Expedited passport renewal is available by mail, through an urgent passport agency appointment, or through a registered passport courier for an eligible application. The correct route depends on whether you qualify to renew, your international travel date, and whether you need a foreign visa before departure.
How Long Does Expedited Passport Renewal Take?
Expedited mail processing currently takes 2 to 3 weeks. This estimate covers the time the application is at a passport agency or processing center. Mailing time is separate.
If you have international travel within 14 calendar days, or need a foreign visa within 28 calendar days, you may qualify for an urgent passport agency appointment.
The agency will explain when and how the passport will be provided based on the application and international travel date.
✈️ Need Your Passport Fast?
Save 10% on VIP expedited courier service with processing as fast as 2–4 business days. For a more affordable option, choose the popular Priority Service with 7–9 business day processing. Check current available processing speeds.
Expedited Renewal Questions
- Can a passport issued before age 16 be renewed?
- Can I add expedited service after applying?
- Is renewal faster by mail or in person?
- Can online renewal be expedited?
- Who qualifies for an agency appointment?
- Can I visit a passport agency without an appointment?
- What can a passport courier do?
- What if I already applied and travel is approaching?
- Can an expired passport be renewed?
- What if my passport expires shortly after the trip?
- How much does expedited renewal cost?
- When will my previous passport be returned?
- Reader scenarios
Can a Passport Issued Before Age 16 Be Renewed?
No. A passport issued before the applicant turned 16 cannot be renewed with Form DS-82.
An applicant who is now 18 but received the previous passport at age 13 must apply in person using Form DS-11. Review the requirements for a new adult passport. Applicants who are still age 16 or 17 should follow the separate passport rules for 16- and 17-year-olds.
Children under 16 must always apply in person. See the complete child passport requirements.
Can I Add Expedited Service After Submitting a Routine Renewal?
You can request an upgrade after the State Department receives the application. Call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778 and be prepared to pay the additional expedite fee.
An upgrade request does not guarantee completion by a particular date. If international travel is now within 14 days, tell the representative your departure date. The State Department may notify the agency processing the application or arrange an urgent appointment when necessary.
See the detailed steps for adding expedited service after submitting a routine application.
Is It Faster to Renew a Passport by Mail or in Person?
Expedited renewal by mail currently takes 2 to 3 weeks, plus mailing time.
An in-person passport agency appointment is the urgent route, but it is limited to travelers who meet the agency's travel-date requirements. You cannot choose an agency appointment simply because it is more convenient than mailing the application.
Compare routine, expedited, and urgent passport service before selecting an application route.
Can Online Passport Renewal Be Expedited?
No. Online passport renewal is available only with routine processing. Applicants must have no international travel planned for at least six weeks after submitting the application.
The applicant must complete the online application personally. A passport courier or other third party cannot submit it.
Review the complete online passport renewal eligibility rules before applying.
Who Qualifies for an Urgent Passport Agency Appointment?
You may request an appointment when:
- You have international travel within 14 calendar days.
- You need a foreign visa within 28 calendar days of travel.
- You qualify for a life-or-death emergency appointment.
You must provide proof of international travel. Appointment availability is not guaranteed.
Use our passport agency appointment guide to determine how to request a time.
Can I Visit a Passport Agency Without an Appointment?
Do not rely on walk-in service. Passport agencies require appointments for urgent travel service.
If you have not applied, use the official online appointment system. If you already submitted the application, call 877-487-2778. Appointments are free, cannot be transferred, and should not be purchased from a third party.
What Can a Registered Passport Courier Do?
A courier may review the application package, provide submission instructions, coordinate delivery to an agency through available courier channels, track the application, collect the completed passport when authorized, and arrange return delivery.
The applicant must still complete and sign the form, provide the original passport and supporting documents, meet the government eligibility rules, provide proof of travel when required, and pay all government and courier fees.
A courier cannot waive State Department requirements or guarantee issuance on a particular date. Check the service speeds currently available for the application and travel date.
Compare providers in our passport courier directory, and review how to evaluate a passport expediting service before ordering.
What Should I Do If I Already Applied and Travel Is Approaching?
Check the application through the official passport status system. It may take up to two weeks after mailing before the first status appears.
If international travel is within 14 days, call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778. Do not submit a duplicate application unless the State Department specifically instructs you to do so.
Read our guide to passport processing, mailing, and delivery time.
Can an Expired Passport Be Renewed?
An expired adult passport may still qualify for renewal with Form DS-82 if it was issued within the last 15 years, was issued when the applicant was at least 16, was valid for 10 years, can be submitted, and is not badly damaged.
If the passport does not meet those requirements, apply in person using Form DS-11. Start with the expired passport renewal guide.
Eligible applicants should also review the Form DS-82 instructions and the most common passport renewal mistakes.
What If My Passport Expires Shortly After the Trip?
A passport can be unexpired and still fail a destination's entry requirement. Some countries require three or six months of validity beyond arrival, departure, or the end of the authorized stay.
Most Schengen destinations require the passport to be valid for at least three months beyond the planned departure from the Schengen Area and to have been issued within the previous 10 years.
Check the passport-validity requirements by country and the separate three-month validity rule before deciding whether there is enough time to renew.
How Much Does Expedited Passport Renewal Cost?
Expedited renewal includes the normal passport application fee plus the State Department's additional expedite fee. Optional faster return delivery for a passport book costs extra.
A registered courier charges separate service and shipping fees. Compare the complete cost, including mailing, courier fees, and any travel or lodging required to visit a passport agency.
Check the current amounts on our passport fees page.
When Will My Previous Passport and Supporting Documents Be Returned?
The new passport and supporting documents are mailed separately. The previous passport, birth certificate, name-change document, or other original documents may arrive up to four weeks after the new passport.
Call 877-487-2778 if more than four weeks have passed since the passport arrived and the supporting documents have not been returned.
Reader Scenarios
These examples are based on questions submitted by readers. The answers have been updated to reflect current passport processing and appointment rules.
Expired Passport With a Trip Several Weeks Away
Reader situation: An adult traveler discovers that a passport has expired before an international trip and is deciding between expedited renewal by mail and an agency appointment.
Current guidance: First confirm eligibility to renew with Form DS-82. Expedited mail processing may fit when enough time remains for processing and mailing. A passport agency appointment is reserved for qualifying international travel within 14 calendar days or a foreign visa needed within 28 calendar days.
Review the complete expedited passport renewal guide before choosing the application route.
A Foreign Visa Is Needed Before the Passport Returns
Reader situation: A traveler has already mailed a routine renewal and then learns that the renewed passport is needed sooner for a foreign visa application.
Current guidance: Check the application status first. Once the application has been received, call 877-487-2778 to request expedited service. Tell the representative when the foreign visa is needed and the international travel date. A traveler who needs the visa within 28 calendar days of departure may qualify for an agency appointment.
Do not submit another passport application unless the State Department tells you to do so. Also review the available visa expediting options and the destination's current visa processing requirements.
Travel Is Approaching After an Expedited Application Was Mailed
Reader situation: A traveler paid for expedited processing, but the international departure date is approaching and the passport has not arrived.
Current guidance: Use the official passport status system. If travel is within 14 days, call 877-487-2778. The State Department will determine whether additional action or an urgent appointment is appropriate.
Travelers who used a registered courier should also contact the courier for the submission, processing, pickup, and delivery status. Do not assume that a new application is required.
More Expedited Passport Renewal Help
Compare Your Fast Passport Options
If routine service is too slow, you may need an agency appointment or help from a registered courier. Compare your options before you decide.
