If I understand correctly you're in the DC area - as an alternative to dealing directly with the Feds, you might want to try a passport/visa expediting service. I've used a service twice, once for an emergency renewal (I was sent out of the country for a long assignment and my passport would have expired while I was gone) and once to get a quick Chinese visa. They ship your paperwork wherever it needs to go and a staffer walks things through. They can usually provide 7, 3 or 1 day service.

Check the yellow pages under "Passport and Visa Services" or something similar. Also, I did a quick web search and found www.instantpassport.com, which you might want to look at - they have an office in Sterling, VA (no, I don't work for them!).

In general the fees were pretty reasonable ($75 for 3 day service on a renewal), if a bit more than the government, but they have been very reliable for me and the company I work for.

There are several Passport and Visa Services here in DC. I've used one before that is particularly good (but I can't tell you who they are - for fear of being "flamed"). Check out the DC Yellow Pages (as was suggested above).

Tim

Just to add to the info, I sent in hubby's passport for renewal Tuesday (11/12) using the expedite service. Hence $55.00 (regular fee) + $60.00 (expedite fee)= $115.00.

I also enclosed a $13.65 self-stamped/self-addressed express mail (hard) envelope for the return.

Surprise! The new passport arrived today, just 5 days later.

Note: I was advised by the post office lady not to use the regular (Pennsylvania??) address for express service. She gave me the one in New Orleans. This might have helped.

I got a passport returned to me within a week. Places tried to scam me for all the expedited fees but in the end, I mailed in the app via overnight air and enclosed a prepaid overnight return mailer. Got it back in seven days from day I originally mailed it with no fees other than $40 worth of overnight mailers.

I lost my passport and had to get a new one. The Seattle passport agency turned it around in a few hours because I needed it the following week. This was in early September.

My original comment was for overseas passport offices in consulates. They are not yet equipped to produce the new passports. Obviously, domestically it's a different situation.

One way of getting one either right away or next day.
Bring with you an airline ticket of confirmation for departure within the next six days.
You will be have to go a passport office, pay the expedite fee and bring your pictures.
You will have it done either right away or by next day.
This is applicable at the NY Office or CT office.
In the US Embassy either in Chile, Argentina or Brasil is done within six hours.
Best luck.

A couple of things:

(1) As of early September, they were running right up to the six-week window for renewals. I got mine back after about 5 1/2 weeks.

(2) I was pleasantly surprised with the 900 number. In the old days, you had to wait on hold. With the 900 number, I was able to make the phone call, immediately talk to a human, and get an exact status on my renewal ("It was completed two days ago and went out in yesterday's mail from Connecticut, Mr. Pinniped.") - all in about 3 minutes. It was well worth the five bucks, considering that the alternative usually involved 20-30 minutes on hold.

I got one of those keen Green passports that commemorates Ben Franklin. It expires in 2003. Does anyone know whether I will get another green one when I renew or will I get basic blue?

We are back to blue. The green passport legacy is just that.. legacy for that brief period a little less than a decade ago.

I, too, have the rare green US passport.

I got quizzed by another pax just last week.

Perhaps I should have NOT answered his question just to see his reaction! http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...orum/smile.gif

The green ones were only issued during 1993. Unless they decide to honor someone else next year, you can look forward to rejoining the blue crowd.

The green US passports were a limited issue in 1993 celebrating the 200th anniversary of the U.S. Consular Service. Ben Franklin was commemorated because he was the first U.S. Diplomat and thus considered the father of the U.S. Foreign Service.

All this time I've had my '93-issued passport and never knew that green was a limited-edition.

FYI - the State Department issues 24 page passports by default but you can request a 48 page passport if you find that you usually run out pages before the expriation of your passport. It saves the hassle of having to get extra pages inserted.