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)
Jan 18, 2022, 11:26 am
#1816
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Between AUS, EWR, and YTO In a little twisty maze of airline seats, all alike.. but I wanna go home with the armadillo
Programs: CO, NW, & UA forum moderator emeritus
Posts: 35,432
I had something sent via Priority Mail get returned to sender. I have no idea where it is n
w. I guess I need to find the tracking number and look again. I was under the impression that it would be returned. Silly me.
w. I guess I need to find the tracking number and look again. I was under the impression that it would be returned. Silly me.
Jan 19, 2022, 3:51 pm
#1818
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 861
From the website, it looks like FedEx has partnered with RushMyPassport (a company which has ratings all over the place) for renewals only: https://www.fedex.com/en-us/printing...ort-photo.html I am not sure I like the idea of two hands in the process but, with the USPS performance,
maybe it is better. When I researched how FedEx can deliver to PO Boxes (as renewals require) they say they use USPS for "the last mile." Now there is a non starter for me.
maybe it is better. When I researched how FedEx can deliver to PO Boxes (as renewals require) they say they use USPS for "the last mile." Now there is a non starter for me.
Jan 19, 2022, 6:18 pm
#1819
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
Update for Routine service
- Mailed: Wednesday, 12/15/21 via first class mail from SNJ to Philly (probably received on Friday 12/17/21)
- In Process: Monday, 12/20/21 (Locator 34 'Charleston')
- Check Cashed: Tuesday, 12/21/21
- Approved/Shipped: Wednesday, 1/19/2022
- Received: Estimated 1/25/2022
Last edited by eng3; Jan 22, 2022 at 6:47 am
Jan 20, 2022, 7:44 am
#1820
Join Date: Dec 2021
Posts: 2
Has anyone received their supporting document back in a reasonable time? It has been 5 weeks since I got my passport and still haven't gotten my cert of naturalization back. I called and all they said was just to wait as they can't track anything. The website said up to 4 weeks so I'm not sure if they have backlogs or something.
Jan 21, 2022, 8:39 am
#1821
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
My "magical back door" is to go in the front door at US embassies/consulates that are located pretty close to airports with non-stop flights to the US. No expedite fee involved, and it also doesn't encourage the application slot squatting that goes on with some of these commercial service providers. And the passport turns are in a tighter range on average this way.
Jan 21, 2022, 11:06 am
#1822
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
Has anyone received their supporting document back in a reasonable time? It has been 5 weeks since I got my passport and still haven't gotten my cert of naturalization back. I called and all they said was just to wait as they can't track anything. The website said up to 4 weeks so I'm not sure if they have backlogs or something.
Came in a manila envelope, normal first class mail.
Jan 21, 2022, 4:30 pm
#1823
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2002
Location: NC
Programs: AAConciergeKey/1MM, DL DM/2 MM, UA Gold,Hilton Diamond, IHG Plat, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 11,982
This happened to me and I never saw my passport again. Had to report it lost. That's why walking in or using a courier are the only options I trust now.
Jan 22, 2022, 7:26 am
#1824
Join Date: Sep 2010
Posts: 31
Here is my timeline and I will keep it updated. I chose routine processing (not expedited) because the processing time looked OK in the past couple of months. Even though I don't have immediate travel plans, I hope to receive my passport sooner. 
1/11/2022: First time new passport application submitted at a local USPS office. Plenty of USPS appointments available nearby and it seems not many people apply for passports in Jan.
1/22/2022: "In Process" showed up on the website. Locator # 69 (where is it?). I was anxious as many people could see their status after 3-4 days of submission.
One question. Where is Locator #69? I googled it online but didn't get a definite answer. Someone said it's New Hampshire but I only saw #68 for New Hampshire. If you know #69, please share it with me. Thanks.
1/11/2022: First time new passport application submitted at a local USPS office. Plenty of USPS appointments available nearby and it seems not many people apply for passports in Jan.
1/22/2022: "In Process" showed up on the website. Locator # 69 (where is it?). I was anxious as many people could see their status after 3-4 days of submission.
One question. Where is Locator #69? I googled it online but didn't get a definite answer. Someone said it's New Hampshire but I only saw #68 for New Hampshire. If you know #69, please share it with me. Thanks.
Jan 22, 2022, 6:58 pm
#1825
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
Final Update!
Update for Routine service
Received NG passport via Priority Mail (even though I didn't pay for faster shipping)
Shipped from Tucson AZ.
Also, I also was able to immediately update TTP with the new passport
Update for Routine service
- Mailed: Wednesday, 12/15/21 via first class mail from SNJ to Philly (probably received on Friday 12/17/21)
- In Process: Monday, 12/20/21 (Locator 34 'Charleston')
- Check Cashed: Tuesday, 12/21/21
- Approved/Shipped: Wednesday, 1/19/2022
- Received: Saturday, 1/22/2022
Received NG passport via Priority Mail (even though I didn't pay for faster shipping)
Shipped from Tucson AZ.
Also, I also was able to immediately update TTP with the new passport
Jan 24, 2022, 5:34 pm
#1826
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
Jan 25, 2022, 6:03 am
#1827
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 861
pleased to discover that it was received on 1/19 and my check has also been cashed. Maybe a scanning miss? Or general USPS sloppiness....
Jan 25, 2022, 1:01 pm
#1828
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: MCI
Programs: AA Gold 1MM, AS MVP, UA Silver, WN A-List, Marriott LT Titanium, HH Diamond
Posts: 52,575
My data points on three renewals:
- 2 kids, via appointment at a local library on Dec 4th
- In process on Dec 11
- Received Jan 25
- 1 adult, mailed on Dec 11
- In process on Dec 18
- Received Jan 22
Normal processing on all of them.
Our old passports have not yet been returned, but it sounds like it takes a couple weeks for that (?). I have a couple live visas in my old passport so I really want it back.
- 2 kids, via appointment at a local library on Dec 4th
- In process on Dec 11
- Received Jan 25
- 1 adult, mailed on Dec 11
- In process on Dec 18
- Received Jan 22
Normal processing on all of them.
Our old passports have not yet been returned, but it sounds like it takes a couple weeks for that (?). I have a couple live visas in my old passport so I really want it back.
Jan 25, 2022, 3:30 pm
#1829
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: PHL
Programs: UA 1K 1MM, Marriott Gold, IHG Platinum, Raddison Platinum, Avis Presidents Club
Posts: 5,271
A little off topic, I just received my NG passport but I wonder about the workmanship. On the binding between the last page and back cover, there is a little white strip of what looks like "book tape" made maybe a mesh fabric material. It seems to be sticking up and I wonder if it should be glued to the cover. Is that basically what holds the pages to the cover other than the stitching? The inside layer of paper on the back cover is wrinkled there.
I also notice "fibers" embeded in the paper are quite large, maybe that's a security feature. The back cover also seems to have a scuff mark or some glue material stuck to it.
I also notice "fibers" embeded in the paper are quite large, maybe that's a security feature. The back cover also seems to have a scuff mark or some glue material stuck to it.
Jan 25, 2022, 5:08 pm
#1830
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,095
Normal processing at 4 US embassies this month in Europe had the standard passports (for the regular processing fee) issued and available for pickup within 9-14 calendar days of in-person application.