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)
May 3, 2019, 8:21 am
#346
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 2
So I bit the bullet yesterday and paid $152.96 for myself and my girlfriend's passports to be expedited. It's frustrating not having any updated information at all during this process. It drove me crazy and being on week 3 and still no news was getting to me. They took the money out of my account this morning, no update yet on their website.
My timeline
April 6: Submitted application for new passport book at local library. Expired passport submitted as well.
April 11: Notified via email that the application was received and given my locator number.
April 12: Check was cashed by dept.
May 2: Called status line and expedited our applications (3 weeks, 15 business days exactly from the date application received)
May 3: Expedite fee taken out of account, no update on the website yet.
My timeline
April 6: Submitted application for new passport book at local library. Expired passport submitted as well.
April 11: Notified via email that the application was received and given my locator number.
April 12: Check was cashed by dept.
May 2: Called status line and expedited our applications (3 weeks, 15 business days exactly from the date application received)
May 3: Expedite fee taken out of account, no update on the website yet.
May 3, 2019, 11:30 am
#347
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: SIN / SFO
Programs: UA GS, SQ PPS, Hyatt Globalist, Marriott Titanium, Hilton Diamond, Accor Gold
Posts: 1,215
This was needed for a visa application for travel in two weeks (the specific visa required a year of remaining validity, and I didn't have it). No questions or documentation needed beyond a self-written note, which I scribbled down in front of them, stating need.
May 7, 2019, 1:11 pm
#348
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 15
Regular Renewal with 52 page book requested.
April 01: Mailed USPS Priority to PA
April 08: Email confirmation with locator number
No info on check cashing because I used a MO
May 07: Email with tracking number saying expected delivery 05/13
Side note: I have been checking the status every morning for the last week or two and this morning it still hadn't updated, but since the email shows it completed.
April 01: Mailed USPS Priority to PA
April 08: Email confirmation with locator number
No info on check cashing because I used a MO
May 07: Email with tracking number saying expected delivery 05/13
Side note: I have been checking the status every morning for the last week or two and this morning it still hadn't updated, but since the email shows it completed.
May 7, 2019, 8:47 pm
#349
Moderator, Omni, Omni/PR, Omni/Games, FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Between DCA and IAD
Programs: UA 1K MM; Hilton Diamond
Posts: 67,133
Hoping my wife's comes soon. She opted for regular renewal on roughly that same timeframe, with her next scheduled international trip on May 17.
Still says "processing" on the State Department website, and says to call if within 2 weeks of travel, so we're getting close to that point. It was delivered to PA around 3/18 IIRC.
We opted for the regular service to avoid the extra fees. My expedited renewal in December was in under 10 days (I had late January travel and wanted to play it safe).
Still says "processing" on the State Department website, and says to call if within 2 weeks of travel, so we're getting close to that point. It was delivered to PA around 3/18 IIRC.
We opted for the regular service to avoid the extra fees. My expedited renewal in December was in under 10 days (I had late January travel and wanted to play it safe).
I am just hoping it doesn't come down to an in-person visit on the 15th, when my wife gets back into town from her current trip. Seriously, mine (expedited) came in a bit over a week back in December; hers is amazing in that it's been more than 6 weeks now (we submitted the application a bit more than the 8 week mark, IIRC, from travel).
May 8, 2019, 12:25 pm
#350
Join Date: Mar 2009
Posts: 9
expedited renewal passport book + 1-2 day delivery service
total fee via chase money order: $186.48
april 30th - shipped via USPS priority mail express from TX
may 1st - delivered next day to PA
may 1st - passport processing email
may 6th - passport finished processing email, now being printed
may 7th - tracking number emailed
may 8th - delivered in hand
very impressed, extremely fast turnaround!
total fee via chase money order: $186.48
april 30th - shipped via USPS priority mail express from TX
may 1st - delivered next day to PA
may 1st - passport processing email
may 6th - passport finished processing email, now being printed
may 7th - tracking number emailed
may 8th - delivered in hand
very impressed, extremely fast turnaround!
New Passports
May 11, 2019, 1:03 pm
#352
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
If you only mailed the applications on April 25, and did not pay any expedite fees, there really is not a delay. But, to prod this along, I would call the national hotline. While it is open 24/7, you will do better during regular business hours.
If it comes to it, the passports can be issued from a Passport Agency in a few hours.
Let us know how the call goes.
If it comes to it, the passports can be issued from a Passport Agency in a few hours.
Let us know how the call goes.
May 13, 2019, 7:22 pm
#353
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1
And your old passport has been mailed to State department ?
We applied for minor's passport/passport book renewal on April 4th. We can not check status online (no idea why). But we can check it over the phone and they always tell you 'processing '. It has been pretty much 6 weeks
May 16, 2019, 12:17 pm
#354
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1
Applied for US Passport Card, routine service. I had to submit my (still valid) passport with the application.
