Expediting a passport for a minor can take anywhere from 24 hours to several weeks depending upon the method you choose.
If you need to rush a passport for a child age 15 or younger, you can request expedited service when submitting the application. Forms submitted at application acceptance facilities can take up to 3 weeks to process before the passport is delivered. This is faster than the 6-8 week wait offered with standard application processing, but it may not be fast enough if your child needs a passport quickly.
Thankfully, there are a couple of ways to get faster service:
Expedited service takes from 5 to 7 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:
Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 8 P.M. ET, call 1-877-487-2778 (TDD/TTY:1-888-874-7793) Outside of these hours, call 202-647-4000.
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 at 1-877-487-2778 Mondays through Fridays 8 A.M. to 10 P.M. ET.
Rush My Passport has been obtaining expedited passport in 4.5 weeks. Apply online for expedited passport service.
Click here to read our guide to weighing your passport expediting choices.
That said, securing a passport for a minor poses several unique challenges that must be accounted for.
Hiring a registered passport expediting service can simplify each of the issues outlined above.
To begin with, these professionals review your application materials to ensure the submission is complete and correct. From there, they bring your paperwork to a Regional Passport Agency on your behalf - eliminating your need for costly travel or wasted time. Finally, the passport is issued and your child's passport and identifying documents are returned to you either in person or via overnight delivery. In most cases, the whole process is completed as fast or faster than if you applied yourself.
Ultimately, completing the expedited passport application process for your child on your own means you miss out on the expertise, convenience, and speed that comes with hiring a registered passport courier.
Have more questions about getting a passport for a minor under the age of 16? Click here for our full list of frequently asked questions about obtaining a passport for a child.
Listed below are some of the most common questions we receive specifically about expediting passports for minors.
How do I expedite my children's passports?
Question: I am so short of time to renew or get a new passports for my children. I know it can be done but it seems every passport services agency that ...
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Question: I live in South Carolina. I am in the army stationed in Korea and I came home to get my wife and kids. I wanted to know if there was anyway ...
How do I expedite my daughter's passport application?
Question: I applied for my daughter's passport on February 12, 2011. I received a letter on March 19th from the NH Passport Center telling me the birth ...
How Do I Expedite A Passport for an Infant?
Question: My husband and I are moving (driving) to Alaska mid April with our newborn who will be 1 month old. I had recently called and talked to someone ...
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Answers to questions submitted by visitors about passports for minors
Acceptable documents for establishing parent/child relationship
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