Thank you. Do you mind sharing which locator did you have? The first two digit of the locator # would tell. Mine is 19, which is DC. Thanks in advance.

Sure locator 45 — where is that?

Thanks for sharing. 45 looks like National Service Center.

Same day passport replacement centers
 

Last used my passport in 2019 (expires 2028) and then put it in such a "safe place" that now I can't find it. I've torn my house apart the last two months looking for it. That sucker has disappeared.

International trip booked a long time ago, leaving 7/28, so I need to get an urgent travel appointment for a replacement. I'll be on the phone at 4.45am PDT this Saturday (14 days prior to flight) to see what I can get.

I have all the paperwork and photos ready, just need the appointment. There are no passport centers in Nevada, so I will need to fly out to one. Do all the passport centers have the ability to print off a new passport book the same day or are there certain ones that only do that? If so, which ones specifically?

Not starting to panic .... yet.

based on what I’ve read in this thread I would just use the passport wizard to make the application and then mail it all in with your check and photo. I did my photo at Walgreens - surely any chain drugstore or photo shop service can do it. With your travel already booked I would personally prefer to just mail in the documents. I didn’t even have scheduled travel and I still did expedite service plus expedited postage to return. I would also use priority mail flat fee envelope for mailing everything.

I would just do this during July. It’s several annoying steps that require an hour maximum per step. Photo. Application. Check-writing (15 minutes). Going to a post office and getting a priority mail flat rate envelope (9x12”) or ordering it free on usps. Mailing via priority mail, which means taking it to a mailbox or post office.

I forgot to check your location so don’t know how inconvenient some of these steps would be for you.

I am in the DC suburbs, so none of it is a hardship, and almost all done USPS charges $15 for the photo! I could do it myself but will do Walmart of Walgreens to ensure its correct. :)

Renewed my passport and chose expedited

Mailed application/pix/old passport(express) to Philadelphia (from Oregon) - June 21
Received Passport - July 13
Wow! much faster than expected!
One minor disappointment, unlike prior renewals, the old passport was not returned.

Your old passport will be returned separately in about 3 weeks time.

Mailed from CA to TX - May 27
Processing - June 1
Approved - July 14

Locator Code 18 - Chicago
July 14 USPS Informed Delivery Pre-Shipment location:
PASSPORT SERVICES/DOS HOT SPRINGS
HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK ,AR

Locator 19 (DC)
5/6 Applied for minor in local county office Expedite Service
5/11 Application accepted at locator 19
5/12 Check Cashed
7/13 Shipped with Priority Mail Tracking Number
7/14 Approved Status but tracking # is gone
7/17 Delivered

Called to let them know I need the old passport (with valid visa) back, they put a note. Waiting nervously for both old and new passports.

It seems like things have really begun moving faster.
Maybe the backlog or "glut" of summer travel (including college students) has been worked through?

Part of it may be the summer travel season is anything but fresh now, but that’s not really what’s so much at work now. Here is what is at work:

Authorized overtime hours has reached unprecedented levels per week. Passport adjudicator numbers are also up by about 10% and slated for another 10% increase; however, the background checks tend to be the bottle neck for activating new hires in this role. There has also been the brining back of retired ones and some reassigned ones to help.

For a sense of how wrong things have gone with US passports: many a Congressional office has seen more constituent requests for expedited passport help within just the past 18 months than the very same offices had in total during the 5-18 years prior to the pandemic.

I saw the other comment about the old passport separately arriving to you - post if you don’t have it by august 13 or so :-)

Any chance that congressional offices are getting more requests for help simply because the press articles mention this option? I’m pretty sure that past passport application processes didn’t include so many people asking for help. Did we even know that we could seek help?

wow - thank you.

Hiring issues for in-person roles span the globe. ESPECIALLY when background checks are in the mix.

This is why - as FlyerTalk members - we've seen issues at Schiphol... hiring+bg checks.

ETA:
I called Saturday 7am PT. Was the agent's second call :)

Unfortunately, the 14 days exactly from date of travel does NOT include weekends (or federal holidays), so I need to call yet again first thing tomorrow morning. Wish that exclusion was noted somewhere on the website.

Halfway to panicville :(