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 20, 2019 | 6:10 pm
#361
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 5
Has anyone every gotten this message when they check the status?
We are still processing your application.
We may have either sent you a letter or attempted to contact you by phone. Please follow the written or verbal instruction provided to complete the processing of your application.
If you have not yet received our communication or you have any questions, please contact the National Passport Info Center with the above locator number.
I expedited my passport on Friday because it was taking too long through routine processing. I need it by June 3. They withdrew money from my account for the expedited fee today. When I went to go check the status, I received the above message. Called the National Passport Info Center....they don't know what the issue is. No calls from unknown caller on my phone today. If they sent a letter, I won't get it for another couple days. I am so incredibly nervous and worried about this status message. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
We are still processing your application.
We may have either sent you a letter or attempted to contact you by phone. Please follow the written or verbal instruction provided to complete the processing of your application.
If you have not yet received our communication or you have any questions, please contact the National Passport Info Center with the above locator number.
I expedited my passport on Friday because it was taking too long through routine processing. I need it by June 3. They withdrew money from my account for the expedited fee today. When I went to go check the status, I received the above message. Called the National Passport Info Center....they don't know what the issue is. No calls from unknown caller on my phone today. If they sent a letter, I won't get it for another couple days. I am so incredibly nervous and worried about this status message. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.
May 21, 2019 | 9:29 am
#362
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 80
Thank you everyone for providing their timelines, I am leaving mine as a data point.
Los Angeles first time applying for passport with routine service.
52 pages passport and passport card.
4/10/19 - Applied in person at USPS location
4/16/19 - Email received with locator number
5/14/19 - Email received that passport processing is finished and another email with tracker number for passport book only, that says I should receive by 5/20 or sooner.
5/16/19 - Passport was delivered inside mailbox
5/17/19 - Passport card was delivered inside mailbox - no tracking number
5/20/19 - Proof of citizenship was delivered inside mailbox - no tracking number
Los Angeles first time applying for passport with routine service.
52 pages passport and passport card.
4/10/19 - Applied in person at USPS location
4/16/19 - Email received with locator number
5/14/19 - Email received that passport processing is finished and another email with tracker number for passport book only, that says I should receive by 5/20 or sooner.
5/16/19 - Passport was delivered inside mailbox
5/17/19 - Passport card was delivered inside mailbox - no tracking number
5/20/19 - Proof of citizenship was delivered inside mailbox - no tracking number
May 22, 2019 | 1:13 pm
#363
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1
My wife and both applied for new passport books on the same day via normal processing, and received them both on the same day:
04/13/19 - Applied in person at USPS.
04/17/19 - Application status available online.
05/15/19 - Email received stating passport is printed. States delivery via Priority Mail should be by 05/21/19. Subsequent emails on same day give tracking number, and change delivery date to 05/22/19.
05/20/19 - Passports received. Tracking showed passports were originally scheduled for 05/18/19, and even got to local town that day, but didn't make it on final delivery truck until 05/20/19. Birth certificates also delivered 05/20/19, in separate envelopes, via regular mail.
04/13/19 - Applied in person at USPS.
04/17/19 - Application status available online.
05/15/19 - Email received stating passport is printed. States delivery via Priority Mail should be by 05/21/19. Subsequent emails on same day give tracking number, and change delivery date to 05/22/19.
05/20/19 - Passports received. Tracking showed passports were originally scheduled for 05/18/19, and even got to local town that day, but didn't make it on final delivery truck until 05/20/19. Birth certificates also delivered 05/20/19, in separate envelopes, via regular mail.
May 23, 2019 | 1:07 pm
#364
Join Date: May 2019
Posts: 1
My children and I applied at the courthouse for new passports in Houston, Texas, here is our timeline:
5/2 - Applied in person (make sure you have an application already completed)
5/8 - checks cashed
5/22 - rec'd email stating the application was being processed. (I had been checking the status for a couple of weeks now and kept saying processing)
5/23 - rec'd email stating they would arrive in the mail by 5/28
5/23 - a couple of hours later, received an email saying they would arrive by 6/1
We did not expedite processing or shipping. My husband went to the same facility on 5/10 and did not pay for expedited shipping or processing. When we check the website it still does not show it is processing.
