Need a passport appointment? The first step is knowing which type of appointment you need.
A USPS appointment or another passport acceptance facility appointment is for first-time applicants, children, and others who must submit Form DS-11 in person. These facilities can accept applications for routine or expedited processing, but they do not provide urgent passport-agency service.
Passport agencies and centers are run by the U.S. Department of State and handle qualifying urgent-travel cases, including international travel within 14 days or a qualifying foreign-visa deadline within 28 days.
Which passport appointment do you need?
Use the USPS online passport appointment scheduler if you need a first-time adult passport, a child passport, a passport photo appointment, or another application that must be submitted in person at an acceptance facility.
Use the State Department passport agency appointment system if you have qualifying urgent international travel within 14 days or need a foreign visa within 28 days.
Consider a passport expediting service if you have urgent travel but cannot get an agency appointment that works for your deadline, cannot reasonably get to the available agency, or the cost of traveling to an agency makes the trip impractical.
Do not book a USPS appointment for a routine adult renewal if you are eligible to renew by mail or online.
Already applied? If your application is already in process and your travel is now within 14 days, do not submit another application or start a new online appointment. Call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.
Need help with an application already in process? Call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. To check your application status, use the U.S. Department of State's Passport Status portal.
Where to apply for a passport
Use this table to choose the right appointment path before you start scheduling. A USPS appointment is an acceptance-facility appointment. A State Department passport agency appointment is for qualifying urgent travel.
| Your situation | Where to apply | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| First-time adult application | USPS appointment or another passport acceptance facility | Apply in person using Form DS-11. You can request routine or expedited processing. |
| Child passport | USPS appointment or another passport acceptance facility | Children must apply in person and follow the applicable parental-consent rules. |
| Passport photo only | USPS location offering photo service or another passport-photo provider | Photo services vary by location. |
| Eligible adult renewal with no urgent travel | Renew by mail or through the official online renewal system, if eligible | You normally do not need a USPS appointment for an eligible adult renewal. |
| International travel within 14 days, and you have not applied | Regional passport agency or center | You need an appointment and proof of international travel. If you cannot get or reasonably attend an appointment, see how a private passport courier can help. |
| Foreign visa needed within 28 days, and you have not applied | Regional passport agency or center | You may qualify for an urgent appointment if you need the passport before you can obtain the visa. If you cannot get or reasonably attend an appointment, see how a private passport courier can help. |
| Already applied and traveling within 14 days | Call the National Passport Information Center | Call 1-877-487-2778 for help with the application already in process. Do not submit another application. |
How to book a USPS passport appointment online
USPS appointments are for in-person application acceptance, not for every passport service. They are most commonly used for first-time applicants, children, and people who must use Form DS-11.
USPS appointment steps
- Go to the USPS online passport appointment scheduler.
- Select the service you need.
- Choose the number of adult and minor applicants.
- Search by location or date to find available appointment times.
- Select a location, date, and time.
- Enter your contact information and confirm the appointment.
- Save your confirmation number and prepare your documents before you go.
Tip: If the nearest post office does not show a convenient opening, try a broader search or check other acceptance facilities. Some libraries, clerks of court, and local government offices also accept applications.
How to schedule urgent service at a passport agency
The U.S. Department of State operates regional passport agencies and centers. They are not the same as USPS locations or other passport acceptance facilities. Acceptance facilities collect and verify applications for processing, while passport agencies can handle qualifying urgent-travel cases directly.
You may qualify for an urgent appointment if:
- You have international travel within 14 calendar days.
- You need a foreign visa within 28 calendar days.
- You have a qualifying life-or-death emergency.
If you have not applied yet
- Go to the State Department's Online Passport Appointment System.
- Enter your travel information to confirm that you qualify.
- Verify your email address and mobile phone number.
- Choose an available passport agency, date, and time.
- Confirm the appointment using the State Department's instructions and save the confirmation details.
- Prepare your application, photo, required citizenship and identity documents, proof of travel, and payment.
There is no fee to make a State Department passport agency appointment.
Schedule an appointment at a regional passport agency.
If you want to compare agency locations before booking, see our ranked guide to regional passport agencies.
If you have already applied
If your passport application is already in process and you are traveling internationally within 14 days, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. Do not submit another application or try to start a new online appointment. The State Department will work from the application already in process.
If you cannot get or attend an urgent passport appointment
If you qualify for urgent service but cannot get or attend an agency appointment, a private passport courier can handle parts of the process for you. Services can include checking your documents, coordinating eligible submission and pickup, tracking the application, and arranging return delivery. For some travelers, that avoids a long drive or flight to a regional passport agency.
