What a Passport Expeditor Can and Cannot Do for You

The job of a passport expeditor is to submit application forms at regional agencies on behalf of clients. These service providers, also known as passport couriers, are experienced in getting passports in a hurry. They understand all the ins and outs of how the passport expediting process works. More importantly, they are experts in how to avoid both the common and uncommon reasons for passport delays and denials.

Passport expeditors generally assist with the following issues:

• Getting a passport for the first time
• Renewing an expired passport
• Replacing a lost, stolen or damaged passport
• Obtaining a passport for a minor
• Correcting printing errors in a passport
• Changing a name on a passport
• Obtaining a second valid passport

Services vary from one company to the next, as do their rates. For example, some assist customers in obtaining documents other than just passports like entry visas working papers.

We all want to avoid frustration with the passport application process. However, it can be confusing to determine whether the service of an expeditor is something that you actually need. In order to make the most informed decision about your passport application, it is crucial to understand what passport couriers can and cannot do.

What Passport Expeditors Can Do

• Guide you in preparing the correct passport application forms and gathering the proper documents - Knowing which forms and documents to submit can be confusing. Couriers can help. Their expertise can seriously reduce the risk of delays or denial.
• Hand-deliver your passport application and supporting documents to a processing center for expedited service – A courier can be a lifesaver if you are struggling to get an appointment before your departure date or simply live prohibitively far away from the nearest agency. Lucky for you, expeditors visit these agencies daily to submit passport applications and pick up new passports on behalf of their clients. What’s more, their routines and established relationships make it more likely that your application will receive attention more quickly than if you submit it yourself.
• Monitor the passport application process closely – Any reputable courier will inform you immediately if a problem arises with your passport application. From there, he or she should be equipped to assist you in getting those issues resolved. This service and dedication ensures that your passport application is processed as quickly as possible.
• Pick up your new passport and deliver it to you – Most registered passport couriers will mail your passport to you by express overnight delivery. Most expediting services also provide locations where you can physically pick up your new passport. In emergencies, some expeditors will arrange to meet you at a designated location if you are away from home or facing a travel crisis. Airports and hotels are common meeting places in these instances.
• Save you time and unnecessary travel when the nearest regional processing center is too far out of your way - The largest passport expediting companies have offices near passport processing centers in more than one city. This eliminates the need for you to travel long distances personally.

One important thing to note is that while a courier will hand-deliver your application to an agency, you may still have to do some legwork. The most common example is if you are submitting Form DS-11. The DS-11 requires the applicant to visit a nearby application acceptance facility in person. There are no exceptions.

If you are in a rush, you can fulfill your in-person requirements and then mail or deliver the sealed packet provided by the acceptance agent to an expeditor. From there, the expeditor will hand deliver your materials to the processing center and continue to facilitate the rest of the application process as quickly as possible.

Convenience is another reason people choose to employ passport expediting services. Even if you have no pressing or urgent need to do so, passport couriers can take a lot of the stress and frustration out of getting a passport. By using a registered expeditor, you avoid inconveniences like waiting in lines, coordinating appointments, and having to take time off from work.

What Passport Expeditors Cannot Do

• Passport couriers cannot process your application form nor can they issue your passport - This is the responsibility of the U.S. Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs.
• Passport couriers cannot guarantee you will receive your passport quickly – Expediting services can get your application submitted quickly, but processing it is out of their hands. In most cases, the combination of their experience and relationships with local processing centers can help move the process along faster than if you were handling things yourself - but again, there are no guarantees.

It is important to understand that expediting companies are not the same as the U.S. Department of State’s passport issuing agency. These companies have no authority to approve your application for a passport nor can they formally decide if the documentation you provide is acceptable. Furthermore, they do not determine how fast to process your application. Any prospective expeditor who says otherwise is being dishonest and should be avoided.

That said, the best expeditors have a special relationship with regional agencies due to their regular contact on behalf of clients. Under the correct circumstances, they can submit your passport application when you cannot. While they do not the final say about your application package, they can provide expert guidance to you and help avoid costly mistakes that could potentially delay or cancel your travel plans.

Even after a deeper look into what a passport expeditor does, some of our readers have still expressed skepticism. After all, you are trusting total strangers with a lot of your most sensitive personal documents and information.

So, are passport expeditors just cleaver scam artists in disguise?

Visit "Are Passport Expediting Services Legitimate?" to get the answer.

Guide to Passport Expeditors

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