Last reviewed: May 7, 2026. This guide is based on current U.S. Department of State passport processing, urgent travel, life-or-death emergency, fee, and courier company guidance.
Quick Answer: How fast can you get a passport?
The fastest way to get a U.S. passport depends on how soon you are traveling. Expedited service can shorten government processing to 2 to 3 weeks, but that does not include mailing time. If you are traveling sooner than that, you usually need an appointment at a regional passport agency or center.
Important: Post offices, libraries, and clerks of court are not same-day passport locations. Same-day or next-day passport service is handled through regional passport agencies and centers, and only by appointment.
Choose your passport expediting option by travel date
| Your travel date | Best option | What to do now |
|---|---|---|
| 6 weeks or more | Routine service may still work | Apply early. If you want more margin, request expedited service. |
| Less than 6 weeks | Expedited service | Renew by mail if eligible, or apply at a passport acceptance facility if you need a new, child, replacement, or other in-person passport service. |
| Less than 2-3 weeks | Urgent travel service | Try to schedule a regional passport agency appointment. If you have already applied, call the National Passport Information Center. |
| Within 14 days because of a qualifying family emergency | Life-or-death emergency appointment | Gather proof of the emergency and proof of international travel, then schedule an emergency appointment. |
| You cannot travel to a regional agency or cannot manage the logistics yourself | Registered passport courier | Compare registered courier services. A courier may save time and travel, but it does not get your passport faster than applying directly at a passport agency yourself. |
✈️ Need Your Passport Fast?
Expedited courier services help avoid delays and missed travel — a small cost compared to rebooking flights or canceling plans.
Same-Day for 15% off (limited availability) to 7–9 Day Priority for $299
Expedited Passport Service: 2 to 3 weeks
Use expedited service if you need a passport faster than routine processing, but you still have enough time for government processing and mailing both ways.
According to the State Department, expedited processing is currently 2 to 3 weeks and costs an extra $60. Mailing time is not included, and mailing can add extra time before and after the application is processed.
Use expedited service by mail for passport renewals
If you are eligible to renew by mail, you can expedite a passport renewal by mailing Form DS-82 with the required documents, fees, and expedited service request.
Online passport renewal is different. The State Department says online renewal is for routine service only, so it is not the right path if you need expedited or urgent service.
Use expedited service at an acceptance facility for these passport services
- New or replacement passport
- Child passport
- Passport for a 16- or 17-year-old
- Passport card
- Passport name change
- Second passport
Tip: Double-check your application, supporting documents, photo, signatures, and payment before you submit. Missing information, incorrect documents, unacceptable photos, and payment mistakes can delay your passport even if you paid for expedited service.
Urgent Passport Service: Less Than 2-3 Weeks
If you are traveling internationally in less than 2-3 weeks, the State Department does not recommend applying by mail or at an acceptance facility because mailing time can make the total turnaround too slow. Start with our urgent passport guide if you need help choosing the right agency, renewal, replacement, child passport, or correction path.
Your best path is to make an appointment at a regional passport agency or center when you are within 14 calendar days of international travel. If you need a foreign visa, you may be able to make the appointment when you are within 28 calendar days of travel.
You must have an appointment. Walk-ins are not accepted. You also need printed proof of international travel, your completed form, required supporting documents, a passport photo, and the required fees.
Regional agencies and centers can sometimes issue passports very quickly, including same day or next day in some cases, but the exact pickup or delivery timing depends on your travel date, appointment availability, and the agency's decision.
Urgent passport instructions by service type
- Urgent new adult passport
- Urgent passport renewal
- Urgent passport card
- Urgent passport replacement
- Urgent child passport
- Urgent passport for a 16- or 17-year-old
- Urgent passport name change
- Urgent passport correction
- Urgent second passport
Already applied but now need your passport faster? If you already submitted a routine application and your travel date is getting close, use our guide to expediting a passport application you already submitted.
