Looking for a walk-in passport office where you can apply for a new passport without an appointment? You'll find that almost all application acceptance facilities require an appointment although most offer limited hours for walk-ins.
Many travelers look for a walk-in option because it offers the possibility of submitting an application without scheduling hassles. However, be aware that availability is limited, hours may be restricted, and walk-in service does not guarantee faster processing.
⚠️ Current Processing Time Alert: Standard government processing is currently estimated at 4-6 weeks.
If you are traveling within the next 14 days, standard mail-in services may not arrive in time.
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How to Use the USPS Online Appointment System to Find Walk-In Passport Offices
Follow the steps below to check local appointment availability and identify which passport acceptance facilities offer walk-in hours.
Keep in mind that walk-in availability is not guaranteed. When demand is high, the office may reach capacity and stop accepting walk-ins for the day.
You cannot filter specifically for walk-in passport offices in the USPS system, but you can identify them by checking the passport appointment details for each location. If a facility offers walk-ins, the walk-in hours appear directly on the location page before you book.
The USPS tool only includes post offices. If you want a complete list that includes public libraries, universities, city and county offices, and more, use our directory of passport facilities by state. These locations often offer better walk-in access.
Step 1: Go to the USPS Passport Appointment Scheduler
Visit USPS.com and open the Passport Appointment Scheduler.
Step 2: Choose Your Service Type
Select:
- New Passport with Photo Services (recommended, since you will need new photos)
Then choose:
- Number of applicants
- Whether minors are included
Step 3: Search for Nearby Locations
Enter:
- Your ZIP code
- A search radius (for example, 10 miles)
Optionally, check the box for:
- Locations that offer passport photo services
Then click Search.
Step 4: Review the List of Acceptance Facilities
The system will display a list of nearby passport acceptance facilities. Click on each location to view:
- Passport appointment hours
- Walk-in hours (if any are offered)
- Business hours (these are often different from passport hours)
Not all locations accept walk-ins. USPS clearly marks walk-in hours when they are available.
Step 5: Select a Location to Check Appointment Availability
Choose a facility and click Select. The system will show:
- A calendar of available dates
- Time slots (unavailable times appear grayed out)
The walk-in information appears here as well if that location offers it.
Step 6: View Walk-In Availability
If a facility accepts walk-ins, you will see a note such as:
- "Walk-in hours on Thursday"
- "Walk-ins accepted during these hours..."
This is how you confirm whether a walk-in passport office is available near you using the USPS system.
If no walk-in hours appear, that location requires appointments only.
Step 7 (Optional): Book an Appointment Instead
If you decide to book an appointment, follow these steps:
- Choose an available date.
- Choose an available time slot.
- Enter your name, phone number, and email address.
- Select text or email for verification.
- Enter the verification code you receive.
- Review and confirm your appointment details.
You will also see a reminder to bring the following items for a new passport: Form DS-11 (unsigned), photocopies of your supporting documents, and the required fees.
What to Expect from a Walk-In Passport Office
Before you visit a walk-in passport office near you, you need to know how they work. To help, let's clarify several things about these facilities so that you know what to expect.
Finding a walk-in facility may require you to travel.
Most application acceptance facilities require an appointment. While there are over 7,400 passport acceptance facilities, there are far fewer locations that accept walk-ins.
It may be necessary for you to travel 10 to 30 miles or more, to get to a facility where you don't need an appointment. It all depends on where you live.
If you don't have the ability (or time) to make this work, consider getting help from a reputable passport expediter. These services can dramatically reduce the effort involved in getting a new passport or a passport renewal.
Acceptance facilities can change the way that they operate without contacting Passport Services.
While we try to keep our records up-to-date, we depend on the initiative of the passport facilities to update their own information.
Before attempting to submit your passport application as a walk-in, we recommend that you try calling the facility first. This will allow you to confirm the facility's hours for submitting applications as well as their walk-in policy.
Passport offices often have limited hours of operation.
Many of the facilities that do accept walk-ins often establish a cut-off time for getting in line. These cut-off times may be 30 minutes or more before closing.
This means that just because you arrive before closing time doesn't mean that you will be allowed to submit your application. For this reason, we recommend that you arrive earlier rather than later.
Some facilities limit the number of new passport applications that they accept each day.
What's more, there may not be a way to know if these limits exist until it is too late. Once again, our recommendation is that you arrive early and try to be one of the first applicants in line.
What to Expect from Any Passport Acceptance Facility
There are a lot of different types of places that accept passport accplications.
There are a couple of things that are true of all acceptance facilities. This is regardless of whether they accept walk-ins or are appointment-only:
- Local passport application acceptance facilities only accept form DS-11. Any service that requires the submission of a different application form, like a passport renewal, should be mailed directly to the address on the form.
- Current processing times are 4 to 6 weeks for routine service and 2 to 3 weeks for expedited service - just like non-walk-in applications. A walk-in passport acceptance facility does not imply you will get your passport faster.
There Are Faster Options for Getting a Passport
You can get a passport faster than a walk-in appointment at a passport acceptance facility. To do so, you will have to submit your passport application at a regional passport agency or center.
Know that regional passport agencies and centers require an appointment. However, they usually accept walk-ins when they can. Therefore, for the best chances of getting your passport quickly, you should first try to schedule an appointment.
If an appointment is not available before your departure date, try your luck as a walk-in. If you do, be sure to arrive early and have all your required documents with you.
Alternatively, if you are unable to go in person, you can get a registered courier to submit your passport application for expedited service at a regional agency. Couriers are able to hand deliver application forms every day, so they are not required to make an appointment.Top 5 Questions About Expedited Passport Couriers
2. What exactly does a passport expediter do?
3. Are passport expediting services legitimate?
4. How can I identify a reliable passport expeditor?
5. Is expedited passport service worth it?
Get answers to these questions and more in our Ultimate U.S. Traveler's Guide to Passport Expediters.
You can also visit our library of articles about passport expediting.
