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)
Jun 3, 2023 | 1:01 pm
#2536
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 291
New data points from me! So happy to be part of this little ballet again. This time there is no rush, hence:
March 17th - deposited two normal US passport applications at USPS for children. Renewals. One of them has a request for an endorsement - let's see if that delays it.
March 24th - first cheque cashed.
March 27th - second cheque cashed (electronically).
Both are showing as "in process" since March 24th, apparently being dealt with in Buffalo. No emails received despite requesting them.
Alex
March 17th - deposited two normal US passport applications at USPS for children. Renewals. One of them has a request for an endorsement - let's see if that delays it.
March 24th - first cheque cashed.
March 27th - second cheque cashed (electronically).
Both are showing as "in process" since March 24th, apparently being dealt with in Buffalo. No emails received despite requesting them.
Alex
For one of the two applications:
May 30th, email: Application Status: In Process. The U.S. Department of State has received your application for your passport book on 03/24/2023. We're now reviewing etc.
May 31st, email: Application Status: Shipped. The U.S. Department of State has shipped your passport book on 05/31/2023.
June 3rd, mail: Both new passports received in the mail. Date of issue is May 30th. New model, large book as requested. Sequential passport numbers (like for the application identification numbers). Endorsement has been made for the one passport where it was requested.
I did not receive a single status email regarding the first one! I shall advise when old passports and birth certifs are back.
June 6th, mail: Old passports and birth certifs are back... Until next time...
Good luck to all!
Alex
Last edited by crescatfloreat; Jun 5, 2023 at 9:43 pm Reason: Le spelinge corecte
Jun 9, 2023 | 1:55 pm
#2538
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: West Coast
Programs: AA-EXP (2.6mm), UA-1P, SQ-PPS, EK-Silver, LH-FTL, SPG-Platinum, HH-Gold
Posts: 80
Well - maybe not. Look at the earlier posting from the earlier discussion about center 69:
Mailed application 3/25. Delivered 3/27. Today, 3/29, check was cashed.
and later: Received Passport, 5/2 -- That means from "check cashed/start of processing" (3/29) to received (5/2) was exactly 5 weeks from that center.
We are in a similar boat. Our "check cashed" "start of processing" date is 5/3 also from "69"/New Hampshire, Expedited, 6 days ahead of you. We have travel planned for 6/23. Which means we would make it if they complete the processing in 7 weeks.
It looks like center 69 has been faster than others (like 62), so crossing fingers that's still true.
I will post here if/when we get the passport back. Otherwise you will have to look at the 14 (or 5) day before departure emergency appointments IF (and that's a big IF) you can get a time slot.
Mailed application 3/25. Delivered 3/27. Today, 3/29, check was cashed.
and later: Received Passport, 5/2 -- That means from "check cashed/start of processing" (3/29) to received (5/2) was exactly 5 weeks from that center.
We are in a similar boat. Our "check cashed" "start of processing" date is 5/3 also from "69"/New Hampshire, Expedited, 6 days ahead of you. We have travel planned for 6/23. Which means we would make it if they complete the processing in 7 weeks.
It looks like center 69 has been faster than others (like 62), so crossing fingers that's still true.
I will post here if/when we get the passport back. Otherwise you will have to look at the 14 (or 5) day before departure emergency appointments IF (and that's a big IF) you can get a time slot.
Child renewal - passport book + passport card
Expedited processing and Expedited shipping
- Applied in Person at USPS California: Friday, April 28, 2023
- Status Changed to "In Process": Wednesday, May 3, 2023
- Check Cashed (electronically by agency): Wednesday, May 3, 2023
- Status Changed to "Shipped": Friday, June 9, 2023
- Tracking number for USPS Express downloaded - indicates it will arrive
Monday,June 12, 2023EDIT: it actually arrived Sunday night (now that's a first) USPS Express, June 11, 2023 (my first Sunday night delivery ever I think...)
Which means we are going from "applied in person" to "passport in hand" in 6 weeks, 2 days.
