Mar 1, 2022, 6:35 am
Last edit by: CKDGM
Passport Agency Appointments (same day expedited service)
Appointments for same-day expedited service often go quickly. It is best that you schedule your appointment with the passport agency exactly 14 days before your trip. You will want to call the passport number before the center opens at 8am EST as they will have just opened up one day (14 days out) of appointments at all agencies. Appointment times start at 8am. It is important that you have enough buffer in your travel schedule. For example, if you make an appointment for a new passport at 11am and your time of travel is at 2pm, there will not be enough time for you to get your passport. If you book the 8am slot you may have to wait until the end of the business day to get your new passport or it may only be a few hours.
You will want to have your date of travel, time of travel, your flight itinerary number, name of destination, full name of applicant, and applicant's birth city, and the zip code of where you live (to help them find the closest available center with open slots). Use the following steps to increase your chances of success to booking an appointment as they can go very quickly:
Credit: chgoeditor
Known office locator numbers (not complete)
Note: The office code (first two digits of your application locator number returned by Passport Status) is the office reviewing your documents and approving your application. It isn't necessarily the address you mailed the forms to (always Irving or Philadelphia for renewals) nor the facility where the book is physically printed and mailed (often Tucson or Hot Springs).
10: Boston
11: NYC
12: Honolulu
14: Stamford, CT
15: Portsmouth, NH
17: Aurora, CO
18: Chicago
19: Washington, DC
20-29: Portsmouth, NH
34-39: Charleston
40-42: New Orleans, LA
45: Portsmouth, NH
50: Los Angeles, CA
51: Miami
53: Seattle
54: Minneapolis
55: Dallas
56: Detroit
57: San Francisco
58: Philadelphia, PA
61-64: Tucson
65: Hot Springs, AR
67: San Juan, PR
68: Portsmouth, NH
69: Portsmouth, NH
71: US embassies/consulates abroad (possibly Portsmouth, NH)
74: Atlanta
75: St Albans, VT
76: San Diego, CA
77: Buffalo, NY
78: El Paso, TX
79: Houston, TX
80: Special Issuance Agency ("Issues diplomatic, official, service, and no-fee regular passports, and facilitates visa processing for those traveling on behalf of the U.S. government.")
95: Online
A list of agencies and their locator numbers is listed on this page under the heading, "List of passport agencies and centers with locator numbers."
H/T Nayef, txviking, and various individual posts both here and on Reddit. If you have a locator not in the above list, check the return address agency name or postmark/ZIP on your returned citizenship docs, or passport card if you applied for one, which may be the processing office, although the address itself is likely to be a PO Box in Sterling, VA in all cases (which appears to be a lockbox location that processes mail for all locations). The passport books are printed in fewer locations, often Hot Springs and Tucson, and may not correspond to the agency where the processing steps occurred. If it doesn’t match the list above, please add or correct.
Appointments for same-day expedited service often go quickly. It is best that you schedule your appointment with the passport agency exactly 14 days before your trip. You will want to call the passport number before the center opens at 8am EST as they will have just opened up one day (14 days out) of appointments at all agencies. Appointment times start at 8am. It is important that you have enough buffer in your travel schedule. For example, if you make an appointment for a new passport at 11am and your time of travel is at 2pm, there will not be enough time for you to get your passport. If you book the 8am slot you may have to wait until the end of the business day to get your new passport or it may only be a few hours.
You will want to have your date of travel, time of travel, your flight itinerary number, name of destination, full name of applicant, and applicant's birth city, and the zip code of where you live (to help them find the closest available center with open slots). Use the following steps to increase your chances of success to booking an appointment as they can go very quickly:
- 14 days before your trip, you need to schedule an appointment with the passport agency.
- At 7:55 am call the passport number 877-487-2778 (This have to be exactly 14 days before your plane ticket or less. If less, it will get harder to find an appointment)
- Click 1 (For English)
- Click 2 (New Passport)
- Continue to Click 7 to repeat, and keep doing this while watching your watch or using Time.gov to get the exact time down to the second.
- When your it hits exactly 8:00 am Click 2 (for traveling within 14 days option)
- There will be a delay of 3-4 second and you will wait for the next available agent. If you are very lucky, you will be put straight through to an agent. You may be waiting few minutes or maybe as long as 15-20 minutes.
- If you did not click 1 exactly at 8 am, you may have to wait for more than an hour and half
Credit: chgoeditor
Known office locator numbers (not complete)
Note: The office code (first two digits of your application locator number returned by Passport Status) is the office reviewing your documents and approving your application. It isn't necessarily the address you mailed the forms to (always Irving or Philadelphia for renewals) nor the facility where the book is physically printed and mailed (often Tucson or Hot Springs).
