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)
Jun 14, 2020 | 7:53 am
#571
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
Took them 3 months to realize:
"In an email sent Monday to Special Issuance Agency employees, Assistant Director Sandra LaBarge said State Department now considers passport issuance an “essential function of the mission,” and told employees their positions were now mission-critical. The guidance doesn’t apply to contractors."
Finally some good news:
"Risch said the current backlog of 1.7 million applications amounts to a “slight increase” compared to what the agency would handle in a month. The bureau, he added, can scale up operations to process several hundred thousand applications per week."
Source: Fed News Network
- 18 million issued passports / year, 1.5 million / month
- Backlog 1.7 million applications
- Additional 9000 new applications / day, 180000 / month, or roughly 12% of the monthly workload at normal times
They have nearly 10% of their yearly workload sitting in the storage, getting 180k new applications a month while 50% employees are at work and call that a "slight increase in workload".
"In an email sent Monday to Special Issuance Agency employees, Assistant Director Sandra LaBarge said State Department now considers passport issuance an “essential function of the mission,” and told employees their positions were now mission-critical. The guidance doesn’t apply to contractors."
Finally some good news:
"Risch said the current backlog of 1.7 million applications amounts to a “slight increase” compared to what the agency would handle in a month. The bureau, he added, can scale up operations to process several hundred thousand applications per week."
Source: Fed News Network
- 18 million issued passports / year, 1.5 million / month
- Backlog 1.7 million applications
- Additional 9000 new applications / day, 180000 / month, or roughly 12% of the monthly workload at normal times
They have nearly 10% of their yearly workload sitting in the storage, getting 180k new applications a month while 50% employees are at work and call that a "slight increase in workload".
Jun 15, 2020 | 9:54 am
#572
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: The Land of Pleasant Living
Programs: Marriott Ambassador, AA ExecPlat, Amtrak Select Exec, former WN apologist
Posts: 1,938
So is the current thinking to send in renewal application now if they are processing again and really going "first in first out"? I expire in March 2021. No firm international travel until April 2021, but there is a chance for an ad hoc trip or two later this year depending on how fast work opens back up. I'm just a little nervous about sending in the current passport and having it sit indefinitely.
Jun 16, 2020 | 10:30 am
#573
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 6
Updated info on the State Department website shows the phase for each office. Sorry I can’t post a link - not allowed by admins because I don’t have 5 postings...
Although a very limited opening is better than nothing, it still looks like a loooong time before I get mine from March in Philadelphia.
Please continue to call senators.
Although a very limited opening is better than nothing, it still looks like a loooong time before I get mine from March in Philadelphia.
Please continue to call senators.
Jun 16, 2020 | 10:34 am
#574
Join Date: May 2020
Posts: 6
It is risky to send it. But check your destinations - some countries require 6 months left before expiration.
QUOTE=Mr. BoH;32458061]So is the current thinking to send in renewal application now if they are processing again and really going "first in first out"? I expire in March 2021. No firm international travel until April 2021, but there is a chance for an ad hoc trip or two later this year depending on how fast work opens back up. I'm just a little nervous about sending in the current passport and having it sit indefinitely.[/QUOTE]
QUOTE=Mr. BoH;32458061]So is the current thinking to send in renewal application now if they are processing again and really going "first in first out"? I expire in March 2021. No firm international travel until April 2021, but there is a chance for an ad hoc trip or two later this year depending on how fast work opens back up. I'm just a little nervous about sending in the current passport and having it sit indefinitely.[/QUOTE]
Jun 16, 2020 | 10:42 am
#575
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: SW Michigan, ex SF Bay Area
Posts: 1,000
Jun 17, 2020 | 3:20 pm
#576
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: SFO
Posts: 5,208
Submitted a passport renewal for a family member with passport expiring dec 2020. Delivered on Wednesday June 10th, check cashed on Monday June 15th, and no status update in the system as of today. Hoping to get it back by end of August.
Jun 19, 2020 | 11:30 am
#578
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,862
I would suggest to anyone in Myperks situation to NOT do that, and hold. despite all panic to the contrary, a passport is valid believe it or not until its expiry date. There are countries that have "requirements" that they are valid for 3 months or 6 months after entry, but these are normally not that solid especially for shorter trips and the biggest problem normally are airline check-in people at your origin, not at destination, in 99% of cases this can be overcome with a written note/letter saying that if you are denied entry, due to this, you will bear the cost of repatriation. In any case due to covid some countries have either relaxed this or conversely others have asked that their documents be accepted past their date of expiry as there are huge backlogs everywhere, this is not solely a US thing.
