $364.65 for a seven- to nine-business-day turnaround.
How to apply for an expedited passport
To apply for an expedited passport, begin at the State Department’s website, where a handy checklist will keep you from making a mistake that could slow down the process. These are the costs for an expedited passport:
- A $60 expediting fee. This is nonrefundable, so make sure you’ve dotted all your i’s and crossed all your t’s when applying.
- The standard $130 application fee.
- First-time applicants are charged an additional $35 execution fee.
- $21.36 for one- to two-day return delivery, to help speed things along somewhat.
If you want the expedited service, you need to send your application using USPS Priority Mail Express. The State Department recommends that applicants send their application via trackable mail so that applicants can know exactly when it arrives and enters the system.
If you want to apply in person for an expedited (or regular) passport, find a passport acceptance facility and make an appointment. These are post offices, clerks of court, libraries, and local government offices. You can make an appointment at any post office at USPS.com. If this is for your first passport or for a child under age 16, you need form DS-11; if this is a renewal for a passport of someone age 17 or over, you need form DS-82 (you can download these forms here).
There are three things to do when filling out a passport application:
- Make sure submitted forms are single-sided and printed clearly.
- Complete the application online before printing it out or by hand in black or blue ink; remember to write “expedited” on the envelope and include two recent photos that meet the passport photo specifications.
- If applying by mail, you must include a check; if applying in person, find out what methods of payment are allowed at your specific acceptance facility.
You can renew your passport by mail and begin the process online as long as you have your expired or expiring passport; your passport was issued when you were age 16 or older; it was issued within the past 15 years; and it was issued to your current name or you have documentation to support a name change. Children under 16, all first-time applicants, and applicants who have lost their passport or had it stolen must apply in person.
If you cannot make an appointment online, call 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY between 8 a.m. and 10 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.
How an expeditor can (and can’t) help
Expediting agencies are companies that assist with rushed passport applications. They charge an additional fee (on top of the standard passport application fee and expedited passport service fee) but can often help navigate the ins and outs of the expediting process.
Services like RushMyPassport.com double-check your application before it gets submitted and catch any errors or snags that might slow it down. Expeditors also rely on a subset of appointments being available, so although RushMyPassport’s fastest service is listed as two to four business days, even this can be limited in availability.
David Alwadish, CEO and founder of ItsEasy Passport & Visa, notes that the expediting slots get snatched up quickly. ItsEasy Passport & Visa currently charges $299 for its 10-day passport processing service and $940 for one-day service. “One- to three-day passport service requires urgent travel. Please contact us for details,” the agency advises. Do-it-yourselfers can also use the ItsEasy Passport App to submit applications for standard passport processing.
If you need it within 24 to 72 hours, try going to an agency in person
If there is a life-or-death emergency, such as an illness, injury, or death in your immediate family, getting an emergency appointment at an agency in person is the only option. You cannot walk in; you must make an appointment ahead of time online or by calling 1-877-487-2778. You can save valuable time by going in person—even if you have to fly to a passport agency in the departure city of your international flight. In these circumstances, it can take anywhere between 24 and 72 hours depending on where you apply and if you can provide accepted documentation, such as a death certificate or signed documentation from medical personnel.
One final tip...
The best thing you can do to avoid paying extra to expedite your passport is to set a calendar reminder for nine months before the expiration date of your current valid passport, for those who have one. At that point, you can look ahead at your travels and figure out the best 10–12-week period to apply—one where, ideally, you know you won’t be heading abroad. If you travel frequently enough that such a period is hard to identify, you may want to look into the option of applying for a second passport.
This article was originally published in 2023 and most recently updated on July 11, 2024, with current information.