10: Boston
11: NYC
12: Honolulu
14: Stamford, CT
15: Portsmouth, NH
17: Aurora, CO
18: Chicago
19: Washington, DC
20-29: Portsmouth, NH
34-39: Charleston
40-42: New Orleans, LA
45: Portsmouth, NH
50: Los Angeles, CA
51: Miami
53: Seattle
54: Minneapolis
55: Dallas
56: Detroit
57: San Francisco
58: Philadelphia, PA
61-64: Tucson
65: Hot Springs, AR
67: San Juan, PR
68: Portsmouth, NH
69: Portsmouth, NH
71: US embassies/consulates abroad (possibly Portsmouth, NH)
74: Atlanta
75: St Albans, VT
76: San Diego, CA
77: Buffalo, NY
78: El Paso, TX
79: Houston, TX
80: Special Issuance Agency ("Issues diplomatic, official, service, and no-fee regular passports, and facilitates visa processing for those traveling on behalf of the U.S. government.")
95: Online
A list of agencies and their locator numbers is listed on this page under the heading, "List of passport agencies and centers with locator numbers."
H/T Nayef, txviking, and various individual posts both here and on Reddit. If you have a locator not in the above list, check the return address agency name or postmark/ZIP on your returned citizenship docs, or passport card if you applied for one, which may be the processing office, although the address itself is likely to be a PO Box in Sterling, VA in all cases (which appears to be a lockbox location that processes mail for all locations). The passport books are printed in fewer locations, often Hot Springs and Tucson, and may not correspond to the agency where the processing steps occurred. If it doesn’t match the list above, please add or correct.
Current US passport wait? (Merged Threads)
Aug 17, 2021 | 10:37 pm
#1546
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: HTX
Programs: UA/Star Alliance Gold, AS MVP Gold/OneWorld Sapphire, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10
I agree, if you do not need it urgently, then just wait it out.
Aug 18, 2021 | 9:30 am
#1547
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: SFO
Programs: COdbaUA Platinum 2MM
Posts: 5,602
Timeline for regular non expedited application for my wife, still in process.
No international travel plans coming up, so we don't absolutely NEED the passport, but it would be nice to have her naturalization certificate back.
4/26 - applied for new passport in person at USPS, told processing time was "12 weeks."
6/7 - check cashed, application shows up as "in process," locator number begins "61"
....then radio silence.
8/12 - reached out to our Congressman's office.
8/13 - response from Western Passport Center, to inquiry from our Congressman's office - "If the applicant is traveling soon we suggest that she upgrades to Expedite service for 60.00 so that we can start processing the application and upgrades to UPS overnight delivery for 17.56. Please send us credit card information by replying to this email so that we can process the application asap, thank you!" 15 weeks in, they're telling us we need to pay more money for the privilege of receiving worse service than promised at the outset.
8/16 - was about to send Congressman's office an email thanking them for reaching out, but as I'm literally writing the email, got a UPS email notification that an overnight package was on the way from Western Passport Center.
A bit mysterious, but we'll take the passport in our hands, if it indeed arrives tomorrow.
No international travel plans coming up, so we don't absolutely NEED the passport, but it would be nice to have her naturalization certificate back.
4/26 - applied for new passport in person at USPS, told processing time was "12 weeks."
6/7 - check cashed, application shows up as "in process," locator number begins "61"
....then radio silence.
8/12 - reached out to our Congressman's office.
8/13 - response from Western Passport Center, to inquiry from our Congressman's office - "If the applicant is traveling soon we suggest that she upgrades to Expedite service for 60.00 so that we can start processing the application and upgrades to UPS overnight delivery for 17.56. Please send us credit card information by replying to this email so that we can process the application asap, thank you!" 15 weeks in, they're telling us we need to pay more money for the privilege of receiving worse service than promised at the outset.
8/16 - was about to send Congressman's office an email thanking them for reaching out, but as I'm literally writing the email, got a UPS email notification that an overnight package was on the way from Western Passport Center.
A bit mysterious, but we'll take the passport in our hands, if it indeed arrives tomorrow.
Aug 18, 2021 | 3:09 pm
#1548
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 42
Does anyone have experience with moving to another state while a U.S. passport application is in process? Will they forward the new passport? Is there a way to change the application, or better not to touch it?
History:
March 5, 2021 -- new baby born
March 17, 2021 -- applied for new passport at post office, standard processing
April 1, 2021 -- status shows "In Process"
June, 2021 -- cancelled international trip (no passport for baby, plus never-ending lockdowns...)
August 1, 2021 -- status still shows "In Process"
August 20, 2021 -- planning to move to another state
History:
March 5, 2021 -- new baby born
March 17, 2021 -- applied for new passport at post office, standard processing
April 1, 2021 -- status shows "In Process"
June, 2021 -- cancelled international trip (no passport for baby, plus never-ending lockdowns...)
