Wasserman recalls looking at the poor travelers, knowing the government could not accommodate all of their requests, and being happy that he still had time. "Some were scheduled to fly out that same day and were begging for some piece of government paper to let them travel." "We showed up for the appointment to a very crowded room filled with anxious people," he recalls. With only days before a scheduled trip to Portugal, he managed to get an urgent appointment at the Dallas Passport Agency. Jim Wasserman, a retired teacher from Atlanta, found himself in such a bind earlier this year, when he damaged his passport and needed to get a new one. getty The suspense is killing us!Įven under ideal circumstances, getting a last-minute passport can be a nerve-wracking experience. There are ways to get a passport at the last minute. I have details on travel ID requirements in my ultimate guide to passports and paperwork on my consumer advocacy site. An emergency passport requires an in-person appointment passports are issued the same day. Practically speaking, more desperate travelers are choosing the emergency passport option, arguing that the government itself, through its delays, has created an emergency. (Technically, a "life-or-death" emergency is someone dying, or in hospice, or with a "life-threatening" illness. The State Department says you should only choose this service if you have a "life-or-death emergency" that requires international travel within 72 hours.
You have to schedule your appointment within 5 calendar days of your international travel date.Įmergency. You'll have to make an appointment at a passport agency or center. If you can prove that you're within 14 calendar days of your international travel date - and if you can get an in-person appointment - this option is for you. You should have your passport within 10 weeks. You can request an expedited passport at an acceptance facility or expedite a renewal by mail. The State Department says it takes 7 to 9 weeks, but that's a tad optimistic. It costs an extra $60 above the regular passport fees. If you're less than 20 weeks away from your trip, this is the one for you. Give yourself a minimum of 20 weeks to get it.Įxpedited. Go to the post office to get your routine passport processed. In some industries, such as tours or cruise lines, last-minute is sometimes defined in months since many cruises are booked years in advance.
/TR005632-56a851055f9b58b7d0f20d9b.jpg "passport renewal rush my passport")
This is not a last-minute option unless you define "last minute" in weeks instead of days or hours. citizen looking for a passport, you have four basic options for getting a passport - at least officially. getty What are your options for a last-minute passport?
#PASSPORT RENEWAL RUSH MY PASSPORT HOW TO#
The State Department said it is getting about 400,000 passport applications every week following higher-than-normal volumes in January through May that surpassed 500,000 applications a week.Here's how to get a U.S. Flyers should carefully review passport processing times on before they make any definite or nonrefundable travel plans, the official said. Even so, the State Department has continued to experience a surge in passport demand, the official said. The agency said that it is meeting its published processing times in the "vast majority of cases" and that many customers receive their passports more quickly. The estimates do not include the time it takes for your application to travel through the mail the clock starts when the State Department receives the application, the official said.īecause some countries require that passports be valid at least six months beyond the dates of people's trips, travelers should check the State Department’s country-specific information pages to learn about entry and exit requirements and other important information for the countries they are visiting.
0 kommentar(er)
