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)
#2776


Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: enjoyed being warm spit for a few years on CO/UA but now nothing :(
Posts: 2,817
.
#2777




Join Date: Apr 2010
Programs: AA EP, UA 1K/MM, WoH Globalist, HH Diamond
Posts: 4,031
Good question. The OP stated he has passports from other countries, which why my response included, "So, if you know you must travel from and return to the US before receiving your new US passport, and you can travel to your destination and return to the US using your other passport(s)....,"
.
.
#2778
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Aug 2017
Posts: 12,049
For my mom (regular processing, standard passport, standard shipping):
May 20 (Monday): submitted via USPS (from NY)
May 22 (Wednesday): received at TX processing center
Jun 14 (Friday): new passport shipped
Jun 17 (Monday): new passport received
So less than 4 weeks from date of receipt.
I took her photo and printed at FedEx for $1.69 + sales tax
May 20 (Monday): submitted via USPS (from NY)
May 22 (Wednesday): received at TX processing center
Jun 14 (Friday): new passport shipped
Jun 17 (Monday): new passport received
So less than 4 weeks from date of receipt.
I took her photo and printed at FedEx for $1.69 + sales tax
#2779




Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: AVL
Programs: DL DM 2MM; Hilton Diamond; Hertz PC
Posts: 719
The passport folks must have hired a lot of new people and geared up to be ready for the re-launch of online renewals.
I mailed my passport for renewal on Tuesday May 21 - regular mail not priority from NC.
On Thursday June 6 the new passport was in my mailbox.
No expedited processing and no expedited shipping.
Maybe I just got lucky but 16 days including USPS regular mail delivery both ways is pretty impressive.
I mailed my passport for renewal on Tuesday May 21 - regular mail not priority from NC.
On Thursday June 6 the new passport was in my mailbox.
No expedited processing and no expedited shipping.
Maybe I just got lucky but 16 days including USPS regular mail delivery both ways is pretty impressive.
#2780


Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,458
Curious. Mailed passport May 23 or so. Status shows "in process" since May 29th. But the payment check hasn't been cashed yet. Normally they cash it even before the status updates. Any idea what that might be?
P.S. Wonder if I forgot to sign the check :/ If I did - nothing to do but wait till they contact me, I guess?
P.S. Wonder if I forgot to sign the check :/ If I did - nothing to do but wait till they contact me, I guess?
Today (June 21, so 3 weeks since acceptance) received an email with a copy of the letter asking me to mail the check to them. Online status also shows "more information requested".
Sent the new check priority mail, of course (and looked over it a dozen times to make sure nothing's missing
). Let's see how long it takes them to cash the check and finish processing.
#2781
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 23,175
This is giving me hope for a quick turnaround. Both of my kids are now at the age of finding employment (summer jobs, internships, etc.), and I feel that it's best that they carry a passport card for their I-9 form verification instead of a passport (too valuable), birth certificate (too flimsy), or social security card (permanently in a safe deposit box). Miss Swede's passport is set to expire in 10 months with some potential int'l travel this fall/winter, so we submitted her renewal application last week (standard processing and shipping). Baby Swede's doesn't expire until 2026, but I think I just might bite the bullet and do a renewal now--plus since she's 16, she can do a mail-in/online renewal going forward, and I no longer have to find an appointment at a bleepin' post office* or civic building (cue confetti).
* - for those in the Denver area, there are quite a few post offices south and east out in the flatlands that have open times pretty much every day of the week.
* - for those in the Denver area, there are quite a few post offices south and east out in the flatlands that have open times pretty much every day of the week.
Last edited by pseudoswede; Jun 24, 2024 at 10:51 pm
#2783




