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)
Feb 26, 2022, 12:36 pm
#1876
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 11
Two recent experiences for you all. We have travel planned 4/10/22.
Applied for first adult passport (Expired one was as a minor) using Expedited service with quick-ship option)
Also had an adult expedited renewal :
Applied for first adult passport (Expired one was as a minor) using Expedited service with quick-ship option)
- Mailed: Tuesday, 2/8/22 (I assume, since applied at library on 2/7)
- Delivered: Monday, 2/14/22
- In Process: Tuesday, 2/15/22 (42 which is New Orleans I think)
- Check Cashed: Wednesday, 2/16/22
- Approved: Wednesday, 2/23/22 (Showing estimated arrival of 2/26)
Also had an adult expedited renewal :
- Mailed: Monday, 2/7/22 via USPS Priority mail
- Delivered: Thursday.2/10/22
- In Process: Tuesday, 2/10/22 (69= Philly?)
- Approved: Friday, 2/25/22 (Showing estimated arrival of 3/2/22)
- Received: Monday, 2/28/22 (old style)
Last edited by tripbuddy; Feb 28, 2022 at 4:57 pm
Feb 26, 2022, 8:05 pm
#1878
Join Date: Feb 2018
Posts: 91
Two recent experiences for you all. We have travel planned 4/10/22.
Applied for first adult passport (Expired one was as a minor) using Expedited service with quick-ship option)
Also had an adult expedited renewal :
Applied for first adult passport (Expired one was as a minor) using Expedited service with quick-ship option)
- Mailed: Tuesday, 2/8/22 (I assume, since applied at library on 2/7)
- Delivered: Monday, 2/14/22
- In Process: Tuesday, 2/15/22 (42 which is New Orleans I think)
- Check Cashed: Wednesday, 2/16/22
- Approved: Wednesday, 2/23/22 (Showing estimated arrival of 2/26)
Also had an adult expedited renewal :
- Mailed: Monday, 2/7/22 via USPS Priority mail
- Delivered: Thursday.2/10/22
- In Process: Tuesday, 2/10/22 (69= Philly?)
- Approved: Friday, 2/25/22 (Showing estimated arrival of 3/2/22)
Feb 26, 2022, 8:14 pm
#1879
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: TOA
Programs: HH Diamond, Marriott LTPP/Platinum Premier, Hyatt Lame-ist, UA !K
Posts: 20,061
David
Feb 26, 2022, 10:06 pm
#1880
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: DTW
Programs: Alaska, Delta, Southwest
Posts: 1,663
I just had this happen (post #1852), and it took about a week. (They received it on 1/27, and I got it back on 2/4.) I'm guessing it's one of the first things they check since they didn't cash my check, and the status on the website never changed to "In Process".
Feb 28, 2022, 9:02 am
#1881
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
The State Dept sent back the whole application along with the uncashed check. So, pretty sure it happens before they cash the check.
Friend was able to staple a new photo to the app and send it in again.
If you're doing a new application in person at an acceptance facility, they definitely look at the photo before accepting it -- but it's possible they would think it's ok and the State Dept would reject it once they received the app.
But at any rate I'm pretty sure it happens fairly early on in the process, and yes you have to start again.
Feb 28, 2022, 10:29 am
#1882
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 2
Mar 1, 2022, 6:38 am
#1885
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 3,738
There were no appointments 14 days out for Southern California for same-day service. The closest center available was in Texas. I followed the advice from chgoeditor on how to get a reservation for a same-day passport by calling a few minutes ahead of the phone center opening. I updated the wiki with this information.
Mar 2, 2022, 7:19 am
#1886
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
less) was not suitable. After a few weeks trying to get new pictures taken (college students have their own timelines) we sent off the new pictures about 10 days ago. The application status has so far not changed and nothing has been received by us as of yet.
Mar 3, 2022, 8:22 am
#1887
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 201
Hi,
I sent the renewal via USPS priority mail for mother-in-law. It should have been delivered about five days ago, but USPS' tracking system shows that it arrived in Philadelphia and is in transit to the destination.
Should I be worried?
I sent the renewal via USPS priority mail for mother-in-law. It should have been delivered about five days ago, but USPS' tracking system shows that it arrived in Philadelphia and is in transit to the destination.
Should I be worried?
Mar 3, 2022, 2:27 pm
#1888
Join Date: Oct 2006
Posts: 861
I sent mine via USPS priority to Philadelphia and, two months later, it is STILL in transit, but I have my new passport in hand. Check the status on the Passport System, which is how I watched the process evolve.
Mar 4, 2022, 7:31 pm
#1889
Join Date: Sep 2014
Posts: 2,531
I'd check the state dept's status page and/or see if the check has been cashed to see if they received your application.
If neither a delivery scan nor state dept update for 10 days, then I'd become worried.
Mar 5, 2022, 11:28 am
#1890
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
Covering at least four US Administrations, it's within the range of normal for the State Department passport application status to not be representative of the actual status of the passport application. I wouldn't worry about it.
That the USPS tracking system is off with passport applications after arriving in PHL is also unfortunately not a surprise and also is most often indicative of no real delay in the passport application resulting in the passport getting back to the applicant.
If the check has cleared with the funds out of the current account, then I wouldn't even give this a second thought and just assume the passport would be back in the same range as other applicants whose online status updates were more timely/accurate.
That the USPS tracking system is off with passport applications after arriving in PHL is also unfortunately not a surprise and also is most often indicative of no real delay in the passport application resulting in the passport getting back to the applicant.
If the check has cleared with the funds out of the current account, then I wouldn't even give this a second thought and just assume the passport would be back in the same range as other applicants whose online status updates were more timely/accurate.