Also note - no status update by email at any point when the processing status has changed. Not in spam nor anywhere else. But - seems the rest of the system is working!
(
- apparently USPS worked Sundays this week so got it one day early!)
Last edited by bb-miler; Jun 14, 2023 at 9:03 am Reason: update actual arrival date
Jun 10, 2023 | 8:47 am
#2539
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 339
Sorry if this is not the correct place to post this. If anyone can help me I would greatly appreciate it. I sent out my package with application with photo, money order, and old passport - I just realized that I made the money order out to “National Passport Processing Center” and not to the Department of State. I’m so annoyed with myself for overseeing this.
Does anyone have any suggestions or think it will be any issue being that the money order is with my application which has all my correct info on it. The money order in the “from” section has my name and address but I did not include birthdate as it states to write. This is all on my application though. Thank you for any suggestions. I am going to try to call the customer service center if that helps any.
Until then I’ll keep checking the status and hopefully it will all be fine.
I am in the US, and the package has already been delivered to the Passport Processing Center in Philadelphia. Tried calling main number for Passport Services and on Monday mornings the call volume is so high it said they couldn't even take the call at the moment.
Looking for some reassurance please
my anxiety is eating at me
Does anyone have any suggestions or think it will be any issue being that the money order is with my application which has all my correct info on it. The money order in the “from” section has my name and address but I did not include birthdate as it states to write. This is all on my application though. Thank you for any suggestions. I am going to try to call the customer service center if that helps any.
Until then I’ll keep checking the status and hopefully it will all be fine.
I am in the US, and the package has already been delivered to the Passport Processing Center in Philadelphia. Tried calling main number for Passport Services and on Monday mornings the call volume is so high it said they couldn't even take the call at the moment.
Looking for some reassurance please
my anxiety is eating at meI can't offer reassurance about the payee mistake, but I can tell you that my check cleared very quickly after receipt of my application. Hopefully you have a way to track whether the money order was cashed (I think you can do this for postal MOs). If so, I'd check the passport application status page and see when your application moved to received. You should see the money order clearing within a few days of acceptance of your application. If not, I'd be a lot more motivated to reach out and try and rectify things proactively.
Good luck!
Last edited by Moderator2; Jun 10, 2023 at 5:43 pm Reason: Referred quote fully reproduced for clarity after relocated from standalone thread
Jun 11, 2023 | 6:23 am
#2540
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2022
Location: Sub Carolina
Programs: AC, AA, TK, OW Emerald
Posts: 1,579
4/21: Mailed passport renewal by Priority Mail, paid for expedited service.
4/24: Delivered to Passport Processing Center P.O. Box and picked up.
4/26: Check cashed.
4/26: Online status page shows “In Process.”
6/2: Online status page still shows “In Process.”
6/3: USPS Informed Delivery shows a package from “PASSPORT SERVICES/DOS TUCSON” scheduled for delivery on 6/3. Tracking information shows that the package was sent via one-day priority express on 6/2.
6/3: Online status page shows “Approved.”
6/3: Passport received.
Locator number: 69 (Portsmouth, NH).
4/24: Delivered to Passport Processing Center P.O. Box and picked up.
4/26: Check cashed.
4/26: Online status page shows “In Process.”
6/2: Online status page still shows “In Process.”
6/3: USPS Informed Delivery shows a package from “PASSPORT SERVICES/DOS TUCSON” scheduled for delivery on 6/3. Tracking information shows that the package was sent via one-day priority express on 6/2.
6/3: Online status page shows “Approved.”
6/3: Passport received.
Locator number: 69 (Portsmouth, NH).
Jun 12, 2023 | 11:53 pm
#2541
Join Date: Jun 2023
Posts: 1
Child renewal, 10weeks+, late expedited fee
Made the giant mistake of not doing expedited from the start!! Kicking myself
3/29/23 Application mailed
4/3/23 Application Received (location 62)
Has been "in process" since then.
Paid for expedited at the end of May, but credit card hasn't been charged so far.
