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)
May 26, 2023 | 4:23 am
#2506
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,859
dlenski.......
1. Yes, depending on the exact day that you went, it could have been done in as little as 4 days, generally less than 2 weeks.
2. DoS employees at heart are NOT hard workers, they are barely 9-5'ers and when dealing with the public they often are 2 day a weekers. So yes you were suckered. However having to spend 20 minutes getting through security is standard in many places and not a good excuse.
3. That special envelope would have cost you five minutes at any Canadian Post office, and has been noted above, there are a half dozen reasons that you could have used to insist that you could come and get it at the Consulate when done.
To answer your last question, if you have read through this thread you would have seen a pattern of US missions abroad trying to reduce foot traffic at their facilities, what is convenient for them is not what is convenient for you, and unfortunately you fell for it.
mordakky
1) No one on this entire thread has said that you need to stay in a country for 2 months, nor even one month, many of us have reported that one can get it back within a week at times, so you should be fine with a month.
2) No you cannot.
1. Yes, depending on the exact day that you went, it could have been done in as little as 4 days, generally less than 2 weeks.
2. DoS employees at heart are NOT hard workers, they are barely 9-5'ers and when dealing with the public they often are 2 day a weekers. So yes you were suckered. However having to spend 20 minutes getting through security is standard in many places and not a good excuse.
3. That special envelope would have cost you five minutes at any Canadian Post office, and has been noted above, there are a half dozen reasons that you could have used to insist that you could come and get it at the Consulate when done.
To answer your last question, if you have read through this thread you would have seen a pattern of US missions abroad trying to reduce foot traffic at their facilities, what is convenient for them is not what is convenient for you, and unfortunately you fell for it.
mordakky
1) No one on this entire thread has said that you need to stay in a country for 2 months, nor even one month, many of us have reported that one can get it back within a week at times, so you should be fine with a month.
2) No you cannot.
May 26, 2023 | 6:13 am
#2507
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 64
Do you mean the 1 year emergency passport? If so, I don't want that one.
May 26, 2023 | 10:02 am
#2508
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: DL Silver, AS MVP
Posts: 17
True. Lesson learned!
May 26, 2023 | 12:24 pm
#2509
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 291
Its definitely been not only possible before, during and in the years after that Boris Johnson incident but repeatedly accomplished. Most of the times where Ive seen it done are during the ESTA era.
Even having a listed US place of birth on a non-US passport doesnt guarantee that the person is a US citizen and sometimes even CBP needs a reminder of that. ESTA does require a place of birth.
For years and years during the ESTA era BoJos incident was pre-ESTA CBP used to even have language on its website noting this possibility of US dual-citizens doing this. CBP eventually scrubbed all such language from its website. Even after that language was removed, it has continued to be done.
Even having a listed US place of birth on a non-US passport doesnt guarantee that the person is a US citizen and sometimes even CBP needs a reminder of that. ESTA does require a place of birth.
For years and years during the ESTA era BoJos incident was pre-ESTA CBP used to even have language on its website noting this possibility of US dual-citizens doing this. CBP eventually scrubbed all such language from its website. Even after that language was removed, it has continued to be done.
So, one arrives with an expired US passport or a valid Passport Card (or whatever) and an ESTA-endorsed VW country passport at check-in. One shows only the latter non-US passport. Let's assume it shows a US place of birth. How does one answer the likely question from the check-in agent or ICTS person: "I see you were born in America. Are you an American?"
May 26, 2023 | 1:44 pm
#2510
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 40
US Citizen Living in Canada - Renew in Person or By Mail?
I'm a US citizen renewing a US passport. I live near Vancouver. I will travel to the States in early August. Should I renew my US passport by mail or in person at the Vancouver consulate? I don't want to cut things close and I don't want to spend the summer sweating out a passport wait. But, at the same time, I don't want to have to travel into Vancouver and go through the security hassle etc at the consulate. Any advice? Is expedited by mail possible?