Lastly, assuming things start to get better, anyone in such a situation and who will be abroad, for at least 10 days, better 2 weeks is/will be better off applying for their passport from abroad as those always get priority.
Lastly, assuming things start to get better, anyone in such a situation and who will be abroad, for at least 10 days, better 2 weeks is/will be better off applying for their passport from abroad as those always get priority.
Jun 19, 2020 | 12:08 pm
#579
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: United, Delta
Posts: 55
I called the Passport status line and the lady said "Passport centers are reopening very slowly and it will be several months before you receive your passport. My application was received at Irving TX on March 13 and logged into the system on March 16. Ridiculous that she wouldn't use my record locator number to advise me about my application, but she simply didn't care.
Jun 19, 2020 | 6:05 pm
#580
Join Date: Jun 2009
Location: SFO
Programs: HH Gold, CC Gold
Posts: 292
I just received my old passport in the mail. I renewed back in mid-February (I listed travel dates for Apr in the form) and got the renewal passport at the end of March. Not sure if it means anything but if they're going by date order, they're still working thru the Feb/March batch.
Jun 21, 2020 | 3:39 am
#581
Join Date: Mar 2018
Location: PHL
Programs: AA EXP, HH Diamond, Owner of 2,000 TWA shares
Posts: 812
Sent my PP in for renewal in late March. Have been checking the last few weeks and have received "In Process" for my status. Really had no choice but to send it in as my PP is expiring Jan 2021. Check has not been cashed yet but I can only assume that I'm finally going to see some real progress soon.
"Application Status: In Process
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot provide an update on when you will receive your passport and the return of your citizenship documents until we resume normal operations and staff return to our agencies and centers.
While we continue to accept applications, process your payments, and safeguard your forms, we cannot update your passport status at this time. For more information, read our COVID-19 update."
"Application Status: In Process
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we cannot provide an update on when you will receive your passport and the return of your citizenship documents until we resume normal operations and staff return to our agencies and centers.
While we continue to accept applications, process your payments, and safeguard your forms, we cannot update your passport status at this time. For more information, read our COVID-19 update."
Jun 21, 2020 | 5:39 am
#582
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2000
Posts: 15,862
Again I would very STRONGLY suggest to anyone that has a passport expiring in December 2020 or January 2021 like Uncle Nonny above NOT to send in one's passport right now (or over the last several months), better to wait until things get a bit more back to normal.
Jun 21, 2020 | 7:37 am
#583
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: United, Delta
Posts: 55
@ Uncle Nonny, hang in there!
My application was delivered to Irving TX on March 13, per US Priority Mail tracking; on March 16 I received an email from passport processing acknowledging receipt and a locator number. No change in the message at the passport application status page until about May 29, saying "In Process"
My application was delivered to Irving TX on March 13, per US Priority Mail tracking; on March 16 I received an email from passport processing acknowledging receipt and a locator number. No change in the message at the passport application status page until about May 29, saying "In Process"
Jun 21, 2020 | 7:44 am
#584
Join Date: Dec 2011
Programs: United, Delta
Posts: 55
I just received my old passport in the mail. I renewed back in mid-February (I listed travel dates for Apr in the form) and got the renewal passport at the end of March. Not sure if it means anything but if they're going by date order, they're still working thru the Feb/March batch.
I really appreciate folks sharing about receiving their passports back. Thanks!
Last edited by BillyBaht; Jun 21, 2020 at 7:59 am
Jun 21, 2020 | 10:32 am
#585
Join Date: Oct 2014
Posts: 254
Wooohooo
I got an email late Friday saying that my passport is on its way. I have USPS Informed Delivery which shows something coming from Passport Services. My passport was sent to them back in mid February to Irving but it says it's coming from Tuscon, AZ.
I got an email late Friday saying that my passport is on its way. I have USPS Informed Delivery which shows something coming from Passport Services. My passport was sent to them back in mid February to Irving but it says it's coming from Tuscon, AZ.