When it comes time to renew their passports, many travelers find it to be no easy feat. Getting a new passport the traditional way can take three months or longer, so starting the process early is essential. But what if you realize too late that your passport is too damaged to travel or that you simply forgot to check the expiration date? If your trip is weeks or even days away, there’s still hope. Here are a few helpful hacks to get a new passport at the last minute.
Know Your Options
The U.S. Department of State offers three standard methods of passport services: routine, expedited, and urgent. The wait time for each varies based on demand. Typically, it takes around six to eight weeks to process a routine passport, not including mailing time, which can add up to two weeks. That adds up to 12 weeks (or longer) to get a new passport. Fortunately, for travelers in a pinch, the State Department offers two faster options, and there are other hacks to try if these traditional methods don’t work.
Apply for an “Expedited” Passport
The first option for travelers is to apply for “expedited” passports that can be processed within two to three weeks, not including mail time. The service comes with an extra $60 fee, on top of the $165 price for a new passport book or the $130 fee for a passport book renewal. For travelers heading on vacation in a few weeks, this method could work, but consider paying for priority mail express (at a carrier of your choice) to get your application there within a few days. Also, remember to purchase one-to-two-day delivery at checkout with the State Department to receive your passport quickly. (This is also an extra fee of $21.36.)
Get an “Urgent” Passport
If an expedited passport isn’t fast enough, an “urgent” passport appointment can be requested within 14 days of travel — but not any sooner. To use this service, you must call and make an in-person appointment at an official passport agency (not a passport acceptance facility such as a post office). Keep in mind that there is no guarantee of getting an appointment because there are limited openings, and there aren’t passport agencies in every state. (In fact, there are only 26 locations around the country.)
Travelers must also pay the same $60 fee as for expedited passports and show proof of travel within the next two weeks (such as an airline ticket or cruise receipt). There are no photo services at passport agencies, so bring your passport-ready photos and all required documentation, including proof of residency. After you call and make your appointment, these instructions, along with the required documents to fill out, will be emailed to you. Have everything filled out, printed, and ready for your appointment. If you can snag an appointment and all of your paperwork is approved, you could walk out with a new passport in as little as a few hours.
If last-minute travel is due to a serious family emergency, a second type of “urgent” appointment is available. This is called a life-or-death emergency appointment, but this is reserved for serious matters and shouldn’t be used by vacationers.
Contact Your Congressional Representative
If you’ve already submitted a passport request, but it’s taking longer than expected, there’s a surprising hack at your disposal: reaching out to your congressional representative. They can act as a liaison for their constituents dealing with federal agencies, and one of their duties is to assist with passports issued by the State Department.
Typically, your state congressperson will have a “help” section on their website offering federal agency resources, including for passport issues. After you submit your request, you’ll be contacted shortly (typically via email) — sometimes within the same day. The representative, or someone from their office, will reach out to the State Department and request an expedited approval. Sometimes, this can be done as soon as overnight if all the required paperwork is valid.
One traveler shared their experience on Reddit of trying this hack after their passport took weeks longer than expected. After completing an online form, “an hour later, I got a response from my Congressman in an email saying he will contact the passport agency and update me as soon as possible.” Fortunately, the issue was resolved quickly. “The next morning, I got a call from his office from a woman who said she was working all of the passport inquiries for the day.” After the traveler sent over their itinerary, the representative emailed back, “saying she will get my passport completed immediately and ship it to me overnight. I got sent a tracking number one hour later!”
Use a Courier Company
If you’re down to the wire and the above methods don’t work, you might have to look to a private agency for help. Couriers, or “passport expeditors,” are private companies that are authorized to submit passport applications and pick up passports for customers. Though they do not operate as part of the State Department, these providers know the ins and outs of passport applications, renewals, and expediting — allowing you to get your new passport within days and sometimes even within 24 hours.
In order to avoid being scammed, the first step is to choose one of the 200-plus couriers registered with the State Department. Couriers have agents around the country who are experts at securing last-minute in-person appointments, speaking on your behalf to get you a passport fast. They utilize airline parcel services to fly your new passport same-day or overnight, sometimes across the country, allowing you to continue your travel plans without doing any additional legwork.
Using an expeditor can be worthwhile if you’ve exhausted all other possibilities, but it comes at a steep price. It costs a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on the lengths needed for the last-minute request. For example, a one-week turnaround might cost around $400 (on top of the normal passport fee), while a 24-hour turnaround can cost $2,000 or more.
At the end of the day, travelers should weigh their options and decide if the trip can be moved to a more convenient time to avoid the high cost and stress of last-minute passport problems. However, if the trip is too important to be moved — imagine this scenario playing out while preparing for a destination wedding, for example — these hacks give you a great shot at getting a new passport in the nick of time.
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