Compare the courier fee with what an agency trip would actually cost you. Transportation, parking, meals, time off from work, and possibly airfare or a hotel can add up quickly. For some travelers, paying a courier costs less than making the agency trip themselves. See our Passport Expediter Cost vs. Regional Agency Trip comparison.
RushMyPassport offers paid passport expediting help for eligible applications. Check whether your application type and travel date qualify for a service currently available. The State Department is responsible for approving and issuing the passport.
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Do renewals require an appointment?
Usually, no. If you are eligible for an adult renewal, you generally do not book a standard USPS appointment. You renew by mail or, if eligible and using routine service, through the official online renewal system.
| Renewal situation | Best path | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Standard renewal in 4 to 6 weeks | Renew by mail with Form DS-82 or use the official online renewal system if eligible | You do not need a USPS appointment just to mail a renewal. |
| Expedite renewal in 2 to 3 weeks | Renew by mail with Form DS-82. Online renewal cannot be expedited. | You do not need a USPS appointment just to mail a renewal. |
| Urgent renewal and travel within 14 days | Urgent renewal guidance | If you have not applied, you may qualify for a regional passport agency appointment. If you already applied, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 instead of submitting another application. |
| Not eligible to renew | Use Form DS-11 and book an acceptance facility appointment | This can apply if your prior passport was issued before age 16, is too old, was lost, stolen, damaged, or does not meet renewal rules. |
When no passport appointment is available
No USPS or acceptance-facility appointment?
Check another passport acceptance facility nearby. Post offices are not your only option. Libraries, clerks of court, and some local government offices also accept passport applications, and some locations offer walk-in hours.
No urgent passport-agency appointment?
If you have not applied yet:
- Check the State Department appointment system again; openings can change.
- Look at other regional passport agencies if you can travel to another city, but compare the total cost of an agency trip before committing to substantial travel.
- Call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.
- For a time-sensitive case, you can also contact your congressional representative's office.
- If getting to an agency yourself is impossible or impractical, see how a private passport courier can help with an eligible urgent application.
If you have already applied, call the National Passport Information Center instead of submitting another application.
What to bring when you apply
Requirements vary by application type, but most in-person appointments require the correct form, identification document, citizenship evidence, a compliant photo, payment for fees, and sometimes proof of travel.
Common items to prepare
- Completed application form, unsigned if an acceptance agent must witness your signature
- Proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a certified birth certificate or previous passport
- Valid government-issued photo ID
- Photocopies, if required for your application type
- Passport photo that meets State Department rules
- Payment for government fees and any acceptance facility fee
- Printed proof of travel for urgent agency appointments
- Your appointment confirmation details
Passport appointment online FAQ
You may not need to. If you do not qualify for renewal and must submit Form DS-11, you can make an appointment at USPS or another acceptance facility. Eligible adults renewing a standard passport normally renew by mail or through the official online renewal system.
A USPS appointment is an acceptance-facility appointment for applications that must be submitted in person, including first-time and child passport applications. A passport agency appointment is for qualifying travelers who need urgent service because of upcoming international travel or a foreign-visa deadline.
Not necessarily. You can request expedited processing when you submit an eligible application through an acceptance facility or by mail. Expedited processing currently takes 2 to 3 weeks. A passport agency appointment is for more urgent travel situations.
No. You need proof of qualifying international travel for urgent agency service. If you are applying because of a foreign-visa deadline, you also need to meet the State Department's requirements for that appointment window.
Call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. Travelers with applications already in process follow a different urgent-travel procedure from people who have not yet applied. Do not submit another application.
For a regular application, check other USPS locations and passport acceptance facilities. For urgent travel, look for openings at other passport agencies. If you already applied, call the National Passport Information Center. If you have not applied and cannot reasonably get to an agency yourself, a private courier may also be able to help with an eligible application.
No. A private courier may help review your documents and handle eligible passport-processing logistics, but it does not create or guarantee a State Department appointment or control when the passport is issued.
More help with passport appointments
- No Urgent Passport Renewal Appointments Available? What to Do
- Apply at a Regional Passport Agency
- Find a Passport Acceptance Facility
- Urgent Passport Renewal
- Passport Expediters Explained: Cost, Speed, Legitimacy & When to Use One
- Check Passport Application Status
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.
Last reviewed: May 12, 2026.
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