May 26, 2023 | 2:43 pm
#2511
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: DL Silver, AS MVP
Posts: 17
If by air, yeah, you need a valid passport (or Nexus card) to fly between US and Canada. The airlines simply won't let you board without it.
If by land, you can use an expired passport (or perhaps other docs you have, like birth certificate or other proof of citizenship and residency) to get into the US and back into Canada.
You'll probably get some questions and grumpiness about it (especially from the US side), and maybe even a delay if you have insufficient docs, but the US can't legally turn away its own citizens, and on the Canada side CBSA officers officially have a fair amount of flexibility as to what documents they will accept.
I personally have travelled out of and back to Canada several times by land, armed with my expired passport, Canada work permit, and BC driver's license. I've simply explained apologetically that my passport is being renewed and it's taken forever; haven't had any issues.
Yes. For an extra US$60.
But as others above have suggested, you stand a good chance of getting it back even faster than expedited-by-mail if you go there in person. Also, if you go in person you may be able to convince them to let you keep your current passport (whether already expired or not) while they're processing the renewal, so that you can use it to travel by land.
May 26, 2023 | 2:53 pm
#2512
Join Date: Aug 2015
Posts: 40
Dlenski,
Thanks for the excellent reply!
Coming back into CA is no problem as I am a dual national and have a CA passport. It's only the American entry I'm worried about. I'm flying to the States, so I don't think I have much leeway to argue with someone at a check-in counter.
Thanks to your input and other Googling, I'm afraid I'm going to have to make the trip to the consulate in Van and put up with the hassles. I guess I'll have to figure out something else to do in Van to make the trip worthwhile.
Thanks again for your input!
Thanks for the excellent reply!
Coming back into CA is no problem as I am a dual national and have a CA passport. It's only the American entry I'm worried about. I'm flying to the States, so I don't think I have much leeway to argue with someone at a check-in counter.
Thanks to your input and other Googling, I'm afraid I'm going to have to make the trip to the consulate in Van and put up with the hassles. I guess I'll have to figure out something else to do in Van to make the trip worthwhile.
Thanks again for your input!
May 26, 2023 | 2:57 pm
#2513
Join Date: Mar 2018
Programs: DL Silver, AS MVP
Posts: 17
Coming back into CA is no problem as I am a dual national and have a CA passport. It's only the American entry I'm worried about. I'm flying to the States, so I don't think I have much leeway to argue with someone at a check-in counter.
Thanks to your input and other Googling, I'm afraid I'm going to have to make the trip to the consulate in Van and put up with the hassles. I guess I'll have to figure out something else to do in Van to make the trip worthwhile.
Thanks to your input and other Googling, I'm afraid I'm going to have to make the trip to the consulate in Van and put up with the hassles. I guess I'll have to figure out something else to do in Van to make the trip worthwhile.
With your Canadian passport, you can fly to the US with none of the hassles (ESTA, I-90, visa, etc) that third-country passport holders have going to the US.
May 26, 2023 | 7:27 pm
#2515
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: TYO / WAS / NYC
Programs: American Express got a hit man lookin' for me
Posts: 5,257
As mentioned above, you only need proof of citizenship to get through CBP -- not necessarily a valid US passport. It is a legal requirement to have a US passport when entering as a citizen, but there is no penalty if you don't, and the CBP policies require them to let you in if you have satisfactory evidence of citizenship.
May 27, 2023 | 10:32 am
#2517
Join Date: Aug 2019
Posts: 448
Passport time line:
4/17 Mailed renewal app with expedited process with regular shipping.
4/19 Check cashed and show "in process"
5/26 Shipped with USPS tracking
Locator 69
May 29, 2023 | 3:41 am
#2518
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
I was curious how some people managed to get a US passport issued in the US so quickly this year -- think an issue date a couple of weeks within the baby's birthdate. They got an appointment at their local US passport agency office on the basis of someone's imminent medical appointment in Canada. When they showed up at the passport agency office for the appointment, no one asked for proof of the medical appointment abroad -- just asked that they had an appointment for the passport application. They had proof of hotel stay bookings and the appointment in Canada, but no one seemed to care at the passport agency office.