5/2 - Applied in person (make sure you have an application already completed)
5/8 - checks cashed
5/22 - rec'd email stating the application was being processed. (I had been checking the status for a couple of weeks now and kept saying processing)
5/23 - rec'd email stating they would arrive in the mail by 5/28
5/23 - a couple of hours later, received an email saying they would arrive by 6/1
We did not expedite processing or shipping. My husband went to the same facility on 5/10 and did not pay for expedited shipping or processing. When we check the website it still does not show it is processing.
May 23, 2019 | 6:13 pm
#365
Join Date: Aug 2009
Posts: 10
4/25 - regular passport book renewal mailed to TX.
4/28(Sunday) - delivered to PO box.
5/1 - email with locator number, check cashed.
5/8 - email about finished processing and expected arrival before 5/14.
5/11 - new passport arrived.
So 16 days door-to-door non-expedited. Very surprised at the quick turnaround after reading this thread.
4/28(Sunday) - delivered to PO box.
5/1 - email with locator number, check cashed.
5/8 - email about finished processing and expected arrival before 5/14.
5/11 - new passport arrived.
So 16 days door-to-door non-expedited. Very surprised at the quick turnaround after reading this thread.
May 31, 2019 | 1:42 pm
#366
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 152
Applied for a new passport book for an infant in California
5/8 - Applied in person
5/14 - Check cashed
5/30 - Passport printed, estd. arrival 6/8
6/3 - Estimated arrival per USPS.
If it arrives as scheduled: 18 business days, 26 calendar days.
5/8 - Applied in person
5/14 - Check cashed
5/30 - Passport printed, estd. arrival 6/8
6/3 - Estimated arrival per USPS.
If it arrives as scheduled: 18 business days, 26 calendar days.
Jun 3, 2019 | 9:05 am
#367
Join Date: Oct 2009
Posts: 177
Applied for a renewal passport
5/13 - Sent in passport book and card
5/16 - Passport book and card delivered to PO Box in TX
5/22 - Received e-mail with locator number
6/7 - Received tracking information for renewed passport
6/10 - Received passport
5/13 - Sent in passport book and card
5/16 - Passport book and card delivered to PO Box in TX
5/22 - Received e-mail with locator number
6/7 - Received tracking information for renewed passport
6/10 - Received passport
Last edited by joder; Jun 10, 2019 at 10:50 am Reason: Updates to tracking
Jun 6, 2019 | 12:04 am
#368
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 2
Should I call to expedite?
Applied in person at Post Office with routine service on 5/22
Status available online 5/29
Received an email with locator number on 06/03
Have flight on 07/07, when I originally applied processing times were stated as 4-6 weeks but when I received the email it was updated to 6-8 weeks, should I expedite?
Status available online 5/29
Received an email with locator number on 06/03
Have flight on 07/07, when I originally applied processing times were stated as 4-6 weeks but when I received the email it was updated to 6-8 weeks, should I expedite?
Jun 6, 2019 | 8:47 am
#369
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Socal
Programs: UA Plat, Bonvoy Gold, Amex Plat, CSR
Posts: 211
Applied in person at Post Office with routine service on 5/22
Status available online 5/29
Received an email with locator number on 06/03
Have flight on 07/07, when I originally applied processing times were stated as 4-6 weeks but when I received the email it was updated to 6-8 weeks, should I expedite?
Status available online 5/29
Received an email with locator number on 06/03
Have flight on 07/07, when I originally applied processing times were stated as 4-6 weeks but when I received the email it was updated to 6-8 weeks, should I expedite?
