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)
Dec 10, 2021, 3:54 pm
#1771
Join Date: Nov 2021
Posts: 3
11/29 - passport delivered
12/1 - in process (61 locator)
12/2 - funds withdrawn
12/3 - emailed congressman
12/7 - shipped
12/10 - passport in hand - new style
Dec 10, 2021, 7:51 pm
#1772
Join Date: Mar 2013
Programs: UA Platinum, AA, Hilton HHonors
Posts: 13
OCT 1 – Mailed renewal application priority mail (expedited service)
OCT 5 – Application received at Philadelphia office
OCT 8 - Check cashed
NOV 16 – Received letter stating that my application was not signed and I must resubmit
NOV 16 – Sent new application via express mail (to NH office as per letter)
DEC 10 - Received passport via express mail
OCT 5 – Application received at Philadelphia office
OCT 8 - Check cashed
NOV 16 – Received letter stating that my application was not signed and I must resubmit
NOV 16 – Sent new application via express mail (to NH office as per letter)
DEC 10 - Received passport via express mail
Dec 12, 2021, 10:08 am
#1774
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
Another passport (different than my report above), this one a DS-82 renewal by mail (big book). I paid for expedited processing and the fast mailing option.
Nov 14: mailed "2-day" Priority Mail to Philadelphia
Nov 20: USPS shows delivered 11pm
Nov 24: "In Process" (code 34 -- Charleston)
Nov 24: check cashed
Dec 9: "Shipped" w/ tracking number provided on website
Dec 10: USPS tracking says picked up in Tucson (return address says "Charleston")
Dec 11: Passport book (new Next Gen style) arrives in my mailbox by Express mail.
Total: 27 days (3 weeks + 6 days)
Basically 1 week to get there, a few days to scan, 2 weeks to process, and a few days for print/ship/delivery.
With current USPS delays, I probably could have knocked off 5 days by sending it Express instead of Priority
Based on the last four reports on this thread it seems like expedited service is running at 2 weeks pretty consistently, plus round trip mailing time.
Nov 14: mailed "2-day" Priority Mail to Philadelphia
Nov 20: USPS shows delivered 11pm
Nov 24: "In Process" (code 34 -- Charleston)
Nov 24: check cashed
Dec 9: "Shipped" w/ tracking number provided on website
Dec 10: USPS tracking says picked up in Tucson (return address says "Charleston")
Dec 11: Passport book (new Next Gen style) arrives in my mailbox by Express mail.
Total: 27 days (3 weeks + 6 days)
Basically 1 week to get there, a few days to scan, 2 weeks to process, and a few days for print/ship/delivery.
With current USPS delays, I probably could have knocked off 5 days by sending it Express instead of Priority
Based on the last four reports on this thread it seems like expedited service is running at 2 weeks pretty consistently, plus round trip mailing time.
Dec 12, 2021, 5:31 pm
#1775
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: United Mileageplus
Posts: 81
Another passport (different than my report above), this one a DS-82 renewal by mail (big book). I paid for expedited processing and the fast mailing option.
Nov 14: mailed "2-day" Priority Mail to Philadelphia
Nov 20: USPS shows delivered 11pm
Nov 24: "In Process" (code 34 -- Charleston)
Nov 24: check cashed
Dec 9: "Shipped" w/ tracking number provided on website
Dec 10: USPS tracking says picked up in Tucson (return address says "Charleston")
Dec 11: Passport book (new Next Gen style) arrives in my mailbox by Express mail.
Total: 27 days (3 weeks + 6 days)
Basically 1 week to get there, a few days to scan, 2 weeks to process, and a few days for print/ship/delivery.
With current USPS delays, I probably could have knocked off 5 days by sending it Express instead of Priority
Based on the last four reports on this thread it seems like expedited service is running at 2 weeks pretty consistently, plus round trip mailing time.
Nov 14: mailed "2-day" Priority Mail to Philadelphia
Nov 20: USPS shows delivered 11pm
Nov 24: "In Process" (code 34 -- Charleston)
Nov 24: check cashed
Dec 9: "Shipped" w/ tracking number provided on website
Dec 10: USPS tracking says picked up in Tucson (return address says "Charleston")
Dec 11: Passport book (new Next Gen style) arrives in my mailbox by Express mail.
Total: 27 days (3 weeks + 6 days)
Basically 1 week to get there, a few days to scan, 2 weeks to process, and a few days for print/ship/delivery.
With current USPS delays, I probably could have knocked off 5 days by sending it Express instead of Priority
Based on the last four reports on this thread it seems like expedited service is running at 2 weeks pretty consistently, plus round trip mailing time.
Edit: Apologies, I asked if you received the new style but you already said in your post.
Dec 13, 2021, 8:48 am
#1776
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 90
Has anyone experienced the hold time extending as you wait for someone to pick up? First it said 1.5 hr then it said 2 hr then it said 2.5 hrs! my wait time kept getting longer instead of shorter. Need an emergency passport in 3 days and very anxious.
