Originally Posted by
wrxmom
I can understand your reluctance on the government to be efficient and not want to buy your ticket in advance. However, in order to get a passport issued in a matter of days, if you're going to travel within 14 days from when you apply for your child's passport you will need to show that your tickets have been purchased.
You do not need to show that tickets have been purchased. You need to show some form of impending travel documentation. When I needed to get my four children passports issued quickly, the Washington DC Passport office took a hotel reservation in Canada as enough proof of near term international travel.