Can I expedite a passport application AFTER submitting a standard renewal application?
Question: About 4 hours after submitting my renewal application by mail (today), my school informed me that they may want to send me abroad about a week earlier than originally planned (Sept. 15th, rather than Sept. 22nd). The 22nd is 8 weeks away. The 15th is seven. Given that applications generally take 4-6 weeks, 7 weeks cut things a bit closer than I am comfortable with.
If I do need to leave on the earlier date, what is (or are) my best option(s) for expediting my application, assuming there are any? I am currently working in Washington DC, but will be back in San Francisco on Aug. 20th.
Also, do you think I need to even worry about expediting the application?
Answer: You can call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 to try and change your request from routine to expedited processing. If you can pay the expedited passport fee with a credit card, you will likely be able to make the switch.
Having said that, it is very likely that your passport will arrive in plenty of time and you will be spared the added expense. I recommend you keep tabs on the status of your passport and, if it does not arrive a couple of weeks before your trip, go to the regional passport agency in San Francisco. You can get a same-day passport there if you need it.
Click the link below to check the status of your passport application. Note, the status usually does not appear until 5-7 days after you submit the application.
Check Passport Status Online
Return to Expedited Passport Renewal FAQ.
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Top 5 Questions About Expedited Passport Couriers
2. What exactly does a passport expediter do?
3. Are passport expediting services legitimate?
4. How can I identify a reliable passport expeditor?
5. Is expedited passport service worth it? Read them in order or click the question you most want answered.
Standard service may take between 10 and 13 weeks. This timeframe does not include delivery time. Mailing times vary across the country.
Expedited service takes from 7 to 9 weeks excluding mailing times on the front and back end. Current mailing delays are significant. Requesting 1-2-day mailing service is recommended.
Regional passport agencies are offering two types of appointments: Life-of-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service.
Life-or-death emergencies are serious illnesses, injuries, or deaths in your immediate family (parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, and grandparent) that require you to travel outside the United States within 3 business days.
If you need to travel due to a qualified life-or-death emergency, please call the National Passport Information Center for an appointment.
For Urgent Travel Service, you need to call 14 days before your scheduled international travel or 28 days if you also need to secure a foreign visa.
If you need to travel urgently for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency, please call the NPIC.
A registered expedited passport courier can often assist in obtaining a passport as quickly as the same day. You can learn more about this service here.
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