August 1, 2021 -- status still shows "In Process"
August 20, 2021 -- planning to move to another state
We set up USPS mail forwarding. Does anyone have experience with forwarded passports?
Application Status: In Process
The U.S. Department of State has received your application for your passport book on 04/01/2021. We're now reviewing your application and supporting documents.
You requested routine service when you applied, which we are currently processing within 12 weeks. Our processing times do not include mailing times, which could add 6 weeks to the door-to-door time.
Aug 18, 2021 | 4:58 pm
#1549
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Florida
Programs: Delta SkyMiles; Hilton HHonors; NEXUS; National Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 367
8/12 - reached out to our Congressman's office.
8/13 - response from Western Passport Center, to inquiry from our Congressman's office - "If the applicant is traveling soon we suggest that she upgrades to Expedite service for 60.00 so that we can start processing the application and upgrades to UPS overnight delivery for 17.56. Please send us credit card information by replying to this email so that we can process the application asap, thank you!" 15 weeks in, they're telling us we need to pay more money for the privilege of receiving worse service than promised at the outset.
8/16 - was about to send Congressman's office an email thanking them for reaching out, but as I'm literally writing the email, got a UPS email notification that an overnight package was on the way from Western Passport Center.
A bit mysterious, but we'll take the passport in our hands, if it indeed arrives tomorrow.
8/13 - response from Western Passport Center, to inquiry from our Congressman's office - "If the applicant is traveling soon we suggest that she upgrades to Expedite service for 60.00 so that we can start processing the application and upgrades to UPS overnight delivery for 17.56. Please send us credit card information by replying to this email so that we can process the application asap, thank you!" 15 weeks in, they're telling us we need to pay more money for the privilege of receiving worse service than promised at the outset.
8/16 - was about to send Congressman's office an email thanking them for reaching out, but as I'm literally writing the email, got a UPS email notification that an overnight package was on the way from Western Passport Center.
A bit mysterious, but we'll take the passport in our hands, if it indeed arrives tomorrow.
Aug 19, 2021 | 7:25 am
#1550
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: HTX
Programs: UA/Star Alliance Gold, AS MVP Gold/OneWorld Sapphire, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10
Application Type:
First Time Applicant (Naturalized earlier this month) - Non-Standard (Large Book) with Passport Card, expedited with overnight return fee paid
Timeline:
08/09/21: Applied at post-office in Houston (They ship via priority 2 day by default)
08/11/21: Probable delivery date quoted by the USPS staff at submission (they do not give you tracking number if you apply at the Post office)
08/12/21: Status changed to "In Process"
08/13/21 (Friday): Reached out to my congresswoman's office as I needed to travel urgently. I faxed the privacy form (usually most of them have it on their website) before getting the acknowledgement.
08/16/21 (Monday): Received email that congresswoman's office had placed an expedite request
08/17/21: Passport and Passport Card shipped via overnight UPS. Expected delivery date (on UPS website): 08/18/21
Total time, door to door: 8 business days.
Contact your reps promptly if you need the passport urgently. It works.
First Time Applicant (Naturalized earlier this month) - Non-Standard (Large Book) with Passport Card, expedited with overnight return fee paid
Timeline:
08/09/21: Applied at post-office in Houston (They ship via priority 2 day by default)
08/11/21: Probable delivery date quoted by the USPS staff at submission (they do not give you tracking number if you apply at the Post office)
08/12/21: Status changed to "In Process"
08/13/21 (Friday): Reached out to my congresswoman's office as I needed to travel urgently. I faxed the privacy form (usually most of them have it on their website) before getting the acknowledgement.
08/16/21 (Monday): Received email that congresswoman's office had placed an expedite request
08/17/21: Passport and Passport Card shipped via overnight UPS. Expected delivery date (on UPS website): 08/18/21
Total time, door to door: 8 business days.
Contact your reps promptly if you need the passport urgently. It works.
Also, I know that they usually send Passport Card, Passport and Citizenship evidence separately but I received one UPS Overnight package yesterday with all three together which was nice.
Last edited by htxmd64; Aug 19, 2021 at 7:25 am Reason: grammatical error
Aug 19, 2021 | 1:10 pm
#1551
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Colorado (anywhere between DEN DMM BAH)
Programs: United MileagePlus, SkyMiles, AAdvantage, NEXUS
Posts: 3,595
I didn't get a tracking number or anything on my USPS receipt. Is there some other way of tracking the shipment of the application and documents?