6/11/23 Filled out paperwork to Senator Feinstein's office
Hoping we don't need to scramble to find an in person appointment. Flight is 7/3/23.
Such a demoralizing and absurdly inefficient process to put so many Americans through.....The whole "can't make an appointment until flight is 5 days away" mumbo jumbo seems especially ridiculous.
Seems like mostly negative buzz on locator 62?
Anybody else not have the expedited fee charged on credit card? They told me I will have the passport within 27 business days of paying expedited fee. What they didn't tell me is they won't charge my card for the fee!
3/29/23 Application mailed
4/3/23 Application Received (location 62)
Has been "in process" since then.
Paid for expedited at the end of May, but credit card hasn't been charged so far.
6/11/23 Filled out paperwork to Senator Feinstein's office
Hoping we don't need to scramble to find an in person appointment. Flight is 7/3/23.
Such a demoralizing and absurdly inefficient process to put so many Americans through.....The whole "can't make an appointment until flight is 5 days away" mumbo jumbo seems especially ridiculous.
Seems like mostly negative buzz on locator 62?
Anybody else not have the expedited fee charged on credit card? They told me I will have the passport within 27 business days of paying expedited fee. What they didn't tell me is they won't charge my card for the fee!
Jun 14, 2023 | 1:17 pm
#2542
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: mci
Programs: aa
Posts: 691
I am still confused about the timing for the in person renewal appointment.
Let's say as an example, that my international travel starts on July 14. Do I need to call on July 1 to make an appointment? The closest in person renewal office to me is a 7 Hour Drive. I would like to fly in the day before my appointment to avoid this long drive. But I'm not sure if it's safe to pre-purchase the flight to get me there because I don't know if they will have an opening at the office. I need on the day that I bought the flight for. can I call today, in mid June, and make an appointment for July 1? Or do I need to wait until July 1, call the phone number and wait for them to get me an appointment place and time, then buy a last-minute flight?
Thanks for the help !
Let's say as an example, that my international travel starts on July 14. Do I need to call on July 1 to make an appointment? The closest in person renewal office to me is a 7 Hour Drive. I would like to fly in the day before my appointment to avoid this long drive. But I'm not sure if it's safe to pre-purchase the flight to get me there because I don't know if they will have an opening at the office. I need on the day that I bought the flight for. can I call today, in mid June, and make an appointment for July 1? Or do I need to wait until July 1, call the phone number and wait for them to get me an appointment place and time, then buy a last-minute flight?
Thanks for the help !
Jun 18, 2023 | 5:17 pm
#2543
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Silicon wasteland
Programs: UA 1KMM
Posts: 1,504
Hey -- I've got a friend who I just found out is travelling on Tuesday(!) and without a passport. Yikes. So, I'm curious if any of the pasport offices on the west coast (seattle, SFO) have walk-ins available. I'm sure the appointments aren't. Given Monday is a federal holiday, best guess is to get them to a passport place on Tuesday and work with the airlines (!) to get out on Wednesday... hoping.
Any other suggestions I can relay to the friend?
Any other suggestions I can relay to the friend?
Jun 18, 2023 | 6:04 pm
#2544
Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Pensacola, FL (PNS)
Programs: Delta 1.99M, Hyatt Globalist, IHG Diamond, Marriott Gold, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 2,718
Hey -- I've got a friend who I just found out is travelling on Tuesday(!) and without a passport. Yikes. So, I'm curious if any of the pasport offices on the west coast (seattle, SFO) have walk-ins available. I'm sure the appointments aren't. Given Monday is a federal holiday, best guess is to get them to a passport place on Tuesday and work with the airlines (!) to get out on Wednesday... hoping.
Any other suggestions I can relay to the friend?
Any other suggestions I can relay to the friend?
(one couple had to cancel a Viking cruise and lost everything)
Jun 18, 2023 | 10:18 pm
#2545
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,859
The last "West Coast" office to have "Walk-ins" was Honolulu, they stopped these in 2003 or so, so no, not on the West Coast or anywhere else for about the last 20 years!
