I am putting my timeline on here to hopefully easy somebody’s anxiety! I know reading threads helped mine. I am a US citizen but was born in another country. I stupidly realized last minute that my foreign birth certificate and driver’s license would not be sufficient to go on my cruise on November 20th, 2022. Complete rookie mistake (face palm).

Expedited Timeline:
October 6th: mailed priority mail with typed passport app, expired passport (as of March 2022) and check totaling $208.32. I was quoted that it would reach the destination by October 8th.

October 14th: packaged delivered to P.O. Box in Philly.

October 17th: check cashed and application status “in process.” Received application processing number beginning with 53 (Seattle processing center)

October 18th: reached out to local US congressman in order to have an extra push for the passport to be back in time for my trip on November 20th.

October 19th: received word from congressman that they would be in contact and would reach out to US Department of State on my behalf. A few emails were exchanged in which Congressman believed I would receive my passport by second week of November.

October 28th: Status “shipped” from Tucson, Arizona. I received a USPS tracking number. I paid for 1-2 day delivery. The status then changed from shipped to approved.

October 29th: received Next Gen passport.

23 total days! So happy with this.