I would recommend using a passport service in DC next time you need a visa done. For a fee they will go personally to the embassy to get your visa and overnight it back. There was one I used to use all the time for my Chinese Visas, always had it back from them in under a week.

If you happen to remember what service you used, maybe you could throw a name my way? As to the other people talking about Ukraine, I can confirm that no visa is needed for Americans. I was just there. The State Department website notes that they changed that just recently.

Yes, my Travel Agency lost my passport with the Chinese Visa one day before departure and I couldn´t fly to PVG.

My Travel Agent always managed to get a Visa and therefore he had to pay all the costs (new passport, new visa, new flights, ....)

I've come close - an emergency trip to London to collect it with my passport from the Ugandan High Commission the day before I flew to Uganda. The predicitability of being able to get a visa on arrival was considered low (in the event, of course I could have done!). My company mail room had messed up the postage on the return envelope, and so the HC had refused to post it back to me. At least I knew I wouldn't be getting it back, and was able to speak to someone at the HC to arrange to collect it...

I had the embassy of a certain African country sit on my visa request for five months, gathering more and more information in support of that request (but never hinting at possible denial), before finally denying the request once it was too late. My passport was mailed (deliberately?) the day my flight was to leave (initially to a third country for which I had a valid visa), rendering the entire trip "kaput". US$5,500 in airfares, prepaid hotels, et cetera.

Well, I'm sitting here in my hotel in Moscow right now, so it worked out okay. As I said, I know the local postmaster, so I ran down to the PO yesterday morning before my flight left and way before the place opened. He had just dug it out of the bag and handed it to me as I came to the back door. I got lucky this time. I don't need that kind of stress in the future. I think the answer for future last minute trips like this is to do as others suggested; i.e. use a visa service to help out.

I use Travel Docs:

http://www.traveldocs.com/

and have for about 9 years. I recommended them to a friend who used them for:

• Extra Passport Pages (there were none left)
• A Kenyan Business Visa

She sent her passport in on a Monday (overnight) and had it back before her departure the following Friday. 7 business days.

I have used Washington Passport & Visa Service - (202) 234-7667. The fee was steep, but they were able to get me a Russian Visa in two days.