Monday is a Federal Holiday, so there is no chance even if there were walk-ins available, there would be no appointments at all.
Is this an "urgent" matter, or a "life or death" matter. If life or death - you can look at the DoS website to see definitions - then he might be able to call and call again, and just possibly might get a Tuesday appointment, but at what time, and therefore if it could be done the same day, is not very likely.
I do not fully agree with Lindros, I know people who quite recently have been able to get appointments and passports turned around same day or next day, but they knew what they were doing.
Monday is a Federal Holiday, so there is no chance even if there were walk-ins available, there would be no appointments at all.
Is this an "urgent" matter, or a "life or death" matter. If life or death - you can look at the DoS website to see definitions - then he might be able to call and call again, and just possibly might get a Tuesday appointment, but at what time, and therefore if it could be done the same day, is not very likely.
I do not fully agree with Lindros, I know people who quite recently have been able to get appointments and passports turned around same day or next day, but they knew what they were doing.
Jun 19, 2023 | 6:59 am
#2546
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
Originally Posted by hfly
I do not fully agree with Lindros, I know people who quite recently have been able to get appointments and passports turned around same day or next day, but they knew what they were doing.
Jun 20, 2023 | 1:14 pm
#2547
Join Date: Jun 2023
Posts: 2
Hi guys, would appreciate some advice. We are traveling July 4 and have 14 days left. I went to the USPS to renew a child's passport on March 28. The system shows in process and that began 04/04. That's all I have.
What would be the best way to ensure that my child's US passport arrives before we leave? Kind of stressing out here. The passport agency's 1-877 number is completely busy and I can not get through, at all. Surely there must be a better way than this?
What would be the best way to ensure that my child's US passport arrives before we leave? Kind of stressing out here. The passport agency's 1-877 number is completely busy and I can not get through, at all. Surely there must be a better way than this?
Jun 20, 2023 | 1:59 pm
#2548
Suspended
Join Date: Oct 2022
Location: Sub Carolina
Programs: AC, AA, TK, OW Emerald
Posts: 1,579
4/21: Mailed passport renewal by Priority Mail, paid for expedited service.
4/24: Delivered to Passport Processing Center P.O. Box and picked up.
4/26: Check cashed.
4/26: Online status page shows In Process.
6/2: Online status page still shows In Process.
6/3: USPS Informed Delivery shows a package from PASSPORT SERVICES/DOS TUCSON scheduled for delivery on 6/3. Tracking information shows that the package was sent via one-day priority express on 6/2.
6/3: Online status page shows Approved.
Locator number: 69 (Portsmouth, NH).
No status update email received even though I had signed up for it.
4/24: Delivered to Passport Processing Center P.O. Box and picked up.
4/26: Check cashed.
4/26: Online status page shows In Process.
6/2: Online status page still shows In Process.
6/3: USPS Informed Delivery shows a package from PASSPORT SERVICES/DOS TUCSON scheduled for delivery on 6/3. Tracking information shows that the package was sent via one-day priority express on 6/2.
6/3: Online status page shows Approved.
Locator number: 69 (Portsmouth, NH).
No status update email received even though I had signed up for it.
Jun 20, 2023 | 4:23 pm
#2549
Join Date: Jun 2023
Posts: 2
Hi guys, would appreciate some advice. We are traveling July 4 and have 14 days left. I went to the USPS to renew a child's passport on March 28. The system shows in process and that began 04/04. That's all I have.
What would be the best way to ensure that my child's US passport arrives before we leave? Kind of stressing out here. The passport agency's 1-877 number is completely busy and I can not get through, at all. Surely there must be a better way than this?
What would be the best way to ensure that my child's US passport arrives before we leave? Kind of stressing out here. The passport agency's 1-877 number is completely busy and I can not get through, at all. Surely there must be a better way than this?
Jun 20, 2023 | 10:25 pm
#2550
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
US passport applications for applicants with or seeking X gender indicator in the passports are generally sent to the western passport center in Tucson for printing. Most of the other machines in use can’t print X in the sex field.