Do This to Get Your U.S. Passport Faster

Before traveling abroad, you need to ensure you have a valid passport. If you discover that yours has or will expire before or during your trip and you are leaving soon, you can probably still get your documents in time with a few extra steps.

Passport processing times spiked during the pandemic but are currently holding at four to six weeks for routine service plus up to two weeks for round-trip mailing. (The option to renew your passport online takes some of the time and hassle out of the application, though this is available only for routine service.) If you are traveling in less than six weeks, you can pay to expedite your passport, which will get your documents back to you in about a month, but possibly less.

Depending on the time frame you're dealing with and the reasons for your travel, you have a few avenues to explore. Let's go through them all.

How to expedite your passport

If you can't risk waiting for routine processing, you can pay an additional $60 fee to expedite your application or renewal. The State Department says that expedited service takes two to three weeks plus up to two weeks for mailing, so be prepared for the total turnaround to be about a month.

There are two ways to expedite your passport: by mail if you are renewing, or at a passport acceptance facility if you are applying for the first time.

How to expedite by mail

To expedite your passport renewal by mail, you need to complete and print Form DS-82. You'll need your current passport (and passport card, if applicable), a passport photo, and a check or money order for the application fee plus $60. All of this needs to go in an envelope with "EXPEDITE" written on the outside and get mailed to the National Passport Processing Center:

National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90955
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0955

You can also pay an additional $21.36 for one- to two-day delivery, cutting the mailing time from the processing center back to you once your passport is ready, and/or use an express mail service to get your application in faster.

How to expedite at an acceptance facility

If you are applying for a passport for the first time, you can get expedited service at a passport acceptance facility, such as a post office, library, or local government center. Enter your zip code to find locations in your area.

Follow the State Department's instructions to prepare for a first-time, in-person application. You'll need to complete Form DS-11 and pay the $60 expedited fee with your application when you go to an acceptance facility.

How to expedite your passport if you've already applied

If you've already submitted an application for a first-time passport or a renewal but need your documents more quickly than you thought, you can still add expedited service. Call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778 to request the change and get instructions on how to pay the $60 fee.

How to get a passport for urgent travel

Urgent service may be available if you are traveling abroad in less than two to three weeks. This option requires an in-person appointment at a passport agency or center, cutting the mailing time and any potential delays incurred at an acceptance facility. You will need to have proof of travel, such as a ticket or itinerary, and pay the $60 expedite fee when you go to your appointment.

If you haven't already submitted your passport application, you can schedule an appointment online. If you've already applied but now need urgent service or need to change your appointment, call 877-487-2778 between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. ET Monday to Friday or between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday or Sunday.

You cannot walk into a passport agency without an appointment, and availability is not guaranteed.

How to get an emergency passport

The State Department also does speedier passport processing for travel that's less than 14 days out in the case of "life-or-death emergencies." You qualify for this service only if an immediate family member-a parent or legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent-outside of the U.S. has died, is in hospice care, or has a life-threatening illness or injury.

To apply for an emergency passport, you'll need a death certificate, mortuary statement, or hospital letter and proof of planned travel. You can then make an appointment at a passport agency online. If no appointments are available or you already applied for a passport before needing emergency processing, call 877-487-2778 between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ET Monday to Friday (or 202-647-4000 at any time outside of those hours).