Are you eager to book an international trip but worried you won’t get your passport in time for the flight? Well don’t you fret…I can tell you how to get a passport at the last minute, even the same day.
These are the processing times currently posted on the Department of State’s passport site, but these can change. Time frames do not include mailing time. I guess the U.S. now has a mailing system as slow as Italy’s, because the website says to allow 2 weeks each direction for:
- Routine in 10-13 weeks
- Expedited (+$60) in 7-9 weeks
In February of 2022, I polled a large travel group and members around the country reported that they received their passports anywhere from two weeks to eight weeks from the time their request was sent. This includes renewals and new passport requests, routine and expedited.
That’s faster than the estimated processing times. However, since then, passport processing times on the department website have increased by two weeks.
If you submitted your application as routine and it hasn’t been processed yet, you can pay more to upgrade it to expedited ($60) and change it to 1 to 2-day delivery (for passport books only). If you applied in person or by mail, call 1-877-487-2778. Or if you applied online, login to your MyTravelGov account.
***If your trip is nearing, and you still haven’t received it, act now***
First, check the status online.
Second, pick up the phone. You have three options, depending on your travel date:
- If your travel date is 6-14 days away:
- Call (877) 487-2778 as soon as they open at 8am Eastern Time
- FYI: Their hours are Monday through Friday 8am-10pm ET
- They will notify the processing center to expedite and delivery in time
- If your travel date is less than 5 days away:
- Call (877) 487-2778 for an ‘Urgent Travel Service’ appointment with a local passport agency
- Again, call as soon as they open at 8am Eastern Time
- An agency is different than an accepting facility, e.g. your local post office
- Local passport agencies are in major cities across the country
- Your appointment date must be within five business days of your travel date
- Be ready to fork over some money
- They have limited appointments. If they don’t have an in-person appointment available (or if you live anywhere near Montana, where they don’t show agencies for miles), then:
- Contact your local congressional representative:
- I know, I was just as shocked…I had no clue they could help with this
- Search for your local representative here
- Contact their office or follow the instructions on their site
After your appointment, you should receive your passport the same day. Same day?!
Yes. My sister actually received her family’s renewed passports the same day that they drove to the passport agency in San Francisco for their last-minute appointment. That was at no small cost, though.
Now go get your passport and book that international adventure! Need some inspo? Check out my European travel guides for the best luxury family hotels and off the beaten path adventures. If you want to see for yourself the second most visited city in the world (hey, Paris is tough to beat), then don’t miss my latest posts on where to stay and what to do in Dubai (and of course, Abu Dhabi).
While you’re waiting for your passport, consider endless outdoor adventures in the southwest. Kanab, Utah is a hidden foodie haven, and it’s only a day trip from there to Antelope Canyon, Zion National Park, and Bryce Canyon.
The possibilities are endless. Yes, even with kids, toddlers, and babies (and even easier if you have the right travel gear). Getting baby to pose for a passport photo is just the beginning of the adventure!
