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 doesnt 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 doesnt match the list above, please add or correct.
Current US passport wait? (Merged Threads)
Jan 25, 2022 | 6:15 pm
#1831
Original Poster
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: ORD
Posts: 14,773
Just pasting an update instead of editing. The State Dept quoted 8-11 weeks when I sent it in. I used routine service.
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: 1/25/22
Haven't yet received my old passport but I'm sure it'll be here in a few days.
edit: I got the small book for the first time ever and it is pretty small! I wonder if I'll need a new one before it expires after all.
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: 1/25/22
Haven't yet received my old passport but I'm sure it'll be here in a few days.
edit: I got the small book for the first time ever and it is pretty small! I wonder if I'll need a new one before it expires after all.
Last edited by gfunkdave; Jan 27, 2022 at 8:32 am
Jan 26, 2022 | 4:44 pm
#1832
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 10
5 weeks
Ordered the large book and card. Routine processing quoted at 8-11 weeks.
Mailed: 12/20/21 via Priority Mail (San Diego CA to Irving, TX)
In Process: 12/24/2021 (Locator 79 - Houston)
Shipped: 1/21/2022
Received book: 1/24/22 via Priority Mail (Shipped from Tuscon, AZ)
Received card: 1/26/2022 via regular mail
Update - Received old passport: 2/23/2022 via regular mail (9 weeks)
Mailed: 12/20/21 via Priority Mail (San Diego CA to Irving, TX)
In Process: 12/24/2021 (Locator 79 - Houston)
Shipped: 1/21/2022
Received book: 1/24/22 via Priority Mail (Shipped from Tuscon, AZ)
Received card: 1/26/2022 via regular mail
Update - Received old passport: 2/23/2022 via regular mail (9 weeks)
Last edited by riro424; Feb 26, 2022 at 12:49 pm Reason: Added Update
Jan 27, 2022 | 8:00 am
#1833
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: 53,011
One oddity about my passports:
- My renewal, total of about 4 weeks of actual processing time, was the same style (or close to it) as my old passport.
- My kids' renewals, one under 18 y.o. and one just over 18, were both the new style. They took about 5 weeks of actual processing time (requiring birth certificates, in-person application, etc.).
Al three passports arrived within 2 days of each other. I have no idea how they decide who gets what style of passport.
- My renewal, total of about 4 weeks of actual processing time, was the same style (or close to it) as my old passport.
- My kids' renewals, one under 18 y.o. and one just over 18, were both the new style. They took about 5 weeks of actual processing time (requiring birth certificates, in-person application, etc.).
Al three passports arrived within 2 days of each other. I have no idea how they decide who gets what style of passport.
Jan 27, 2022 | 9:14 am
#1834
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,077
It’s primarily about the sort at whichever location a given application ends up. DS-82s follow a somewhat different course than DS-11s.
My primary ordinary passport was issued within less than 7 days of application this month. Standard processing via ACS at an embassy. As I knew already, I got the version I expected: the “old” version.
My primary ordinary passport was issued within less than 7 days of application this month. Standard processing via ACS at an embassy. As I knew already, I got the version I expected: the “old” version.
Jan 31, 2022 | 8:50 am
#1835
Join Date: Jan 2021
Posts: 2
3 minors -- first time passports
* Applied 12/24 at Post Office (standard processing - not expediated - no extra shipping either)
* Received 12/29 at processing center
* Jan 28 - shipped
* Received a few days after. Impressive.
* Applied 12/24 at Post Office (standard processing - not expediated - no extra shipping either)
* Received 12/29 at processing center
* Jan 28 - shipped
* Received a few days after. Impressive.
Last edited by flyingaroundtheworld; Feb 15, 2022 at 6:43 am
Feb 1, 2022 | 8:56 am
#1836
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Florida
Programs: Delta SkyMiles; Hilton HHonors; NEXUS; National Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 367
Its primarily about the sort at whichever location a given application ends up. DS-82s follow a somewhat different course than DS-11s.
My primary ordinary passport was issued within less than 7 days of application this month. Standard processing via ACS at an embassy. As I knew already, I got the version I expected: the old version.
My primary ordinary passport was issued within less than 7 days of application this month. Standard processing via ACS at an embassy. As I knew already, I got the version I expected: the old version.