4/17/19 - mailed application via priority mail
4/20/19 - application arrived at facility
4/22/19 - check cashed
4/23/19 - application showed up in online system
5/22/19 - email received saying that passport card has been printed, will be mailed priority mail, and should be expected on or about 5/28
5/23/19 - Two more emails saying that the passport would be received on or around 6/1
I applied for the passport card so that I could visit Canada while I submit my actual passport for a visa application (applying for a long-term work visa for Switzerland). Was planning on starting the road trip on June 3rd, more than 6 weeks after the passport card application was received at the facility, which I assumed would be fine, but was starting to get nervous at 4.5 weeks, since they don't mail passport cards or your old passport back via priority mail, and wondering if I should call and expedite. Will probably wait another week I guess.
Update: I called the passport Info center, they acknowledged that it was still processing but it had only been 5 weeks and that if I wanted to I could pay $60 to expedite. I mentioned that I'm only 2 weeks away from when I need the card, and I wasn't sure if expediting would help. I also mentioned that I need the card by June 3rd, which is more than 6 weeks after the application was submitted (would be almost 7 weeks). She said that it is processing at a facility in Portsmouth, NH and that if I haven't heard anything by next week, to call again and they can arrange for me to make an appointment and potentially pick up my card at the facility (instead of waiting for it to come in the mail).
2nd update: Looks like the passport card is now printed, and should receive it by 5/28. This would mean total time door to door will be exactly 6 weeks. Will update when it is received.
edit: recieved 2 more emails, now the expected arrival is on or around 6/1. Just hope they don't push it out any farther. So what I have learned from this thread is that the processing time is highly variable, probably depends on the exact facility/state you are in, and routine processing can take up to 6 weeks not including mailing time.
4/17/19 - mailed application via priority mail
4/20/19 - application arrived at facility
4/22/19 - check cashed
4/23/19 - application showed up in online system
5/22/19 - email received saying that passport card has been printed, will be mailed priority mail, and should be expected on or about 5/28
5/23/19 - Two more emails saying that the passport would be received on or around 6/1
I applied for the passport card so that I could visit Canada while I submit my actual passport for a visa application (applying for a long-term work visa for Switzerland). Was planning on starting the road trip on June 3rd, more than 6 weeks after the passport card application was received at the facility, which I assumed would be fine, but was starting to get nervous at 4.5 weeks, since they don't mail passport cards or your old passport back via priority mail, and wondering if I should call and expedite. Will probably wait another week I guess.
Update: I called the passport Info center, they acknowledged that it was still processing but it had only been 5 weeks and that if I wanted to I could pay $60 to expedite. I mentioned that I'm only 2 weeks away from when I need the card, and I wasn't sure if expediting would help. I also mentioned that I need the card by June 3rd, which is more than 6 weeks after the application was submitted (would be almost 7 weeks). She said that it is processing at a facility in Portsmouth, NH and that if I haven't heard anything by next week, to call again and they can arrange for me to make an appointment and potentially pick up my card at the facility (instead of waiting for it to come in the mail).
2nd update: Looks like the passport card is now printed, and should receive it by 5/28. This would mean total time door to door will be exactly 6 weeks. Will update when it is received.
edit: recieved 2 more emails, now the expected arrival is on or around 6/1. Just hope they don't push it out any farther. So what I have learned from this thread is that the processing time is highly variable, probably depends on the exact facility/state you are in, and routine processing can take up to 6 weeks not including mailing time.
Last edited by phte5115; May 26, 2019 at 6:32 pm Reason: new info
May 17, 2019, 11:51 am
#356
Moderator Hilton Honors, Travel News, West, The Suggestion Box, Smoking Lounge & DiningBuzz
Join Date: Jun 2000
Programs: Honors Diamond, Hertz Presidents Circle, National Exec Elite
Posts: 36,026
May 1 Submitted application materials to replace stolen passport
May 17 Received email today that passport had been printed and can expect by May 25
I was expecting it to take much longer.
May 17 Received email today that passport had been printed and can expect by May 25
I was expecting it to take much longer.
May 17, 2019, 12:58 pm
#357
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
3 weeks is about average right now for non-expedited. It's even faster if applying from outside the US.
May 17, 2019, 2:06 pm
#358
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 5
That is quick. 
Nice
I submitted mine on April 25 and unfortunately it is still processing. I am getting worried because I am traveling on June 3rd. In the past the turnaround time was much quicker. I am now debating on expediting. Any advice? I would really like to avoid those extra charges
Nice I submitted mine on April 25 and unfortunately it is still processing. I am getting worried because I am traveling on June 3rd. In the past the turnaround time was much quicker. I am now debating on expediting. Any advice? I would really like to avoid those extra charges
May 17, 2019, 5:31 pm
#359
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1
That is quick. Nice
I submitted mine on April 25 and unfortunately it is still processing. I am getting worried because I am traveling on June 3rd. In the past the turnaround time was much quicker. I am now debating on expediting. Any advice? I would really like to avoid those extra charges
Nice I submitted mine on April 25 and unfortunately it is still processing. I am getting worried because I am traveling on June 3rd. In the past the turnaround time was much quicker. I am now debating on expediting. Any advice? I would really like to avoid those extra charges
May 17, 2019, 8:54 pm
#360
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 5
My check was cashed on April 24th and mine was still processing today. I have travel coming up on June 9th so I went ahead and expedited today. They said I will receive my passport in 8 business days from the time they accept my expedite request. I would definitely call and expedite if I were you.