Fast Passport

The slowest of the fast passport processing methods is to complete the normal application process with the exception of requesting expedited services.

For a new passport, you need to take the completed, unsigned Form DS-11 along with proof of citizenship, proof of identity, two passport photos and fees to a nearby passport office where an agent will witness the signing of the application. This is the same process if you need to replace a lost or stolen passport. IN that case, you will also need to complete Form DS-64, Statement Regarding or Stolen or Lost Passport.

For a passport renewal, you mail in the completed Form DS-82, two passport photos and your current, undamaged passport. If you need a name change, you mail in Form DS-5054 along with your passport and proof of the name change. To add visa pages, you only need to send your passport and Form DS-4048.

In all cases, you should provide two-way overnight delivery and write "Expedite" on the outside of the envelope if you want your request processed more quickly.

This method will cut about a week or two off the processing time since regular passport processing takes 4 weeks or more. This means you should get your passport within two to three weeks. This, of course, is not guaranteed. It can take longer during peak travel seasons when there is a sudden surge in demand for passports.

If you need your passport faster, you might consider the second option.

If your departure date is within 14 days (or 28 days and you need to obtain a travel visa), you can apply for a passport at a regional passport agency.

While this option should result in you getting your passport faster, it can be a stressful experience. If you're in a crunch for time, you're probably already feeling the stress. This method may just compound that. Why?

First of all, you have to set up an appointment with the National Passport Information Center through an automated phone service. This has been known to require a LOT of attempts to finally get through.

Once the appointment is made, you will have to travel to the agency that has jurisdiction over the state in which you reside. There are only thirteen regional agencies located in the U.S. They can be found in Honolulu, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Houston, Aurora (Co), New Orleans, Chicago, Miami, D.C., Philadelphia, New York, Newark and Boston.

If you live in or near one of these major cities, you are a step ahead. Even so, you still have to find and pay for parking. Then, you have to wait in line to be attended. Here is what one person who went through the process had to say about it.

"I spent an entire day sitting in lines in a hot, cramped passport office in Stamford, Conn., since moved to South Norwalk. The office, an hour's drive from my home, was one of the few in the Northeast that provided last-minute service for those who call at least a few days ahead for an appointment. The lines moved at a pace that made those at the Department of Motor Vehicles look fast. In retrospect, given the amount of work I missed and the aggravation, I would've paid $150 for an online service." Bob Tedeschi, New York Times Travel Section

If you don't have 2 to 3 weeks to wait and you don't want to face the inconvenience of spending hours trying to call the National Passport Information Center and a making trip to the regional agency, you will have to go with the third option.

The fastest way to get a passport is to use a registered expediting service. Not only is this method faster than any other, it is also the most convenient approach. You mail your application and required documents to the expediter of your choice and they hand deliver it to the agency for you.

Most expediters have an office in Washington DC. Some have multiple offices in locations where a regional agency is located. When you choose to use an expediter, it only matters if they have access to at least one agency. It does not have to be the one that has jurisdiction over your state.

By using this method:

- You don't have to spend hours on the phone trying to make an appointment.
- You don't have to travel to the regional agency and fight for a parking spot.
- You don't have to spend "an entire day sitting in lines at hot, cramped passport office".

However, it is extremely important that you choose wisely if you decide to apply for a passport through a private expediter. Choose right and you find a solution to your need for a fast passport. You can get on with the travel plans while an experienced, reliable expediting service obtains your passport for you.

Expediters who do not fulfill their promises have been known to wreck havoc on travel plans and ruin vacations. One such expediter that is easily found through major search engines, has an attractive website and reasonable prices has had 171 complaints filed against them at the Better Business Bureau. Yikes! You definitely want to stay away from a company like that.

Over the past six and a half years, I have used and reviewed over 40 fast passport expediting services. There are several good, reliable companies. If I were to recommend a service, it would be It's Easy Passport. They have a lot of experience and a high standard of customer care. For visas, I would go with Travel Visa Pro.