How to Get a Passport Quickly

One instance where you can get a passport quickly is during family emergencies that would require you to go to another country where a US passport is required within 48 hours. What you need to do is to apply for an emergency passport by calling the National Passport Information Agency. They will schedule an appointment between you and the passport agency nearest you. Because of its nature, you may call the National Passport Information Agency at any time of the day, every day.

When you call the Passport Information Agency and no appointment is available for you, stay on the line so you can speak to a customer service agent. They can assist you on what to do next. There are other options available to you should a customer service agent be unavailable.

In instances where there isn't a family emergency, but you still need to travel outside the country in less than four weeks, you can choose to have your application expedited. Getting an expedited passport is the fastest and most efficient way of getting a passport outside of emergency situations. In fact, the US Department of State advises travelers needing to travel in less than ten weeks to get an expedited passport instead of the routine application.

Getting an expedited passport is also important if you need to travel to a foreign destination within two weeks or need your passport to obtain a foreign visa in less than four weeks. Current processing times for expedited passport services are is around two to three weeks. It is therefore advisable that you apply for a US passport if you are already expecting to travel in the coming months.

If you are sending your passport application by mail, make sure you clearly write the word, "EXPEDITED" outside the envelope. Aside from that, make sure you have the means to track your mail before sending it. There are courier services that provide this feature. And, since your envelope contains sensitive personal information, make sure that your envelope is secure and isn't easily damaged.

Keep in mind that getting an expedited passport service requires an additional fee on top of the regular processing fees. It can be hefty for some, but if you're after speed and convenience, it's well worth the money. Consult with your nearest passport agency regarding the fees you need to pay.

After reading this article, we're pretty sure you now know how to get a passport quickly. To sum up, you can get a passport faster than a routine service during family emergencies that require you to travel out of the country. Aside from that, choosing an expedited passport service would help speed up your american passport application.