How do I call the National Passport Information Center's toll-free number from Canada?

Question: Hi there, I am so sorry for bothering you with this but I am having a real problem finding the right place to ask this question. I am an American citizen who currently lives in Canada. I went to the Toronto Consulate to try and renew my passport (which I need expedited) and somehow missed that for within the last year they have changed the process so that you need an appointment. I can't get an appointment within the time that I have and the consulate suggested I go to Detroit.

Everything says I can show up early to the Detroit Passport Agency without an appointment but it's a pretty far drive to take that chance. The issue I am having is it seems that calling 1-877-487-2778 is not possible from within Canada. At least not from Toronto. I've scoured the internet looking for a non-800 number I can call but nothing is listed anywhere. I tried calling the consulate to get the information and apparently I can't call them unless it is an emergency such as a death or I've been arrested.

I get sent to the website which sends me back on this loop. Could you please tell me if there is another phone number I can call to make an appointment that works outside of the US?

I'm so sorry for bothering you. Not even sure you can help. But I remain hopeful :-)

Answer: Unfortunately, there is no other number that can be used to reach the National Passport Information Center in order to schedule an appointment. There are a few possible solutions listed below.

It appears that you can call U.S. toll-free numbers via Skype. You have to have Skype installed on your computer and be enrolled in the Skype Out program but, according the the Skype user's guide, toll free numbers "are supported and are free of charge to all users." For more information, click the link below.

Learn more about calling phones from Skype

The second option is to just show up at the Detroit Passport Agency. We have heard of many American citizens who were able to expedite passports without an appointment but we have never heard of anyone being turned away. For more information about the agency and directions, click the link below.

Detroit Passport Agency

Note, you can only re-enter the United States with a valid passport. If your passport is already expired, then you will need to renew it before traveling to the U.S.

If you still do now want to run the risk of just showing up at the Detroit agency and you do not want to create a Skype account, then you may consider applying through a professional passport expediting service. In fact, it may be worth the investment in order to not travel to Detroit. For more information, click the link below.

Expedite Passport Renewal