How to Expedite Your Passport After Applying

Jared Ranahan

February 23, 2024 at 10:37 AM·4 min read

Need to expedite your passport application after you’ve already sent it in? Here’s what you should do.

<p>Nataliia Nesterenko/Getty Images</p> — Nataliia Nesterenko/Getty Images

While the Earth is home to just over 190 UN-recognized countries, each one is united through the use of one particular type of document: the passport, a pocket-sized booklet that allows holders to move beyond their own nation’s borders and explore far-reaching corners of the globe. For U.S. citizens, the document is an instrumental part of international travel plans, serving as a crucial transit tool whether they’re jetting off to New Zealand or just hopping across the border to Canada — so what happens if you need to expedite your passport after applying?

Whether you need to renew your passport or you’re finally taking the plunge into first-time passport ownership, we’ve got you covered. Here’s what you need to know to speed up the process once you’ve already submitted your passport application.

There are private courier companies that claim to provide expedited passport services for a fee, but the U.S. Department of State says that using one of these services will not get you your passport faster than applying at one of their passport agencies.

How to Apply for a New Passport or Renew Your Current Passport

Never applied for a passport before? There’s no need to worry — the process is relatively painless. For adult U.S. citizens applying for their first passport, the journey typically begins with the completion of a DS-11 form, a document that can be accessed through the U.S. Department of State website. Once filled out, applicants can assess their total cost using the page’s handy calculator, then fill out a check or money order (as many passport acceptance facilities won’t take cash or card).

Next, applicants must obtain proof of U.S. citizenship (options range from a birth certificate to a certificate of naturalization) as well as a photocopy of the document, a valid ID and photocopy of said ID, and a photo that adheres to U.S. Department of State passport photo requirements. Once all the above documents have been compiled, applicants can search for a passport acceptance facility through the bureau’s online portal, then schedule an appointment to submit their application. Unfortunately, first-time passport applications can’t be processed by mail, so an in-person appointment (typically at a local post office) is necessary to obtain your document.

On the other hand, those with passports nearing their expiration date (side note: most countries require visitors’ passports to be at least six months away from expiration in order to enter) or running out of stamp space can enter a much more hassle-free process for passport renewal. If eligible for renewal by mail, applicants can compile a filled-out DS-82 form, their current passport, any necessary name change documents, an acceptable photo, and a check or money order, then drop their application in the mail for processing.

How to Get a Passport Quickly

Travel plans can change in an instant, and if you suddenly have an international voyage in the works and no valid passport to call your own, there may still be hope on the horizon. The U.S. Department of State works in tandem with multiple passport agencies and centers, each one designed to receive patrons who have urgent travel plans in the next 14 calendar days.

Travelers can contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 to make an appointment, with both Life-or-Death Emergency Service and Urgent Travel Service options available depending on the circumstances. Once contacted, the center will work with eligible callers to set up the soonest available appointment in a nearby office. Note that walk-ins are strictly forbidden, so all travelers will need to call the above number in order to properly facilitate an appointment.