Aug 19, 2021 | 3:11 pm
#1552
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: HTX
Programs: UA/Star Alliance Gold, AS MVP Gold/OneWorld Sapphire, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10
Aug 19, 2021 | 3:13 pm
#1553
Moderator: Avianca, Travel Photography, Travel Technology & USA
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Far western edge of the La-La Land City limits
Programs: Emeritus VIP Fromins Deli Encino grandfathered successor program - UA MM & HH Diamond
Posts: 3,812
Are you absolutely sure you sent it using a service level like Priority Mail? That automatically includes a tracking number (usually 18 digits on your receipt). A Priority Mail envelope to the Passport Processing Office should run just under $8.
Aug 19, 2021 | 3:17 pm
#1554
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: HTX
Programs: UA/Star Alliance Gold, AS MVP Gold/OneWorld Sapphire, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10
The receipt was for $35 Passport Acceptance and not for "Priority mail" so it doesn't have a tracking number. Also, it did deliver on 08/11 (submitted on 08/09) because my check was cashed on 08/12.
Last edited by htxmd64; Aug 19, 2021 at 3:20 pm Reason: receipt clarification, timeline
Aug 19, 2021 | 3:28 pm
#1555
Moderator: Avianca, Travel Photography, Travel Technology & USA
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Far western edge of the La-La Land City limits
Programs: Emeritus VIP Fromins Deli Encino grandfathered successor program - UA MM & HH Diamond
Posts: 3,812
I submitted it at the post office (Initial application), you don't use your own envelope and USPS ships it for you. You can offer to pay 25.xx for overnight but when I tried, the employee told me that they use "Priority 2 Day envelopes" and it would reach a day later so it's not worth paying the extra for overnight, I understand that priority 2 day is a tracked service but that fee is included in the 35$ 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.
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.
Aug 19, 2021 | 3:33 pm
#1556
Join Date: Aug 2021
Location: HTX
Programs: UA/Star Alliance Gold, AS MVP Gold/OneWorld Sapphire, Bonvoy Titanium, HH Gold
Posts: 10
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.
Aug 19, 2021 | 3:57 pm
#1557
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Colorado (anywhere between DEN DMM BAH)
Programs: United MileagePlus, SkyMiles, AAdvantage, NEXUS
Posts: 3,595
I did pay for the 1-2 day return (which goes to the state department) but didn’t get any receipt or document. The receipt shows the following, but no tracking number. Just a receipt number:
Aug 19, 2021 | 5:00 pm
#1558
Moderator: Avianca, Travel Photography, Travel Technology & USA
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Far western edge of the La-La Land City limits
Programs: Emeritus VIP Fromins Deli Encino grandfathered successor program - UA MM & HH Diamond
Posts: 3,812
Out of pure curiosity, what did the dollar charge in your photo cover (a mailing envelope for example)?
Aug 19, 2021 | 5:15 pm
#1559
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Colorado (anywhere between DEN DMM BAH)
Programs: United MileagePlus, SkyMiles, AAdvantage, NEXUS
Posts: 3,595
I'm not completely clear on your reference to "1-2 day return". That seems to me as if you are intended that the State Department ship it back to you Express. Two weeks ago I went into the local USPS to mail out of my wife's passport renewal, and the branch clerk charged me $7.95 to Priority envelope it to the Passport office PO Box, which I charged to a debit card. I enclosed a check to the State Department for a total of $187.56 ($110 for the renewal, $60 for expedited handling, $17.56 for Express mail return). From your photo, there did not appear to be a $7.95 charge for outgoing Priority, which would included the 18 digit tracking number.
Out of pure curiosity, what did the dollar charge in your photo cover (a mailing envelope for example)?
Out of pure curiosity, what did the dollar charge in your photo cover (a mailing envelope for example)?
So I guess there’s no way for me to track this aside form waiting for the check to be cashed.
Aug 20, 2021 | 9:14 am
#1560
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: enjoyed being warm spit for a few years on CO/UA but now nothing :(
Posts: 2,817
It was just the passport fee as you can see in addition to the passport photos. The employee didn’t say anything about needing to pay for a mailing envelope or to expedite sending the application/documents to start the passport process. And by 1-2 day return I was referring to the $17.56 express return. The check I gave was for $217.56 ($140 for the passport book and card, $60 for expedited processing and the aforementioned delivery fee).
So I guess there’s no way for me to track this aside form waiting for the check to be cashed.
So I guess there’s no way for me to track this aside form waiting for the check to be cashed.
It may take a few weeks for your application to be received and entered into the processing system by State. Once it is entered, it will receive expedited processing. Depending upon which processing center it was sent to it may then take a week or it might take a few weeks to be approved depending upon their work load and if/or any issues crop up. Since you indicated no urgent travel plans, you should wait a few weeks before contacting your congress-cri- um, congressional representative for assistance if it has not been entered into the system or if approval is taking a long time.
If, after several weeks your application is still not entered into the system then the post office that processed your application can research and give you some information about when they sent for sharing with your congressional office.