Dec 13, 2021, 10:42 am
#1778
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
This post describes calling a few minutes before the line opens, then navigating the phone tree, then asking for it to repeat options repeatedly until the exact moment the phone lines open, so as to be one of the first handful in line. Could try this tomorrow morning if you can't get through today:
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33599906-post1632.html
ETA:
If your travel is for a "life or death emergency" as defined by the State Dept, there is another number you can call: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/emergencies.html
https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33599906-post1632.html
ETA:
If your travel is for a "life or death emergency" as defined by the State Dept, there is another number you can call: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/emergencies.html
Dec 13, 2021, 11:21 am
#1779
Join Date: Feb 2013
Posts: 90
Update, on hold now 5 hrs...jumps from saying wait time 25-30 min to 2 .5 hrs back to 25-30 min . I called at opening. This will be a nightmare if they say I have to fly to another state to get it done and try to fly back by Wednesday.
Dec 14, 2021, 1:07 pm
#1780
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: OKC
Programs: IHG Spire, National Exec, AA Plat
Posts: 2,274
I'll update this post as the dates become available. This is for a standard renewal of the book and card, and I requested a large book again.
Mailed: 12/13/21 via priority mail
Delivered: 12/19/21 (thanks for the delay, USPS)
In Process: 12/20/21
Check Cashed: 12/21/21
Approved/Printing; 01/18/22
Shipped: 1/19/22 (scheduled for delivery via priority mail on 1/22).
Site now shows approved and pending shipment again but I have the tracking number.
Received - Card: 01/22/22
Received - Book: 01/22/22
Received - Old Docs: 02/03/22
My locator number started with 34 which I believe is Charleston. The shipment is originating from Tucson
Mailed: 12/13/21 via priority mail
Delivered: 12/19/21 (thanks for the delay, USPS)
In Process: 12/20/21
Check Cashed: 12/21/21
Approved/Printing; 01/18/22
Shipped: 1/19/22 (scheduled for delivery via priority mail on 1/22).
Site now shows approved and pending shipment again but I have the tracking number.
Received - Card: 01/22/22
Received - Book: 01/22/22
Received - Old Docs: 02/03/22
My locator number started with 34 which I believe is Charleston. The shipment is originating from Tucson
Last edited by bchandler02; Feb 4, 2022 at 2:33 pm Reason: final update
Dec 15, 2021, 3:59 pm
#1782
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: United
Posts: 17
11/12 - Appointment at post office for my son, Form DS11 for under 18 above 16. Expedited service
11/16 - state department acknowledgment on the website, check cashed the next day.
No updates after that. Website says it takes 5-7 weeks.
I see some people getting their passport in 2 weeks but some taking longer. What is the scoop? Also some people mention 61 locator, what does that mean? I do not see it in my son's status.
11/16 - state department acknowledgment on the website, check cashed the next day.
No updates after that. Website says it takes 5-7 weeks.
I see some people getting their passport in 2 weeks but some taking longer. What is the scoop? Also some people mention 61 locator, what does that mean? I do not see it in my son's status.
Dec 16, 2021, 9:12 am
#1783
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
11/12 - Appointment at post office for my son, Form DS11 for under 18 above 16. Expedited service
11/16 - state department acknowledgment on the website, check cashed the next day.
No updates after that. Website says it takes 5-7 weeks.
I see some people getting their passport in 2 weeks but some taking longer. What is the scoop? Also some people mention 61 locator, what does that mean? I do not see it in my son's status.
11/16 - state department acknowledgment on the website, check cashed the next day.
No updates after that. Website says it takes 5-7 weeks.
I see some people getting their passport in 2 weeks but some taking longer. What is the scoop? Also some people mention 61 locator, what does that mean? I do not see it in my son's status.
Here's the list of which codes are which offices: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33429601-post1486.html
Since you're at about 4 weeks (double the last few reports) I would call and see what's up. Can't hurt -- they might be missing a document or something. https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...passports.html
Dec 16, 2021, 10:20 am
#1784
Join Date: Feb 2019
Programs: United
Posts: 17
The "locator" is just the first two digits of the application tracking number on the website. It tells you which office is (supposed to be) processing the application.
Here's the list of which codes are which offices: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33429601-post1486.html
Since you're at about 4 weeks (double the last few reports) I would call and see what's up. Can't hurt -- they might be missing a document or something. https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...passports.html
Here's the list of which codes are which offices: https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/33429601-post1486.html
Since you're at about 4 weeks (double the last few reports) I would call and see what's up. Can't hurt -- they might be missing a document or something. https://travel.state.gov/content/tra...passports.html
My son's locator code then is 53 which is not in the list. I will probably wait a couple of weeks before calling.
Also found a reddit discussion that says 53 = Seattle.
Dec 17, 2021, 12:30 pm
#1785
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,231
Mailed: 12/13/21 via priority mail
Delivered: 12/19/21 -- so much for "3 day Priority Mail"
In Process: 12/21/21 (locator 74/Atlanta)
Check Cashed: 12/22/21
Approved: 1/19/2022 with a note that I should expect to receive it around 1/25
Shipped - Book:
Received - Book:
Last edited by gfunkdave; Jan 19, 2022 at 2:23 pm