Emergency Passport Renewal - How to Renew Your Passport Fast
You can get an emergency passport renewal as quickly as the same day. If you find yourself in an emergency situation and need to get your passport renewed in a hurry, you will have to expedite the application process. Renewing a passport in time can be accomplished in two ways. You can either submit your application at a regional agency or you can authorize a private expediter to do it for you.
Apply for Emergency Passport Renewal at Regional Agency
The first step to getting emergency passport renewal at a regional passport agency is to set up an appointment. Contact the National Passport Information Center which maintains an automated appointment system at 1-877-487-2778. Frequently, it can be difficult to get through so plan on making several attempts.
What do you do if you can’t get through or there is no appointment available when you need it? You can try just showing up at the regional agency closes to your location. While the State Department claims you need to make an appointment, we have never heard of anyone with a legitimate emergency being turned away.
What are the requirements for expediting a passport renewal? You must submit a completed application form DS-82, your most recent passport and two passport-style photos that are no more than 6 months old. Applicants whose name has changed since their last passport was issued also need to submit legal evidence of the name change.
If you go to the regional passport agency without an appointment, you will not have a confirmation number. It will be necessary to present your Social Security card. You also need to present proof of your departure date to prove your need for express passport renewal.
The total cost for emergency passport renewal is $135. The application fee is $75 and expedited service is an additional $60. Payment should be made by personal check, money order or bank draft. Payment should be made to the U.S. Department of State. Your application should be processed and your renewed passport ready either the same day or the day after.
Emergency Passport Renewals through a Passport Expediter
What do you do if you can’t get to a regional agency yourself? This option involves authorizing a private expediter to present the application for express passport renewal for you. Since expediting services are usually located in the same cities as the regional agencies and registered with them, it is a logical means to get your passport.
The first step is to choose the expediter that you would like to use and complete their application process. Next, you must mail them the completed form DS-82 and the other required documents. It is recommended that you use a two-way overnight delivery method that allows you to trace the package. You are also encouraged to use a secure package.
While these expediting services can get your passport renewed as fast as the same day, you will need to factor in mail delivery time if you elect to use this method. Of course, getting to a regional agency could cost you a lot of time, especially if you do not live near one.
The fees for emergency passport renewals through a professional expediter vary. You should expect to pay somewhere between $65 to get your passport in a couple of weeks to as much as $300 for same day service. This is in addition to the fees paid to the State Department.
Expediters can be expensive and you can save some money if you submit the application yourself. When you cannot get to a regional agency and you are facing the risk of having to cancel your trip, authorizing a professional expediter to submit your application for expedited passport renewal could be a very wise decision.