Jun 14, 2019 | 7:28 am
#372
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 1
I found this while frantically searching actual timelines after realizing my kids passports had expired in March and we are scheduled to leave the country July 7. So here is my timeline:
June 5 - realize passports expired and made appt for next day (with kids no renewals and both parents need to be present)
June 6 - submit applications and pay expedited fees and express shipping in both directions ($26 for both in one envelope there and then $17 for each passport to come back)
June 7 - applications arrive in Philadelphia
June 11 - passport locator number email
June 13 - both passports being printed and passports shipped emails
June 14 - out for delivery
I would have been ok without the express shipping, but having them here ASAP will give me peace of mind. Thank you to everyone who previously shared their timelines and I hope this helps someone else!
June 5 - realize passports expired and made appt for next day (with kids no renewals and both parents need to be present)
June 6 - submit applications and pay expedited fees and express shipping in both directions ($26 for both in one envelope there and then $17 for each passport to come back)
June 7 - applications arrive in Philadelphia
June 11 - passport locator number email
June 13 - both passports being printed and passports shipped emails
June 14 - out for delivery
I would have been ok without the express shipping, but having them here ASAP will give me peace of mind. Thank you to everyone who previously shared their timelines and I hope this helps someone else!
Jun 14, 2019 | 8:00 am
#373
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,253
Note that State has increased the average wait time for routine passport processing by 50%. Now 6-8 weeks. Was 4-6 weeks.
Doesn't mean it will happen or that if it happens, it will happen to you. But, it does suggest that now is a good time to calendar your family's passport expiration and start the process well in advance. If you don't, until there is hard information, I would pay for the expedited service and keep in mind the availability of Passport Agencies in major cities for last minute.
Doesn't mean it will happen or that if it happens, it will happen to you. But, it does suggest that now is a good time to calendar your family's passport expiration and start the process well in advance. If you don't, until there is hard information, I would pay for the expedited service and keep in mind the availability of Passport Agencies in major cities for last minute.
Jun 17, 2019 | 3:07 pm
#374
Join Date: Jun 2019
Posts: 1
Applied for a new passport in Florida. Routine service.
May 14th - Applied
May 21st - Processing
June 17th - Passport has been printed and mailed emails. June 23rd expected delivery.
Update (June 17th): Passport has arrived at a USPS facility in Tucson, expected delivery of June 19th.
Update (June 19th): Received passport
5 weeks and 1 day from door to door.
May 14th - Applied
May 21st - Processing
June 17th - Passport has been printed and mailed emails. June 23rd expected delivery.
Update (June 17th): Passport has arrived at a USPS facility in Tucson, expected delivery of June 19th.
Update (June 19th): Received passport
5 weeks and 1 day from door to door.
Last edited by Phantomlink; Jun 19, 2019 at 5:11 pm
Jun 19, 2019 | 12:19 pm
#375
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: PIT
Programs: AA, AS
Posts: 58
Applied for expedited renewal and new card:
Jun 14th - Mailed
Jun 17th - Arrived PA (per USPS tracking)
Jun 20th - Received locator number email
Jun 21st - Check cashed
Jun 24th - Passport printed, tracking number received
Jun 25th - Passport shipped (per USPS tracking), expected delivery Jun 26th
Jun 26th - Delivered
Jun 28th - Passport Card delivered
Jun 29th - Old passport delivered
Interestingly, the new passport appears to be coming from Tucson, AZ even though I mailed it to Philadelphia. I guess that's where they print them? I'm closer to Tucson so it makes sense.
Jun 14th - Mailed
Jun 17th - Arrived PA (per USPS tracking)
Jun 20th - Received locator number email
Jun 21st - Check cashed
Jun 24th - Passport printed, tracking number received
Jun 25th - Passport shipped (per USPS tracking), expected delivery Jun 26th
Jun 26th - Delivered
Jun 28th - Passport Card delivered
Jun 29th - Old passport delivered
Interestingly, the new passport appears to be coming from Tucson, AZ even though I mailed it to Philadelphia. I guess that's where they print them? I'm closer to Tucson so it makes sense.
Last edited by phantom784; Jul 1, 2019 at 10:28 am