Originally Posted by
htxmd64
I submitted it at the post office (Initial application), you don't use your own envelope and USPS ships it for you. You can offer to pay 25.xx for overnight but when I tried, the employee told me that they use "Priority 2 Day envelopes" and it would reach a day later so it's not worth paying the extra for overnight, I understand that priority 2 day is a tracked service but that fee is included in the 35$ acceptance fee at the post office. While I'm sure it's tracked, he did not give me a tracking number despite asking and none was printed on my receipt.
The receipt was for $35 Passport Acceptance and not for "Priority mail" so it doesn't have a tracking number. Also, it did deliver on 08/11 (submitted on 08/09) because my check was cashed on 08/12.
I hope you were not unintentionally misled by the USPS. Everything I see is the "Acceptance Fee" by statute is only intended to cover the USPS' role in validating the applicant is who they claim to be (on behalf of the State Department). The clerk may not have been technically wrong, and the receiving post office may bulk ship all the passport applications regularly to the State Department Processing Center via Priority Mail. But that of course would not give you a unique tracker.