Feb 1, 2022 | 9:50 am
#1837
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: OKC
Programs: IHG Plat, National EE, AA Plat
Posts: 2,538
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:
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:
My locator number started with 34 which I believe is Charleston. The shipment is originating from Tucson
I received the new style book. The card looks the same as my old one.
Feb 1, 2022 | 10:33 am
#1838
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Florida
Programs: Delta SkyMiles; Hilton HHonors; NEXUS; National Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 367
Feb 2, 2022 | 4:01 am
#1840
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Watchlisted by the prejudiced, en route to purgatory
Programs: Just Say No to Fleecing and Blacklisting
Posts: 102,077
The US passport cards remain essentially what they have been for over a decade. The same cannot be said for US passports since there is the "next generation" passport style around now too.
US emergency passports are produced locally at many (but not all) US embassies/consulates using blanks sent over from the US; and the "locally-produced" emergency passports can be used pretty much as a regular full-duration US passport for the typical 1-year period until they hit their expiration date. They are not "next generation passports".
"Locally-produced" passports at US Embassies/Consulates cost applicants the same as standard US passport applications, but they tend to get extra-expedited-like service (without an expedite fee). Full-duration US passports for applications submitted from overseas have a different logistics and fulfillment paths but they too get extra-expedited-like service (without an expedite fee). Given the increased cost of the equipment and supplies -- even more so for the "next generation" US passport -- to make standard full-duration US passports, your suggestion about "cost-prohibitive" is sort of on target why most of the passports come from the US as already issued rather than "locally-produced". While the US pushed the US VWP countries to further centralize passport production and distribution channels due to "security risks", that's not really been a factor for how the US handles our own passport issues/concerns when it comes to "security risk" related to supply and distribution channels.
If we take the typical OSL applicant for a US passport, the typical wait for a full-duration US passport to come back to Oslo after an in-person application at the Embassy? Less than 12 days, and the bulk of that is because of production abroad, followed by the logistics of sending it to Oslo, followed by how the personnel there handle it.
US passport cards' "wait" times are a different story than US passports, even as the application form used for them is the same and both can be applied for at the same time.
Where do passports for embassy applications get produced? Since you said you knew it would be old-style, it would appear to be separate from the normal passport centers in the US, but I imagine producing actual passports locally at each embassy would be cost-prohibitive and a security risk?
"Locally-produced" passports at US Embassies/Consulates cost applicants the same as standard US passport applications, but they tend to get extra-expedited-like service (without an expedite fee). Full-duration US passports for applications submitted from overseas have a different logistics and fulfillment paths but they too get extra-expedited-like service (without an expedite fee). Given the increased cost of the equipment and supplies -- even more so for the "next generation" US passport -- to make standard full-duration US passports, your suggestion about "cost-prohibitive" is sort of on target why most of the passports come from the US as already issued rather than "locally-produced". While the US pushed the US VWP countries to further centralize passport production and distribution channels due to "security risks", that's not really been a factor for how the US handles our own passport issues/concerns when it comes to "security risk" related to supply and distribution channels.
If we take the typical OSL applicant for a US passport, the typical wait for a full-duration US passport to come back to Oslo after an in-person application at the Embassy? Less than 12 days, and the bulk of that is because of production abroad, followed by the logistics of sending it to Oslo, followed by how the personnel there handle it.
US passport cards' "wait" times are a different story than US passports, even as the application form used for them is the same and both can be applied for at the same time.
Feb 3, 2022 | 1:24 pm
#1841
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 11
Where is everyone getting their locator location number? I'm using https://passportstatus.state.gov and I just see this:
Feb 3, 2022 | 1:25 pm
#1842
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. Eurobonus Millionaire
Posts: 38,683
Where is everyone getting their locator location number? I'm using https://passportstatus.state.gov and I just see this:
ut in what you posted.
Feb 4, 2022 | 5:08 am
#1844
Join Date: Jan 2013
Posts: 11
Applied for Renewal using Routine service
Mailed: 1/25/22 via USPS regular first class mail to Irving, TX. (Sent from Dallas, TX)
In Process: 2/1/22
Locator: 69 (I think is Philly?)
Check cashed: 2/1/22
Received: 3/8/2022
Mailed: 1/25/22 via USPS regular first class mail to Irving, TX. (Sent from Dallas, TX)
In Process: 2/1/22
Locator: 69 (I think is Philly?)
Check cashed: 2/1/22
Received: 3/8/2022
Last edited by pharpe; Mar 8, 2022 at 1:23 pm Reason: received