Life-or-Death Emergency Passport Appointments
You may qualify for a life-or-death emergency appointment if you need to travel internationally within the next 14 days because an immediate family member outside the United States has died, is dying, or has a life-threatening illness or injury.
The State Department considers a parent or legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent to be an immediate family member for this service. Documentation is required.
You should gather proof of the emergency, any required English translation, proof of international travel, your application materials, a passport photo, and valid government-issued photo identification.
Emergency passport instructions
When a Registered Passport Courier May Help
A registered passport courier can be useful when you qualify for urgent service but cannot get to a regional passport agency yourself, live too far away, cannot take time off work, or want help managing the application logistics.
This is not a shortcut around the State Department. Courier companies are not part of the U.S. Department of State, charge additional fees, and cannot get your passport faster than applying directly at a passport agency yourself. Learn more about how to evaluate legitimate passport expediting services before choosing one.
If you are applying with Form DS-11, you still must appear in person at an application acceptance facility. A courier also cannot submit an online passport renewal for you.
That said, a registered courier may still be more cost effective if the alternative is paying for last-minute travel, lodging, parking, missed work, or repeated appointment attempts on your own.
Our passport courier directory lists registered passport courier services, locations, fees, and reviews. Based on service options, company history, and national availability, we recommend Rush My Passport.
Affiliate disclosure: We may earn a commission if you use some partner links. Our guidance is based on the passport option that fits your travel timing and situation.
✈️ Need Your Passport Fast?
Expedited courier services help avoid delays and missed travel — a small cost compared to rebooking flights or canceling plans.
Same-Day for 15% off (limited availability) to 7–9 Day Priority for $299
How Much Does Passport Expediting Cost?
The total cost depends on the passport service you need, whether you request expedited processing, whether you add 1-3 day delivery for a passport book, and whether you use a private courier.
Government passport fees
- Adult new passport book: $130 application fee + $35 acceptance fee + $60 expedited service fee = $225.
- Adult passport book renewal: $130 application fee + $60 expedited service fee = $190.
- Child passport book: $100 application fee + $35 acceptance fee + $60 expedited service fee = $195.
- 1-3 day delivery: Add $21.36 for faster return delivery of a passport book. This service is not available for passport-card-only applications.
See our passport fees guide for a complete breakdown.
Other expenses to plan for
- Passport photos
- Shipping or mailing
- Certified copies of required documents
- Travel to a regional passport agency
- Lodging, parking, meals, or missed work
- Private courier fees, if you choose to use a courier
For a more detailed breakdown, use the worksheet provided in our guide: the Hidden Costs of Urgent Passport Applications.
Common Passport Expediting Mistakes to Avoid
- Waiting too long to choose the right path. If travel is less than 2-3 weeks away, routine mail or acceptance facility service is usually the wrong fit.
- Assuming a post office can issue a same-day passport. Acceptance facilities collect applications. They do not issue same-day passports.
- Submitting a bad passport photo. Passport photo mistakes can delay an urgent application, so check the most common passport photo rejection issues before you apply.
- Forgetting mailing time. Processing times only measure the time your application is at a passport agency or center.
- Using the wrong renewal route. Online renewal is routine only. If you need expedited or urgent renewal, use the mail or agency path.
- Overpaying for appointment help. The State Department does not charge a fee to make a passport agency appointment.
Official Sources
- U.S. Department of State passport processing times
- U.S. Department of State Get My Passport Fast guidance
- U.S. Department of State passport agency appointment guidance
- U.S. Department of State life-or-death emergency guidance
- U.S. Department of State courier and expeditor company guidance
- U.S. Department of State passport fee schedule
More Passport Expediting Information
- Routine vs. Expedited Passport Service: How to Choose
- Avoid Expediting Problems
- Passport Expediting Secrets
- Expedited Passport FAQ
- Expedited Passport Renewal FAQ
- Can You Get a Passport in 24 Hours?
- Passport Appointment Online: Routine & Expedited Services
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.