That legal "requirement" was made toothless decades ago for those US citizens who could get to a US port of entry. And even from the beginning, it was chalk full of official "exceptions" -- which really weren't even "exceptions" from the start -- for those able to get recognized as US citizens at US ports of entry. For many decades, Americans have been lawfully entering the US even with the use of regular US DLs+US birth certificates at US land-ports of entry.
More like an "unlikely question" than a "likely question" based on what I've seen a lot. It's up to the US to decide who is and is not a US citizen and who is entitled to a US passport and is not. I don't have a count of how many people born in the US are not US citizens, but it's at least in the six figure range and possibly even the seven figure range by this point given the combination includes those who relinquished US citizenship, those who renounced US citizenship, and those who were born in the US while not subject to US jurisdiction. The count is down by one with Tina Turner's mortality.
The language the CBP had online which you can use to search the archives on your own or use for FOIA purposes:
If you want to discuss this further, there are other threads for that.
Thank you GUWonder. Very interesting. I wonder if the internet archives still show that language somewhere.
So, one arrives with an expired US passport or a valid Passport Card (or whatever) and an ESTA-endorsed VW country passport at check-in. One shows only the latter non-US passport. Let's assume it shows a US place of birth. How does one answer the likely question from the check-in agent or ICTS person: "I see you were born in America. Are you an American?"
So, one arrives with an expired US passport or a valid Passport Card (or whatever) and an ESTA-endorsed VW country passport at check-in. One shows only the latter non-US passport. Let's assume it shows a US place of birth. How does one answer the likely question from the check-in agent or ICTS person: "I see you were born in America. Are you an American?"
The language the CBP had online which you can use to search the archives on your own or use for FOIA purposes:
Originally Posted by CBP.gov
If you have a true emergency, and are unable to obtain a U.S. Passport before your travels and have only a VWP-eligible country's passport, then you will have to file with ESTA to use that passport to travel to the U.S., and you will have to use the non-resident queue when arriving at the U.S. airport using the foreign passport. Note: It is important to PRINT a copy of the document for your records. The printout is not required upon arrival into the United States, as the officers have the information electronically. Some airlines require the printout upon check-in, please check with your respective airline.
Last edited by GUWonder; May 29, 2023 at 3:51 am
May 29, 2023 | 2:47 pm
#2519
Join Date: May 2009
Location: TPA Bay area
Posts: 506
Adult renewal by mail, routine service
Application mailed: Jan. 31(by Priority Mail)
Application received: Feb. 6
Locator number: 75(St. Albans, VT)
Status changes:
Feb. 6: "In Process"(with an estimated time frame of 8 -11 weeks)
Mar. 20: "Shipped"(by Priority Mail with tracking number)
Exactly six weeks - not bad at all for routine service! Did not receive email notification of status change even though I have signed up for it. A shout-out to the VT Passport Agency for the quick turnaround time.
Update: New passport received Mar. 22.
Application mailed: Jan. 31(by Priority Mail)
Application received: Feb. 6
Locator number: 75(St. Albans, VT)
Status changes:
Feb. 6: "In Process"(with an estimated time frame of 8 -11 weeks)
Mar. 20: "Shipped"(by Priority Mail with tracking number)
Exactly six weeks - not bad at all for routine service! Did not receive email notification of status change even though I have signed up for it. A shout-out to the VT Passport Agency for the quick turnaround time.
Update: New passport received Mar. 22.
May 29, 2023 | 5:37 pm
#2520
Join Date: Mar 2022
Posts: 6
All mailed applications are sent to one of two places (Irvin, TX or Philidelphia, PA) where the checks are deposited. The Centers then dole them out to one of many passport adjudication and printing locations. That location can be identified by the first two numbers of your application location number. Irvin or Philly is just the first step of the application journey. Load leveling, applicant location, and urgency play a part in which printing center eventually produces and mails the final product(s).
Last edited by tmnyc; May 29, 2023 at 5:54 pm