Join Date: May 2005
Location: Mid-Atlantic
Posts: 5,022
Baby Swede's doesn't expire until 2026, but I think I just might bite the bullet and do a renewal now--plus since she's 16, she can do a mail-in/online renewal going forward, and I no longer have to find an appointment at a bleepin' post office* or civic building (cue confetti).
#2784
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Saipan, MP 96950 USA (Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands = the CNMI)
Programs: UA Silver, Hilton Silver. Life: UA .60 MM, United & Admirals Clubs (spousal), Marriott Platinum
Posts: 17,996
Age 16 allows ten-year U.S. passports. 
#2785
FlyerTalk Evangelist


Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,858
Seemingly the DoS has been piloting the idea of "expediting" passport applications from those who are doing so from missions abroad. This has not been widely publicized yet, however supposedly if one shows proof of travel within 14 days, one's passport will be done within that time frame and if not it can "take up to six weeks". Seems to me that this means that the regular fast service that we have enjoyed is now the "expedited" option, and now there is a slower track for any others. However missions that offer this no longer give people hassle about retaining their current passport uncancelled, until the new passport is received (meaning that one has to go pick up the new passport when it arrives).
#2786



Join Date: Dec 2022
Programs: UA1K
Posts: 777
Seemingly the DoS has been piloting the idea of "expediting" passport applications from those who are doing so from missions abroad. This has not been widely publicized yet, however supposedly if one shows proof of travel within 14 days, one's passport will be done within that time frame and if not it can "take up to six weeks". Seems to me that this means that the regular fast service that we have enjoyed is now the "expedited" option, and now there is a slower track for any others. However missions that offer this no longer give people hassle about retaining their current passport uncancelled, until the new passport is received (meaning that one has to go pick up the new passport when it arrives).
#2788


Join Date: Oct 2018
Posts: 2,458
So, turns out - I *did* forget to sign the check. D-oh.
Today (June 21, so 3 weeks since acceptance) received an email with a copy of the letter asking me to mail the check to them. Online status also shows "more information requested".
Sent the new check priority mail, of course (and looked over it a dozen times to make sure nothing's missing
). Let's see how long it takes them to cash the check and finish processing.
Today (June 21, so 3 weeks since acceptance) received an email with a copy of the letter asking me to mail the check to them. Online status also shows "more information requested".
Sent the new check priority mail, of course (and looked over it a dozen times to make sure nothing's missing
). Let's see how long it takes them to cash the check and finish processing.My travel is on July 15. Today was the first day I could call and ask the customer service for help. So I did - according to the CS, if passport is being renewed by mail, I am not eligible to use a passport office in person. Customer service did charge me $60 extra to "expedite" but made no promises as to whether/when the passport will be processed. Their official line is - if NPC does not send me the passport by July 15, I will not be able to travel, no recourse.
Anyone dealt with this? Is this correct?
#2789


Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: WAS
Programs: enjoyed being warm spit for a few years on CO/UA but now nothing :(
Posts: 2,817
Ok, this isn't working out too well. My new check was delivered to the NPC (VA address) the very next day, June 22. Since then - nothing, new check not cashed, no updates.
My travel is on July 15. Today was the first day I could call and ask the customer service for help. So I did - according to the CS, if passport is being renewed by mail, I am not eligible to use a passport office in person. Customer service did charge me $60 extra to "expedite" but made no promises as to whether/when the passport will be processed. Their official line is - if NPC does not send me the passport by July 15, I will not be able to travel, no recourse.
Anyone dealt with this? Is this correct?
My travel is on July 15. Today was the first day I could call and ask the customer service for help. So I did - according to the CS, if passport is being renewed by mail, I am not eligible to use a passport office in person. Customer service did charge me $60 extra to "expedite" but made no promises as to whether/when the passport will be processed. Their official line is - if NPC does not send me the passport by July 15, I will not be able to travel, no recourse.
Anyone dealt with this? Is this correct?
#2790
FlyerTalk Evangelist




Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: Denver, CO
Programs: UA Silver, Bonvoy Gold, Hyatt Discoverist
Posts: 23,175




