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)
Jun 2, 2017 | 5:15 pm
#46
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We are approaching 8 weeks since passport applications for two minor children, planning to travel in a few weeks, still "processing". See below for timetable and questions.
History:
~4.5 years ago: applied with zeros for SSN; received standard processing (not expedited) passports in ~2 weeks.
April 8, 2017. Pre-filled application forms online. Used zeros for SSN as before.
April 10, 2017. Applied for two new passports at Post Office. Sent two old passports in for renewal. Unfortunately, minor passports are processed as new applications (not as renewals). Standard 6-8 week processing.
April 27, 2017. Department of State generated letters stating that SSNs were now required. The outgoing administration made changes to allow the IRS to revoke passports, which now effectively require SSN.
April 28, 2017. We received an emailed version of the form, printed it, and mailed it with the numbers. The application hotline refused to take the numbers over the phone.
May 5, 2017. Our application was updated with the new data.
June 2, 2017. Still "processing". Calling the phone number gives no useful information.
Future:
June 5 will be 8 weeks.
June 11 we are planning to drive to Canada (Adults have passports/NEXUS/Global Entry, kids have NEXUS) for a conference in Victoria.
June 15 we fly internationally from Vancouver.
Questions:
1) Is there any way to find actual status of an application?
2) Is there any actual phone number for the Seattle Passport Agency?
3) If we request an in-person appointment in Seattle, how will that impact the already-in-process applications?
4) We are considering requesting a June 9 appointment; Seattle is a 700 mile drive, but at least "almost" on the way. Any comments/suggestions about the Seattle office? Note that they already have our application documents and old passports.
Hopefully the above narrative will help some of you avoid future problems. In hindsight, we should have fully submitted to our benevolent government and provided SSNs and paid their "protection" fee (expedited processing, which seems to be almost a month for some). But at this point, we are really starting to worry. Any help, suggestions, or experience others can provide for us would be appreciated.
History:
~4.5 years ago: applied with zeros for SSN; received standard processing (not expedited) passports in ~2 weeks.
April 8, 2017. Pre-filled application forms online. Used zeros for SSN as before.
April 10, 2017. Applied for two new passports at Post Office. Sent two old passports in for renewal. Unfortunately, minor passports are processed as new applications (not as renewals). Standard 6-8 week processing.
April 27, 2017. Department of State generated letters stating that SSNs were now required. The outgoing administration made changes to allow the IRS to revoke passports, which now effectively require SSN.
April 28, 2017. We received an emailed version of the form, printed it, and mailed it with the numbers. The application hotline refused to take the numbers over the phone.
May 5, 2017. Our application was updated with the new data.
June 2, 2017. Still "processing". Calling the phone number gives no useful information.
Future:
June 5 will be 8 weeks.
June 11 we are planning to drive to Canada (Adults have passports/NEXUS/Global Entry, kids have NEXUS) for a conference in Victoria.
June 15 we fly internationally from Vancouver.
Questions:
1) Is there any way to find actual status of an application?
2) Is there any actual phone number for the Seattle Passport Agency?
3) If we request an in-person appointment in Seattle, how will that impact the already-in-process applications?
4) We are considering requesting a June 9 appointment; Seattle is a 700 mile drive, but at least "almost" on the way. Any comments/suggestions about the Seattle office? Note that they already have our application documents and old passports.
Hopefully the above narrative will help some of you avoid future problems. In hindsight, we should have fully submitted to our benevolent government and provided SSNs and paid their "protection" fee (expedited processing, which seems to be almost a month for some). But at this point, we are really starting to worry. Any help, suggestions, or experience others can provide for us would be appreciated.
The former Admin didn't come up with the IRS passport denial/revocation law. That was done by pretty much the same US House and Senate majority as is currently in place. And that law about passports wasn't fully implemented by the prior Admin; and it still hasn't been fully implemented by the current Admin.
The gap between passort issue date and the date of passport delivery by mail/courier is the slowest it's been in quite some time.
Last edited by GUWonder; Jun 2, 2017 at 5:20 pm
Jun 3, 2017 | 7:50 am
#47
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 42
I can guarantee that State is still issuing US passports to US citizens who don't have a SSN. Plenty of US citizens don't have a SSN and are yet legally entitled to a US passport upon paying a fee and otherwise meeting the conditions to qualify for a US passport; and these people are still getting US passports issued as of today at least. If the passport applicants have a SSN, then the SSN of the passport applicant must be filed with the passport application for smooth processing.
This is quite unfortunate, especially since we live ~700 miles away from the Seattle Passport Agency. It looks like we will need to go in person this week.
Jun 4, 2017 | 12:32 am
#48
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The difference is that now, if you enter 000-00-0000, they require a signed statement, under penalty of perjury, that the applicant does not have a SSN. So while the SSN is not required, and in fact requiring cannot be legal as it violates the Privacy Act of 1974, they can prosecute on the catch-all "perjury" if you sign that form. So effectively, if you have a SSN, you must use it, or you will be denied a passport. This is what I was told by multiple people at the information number. So the only people that can get a passport without a SSN are people that do not have an SSN. This is a major change from previous policy.
This is quite unfortunate, especially since we live ~700 miles away from the Seattle Passport Agency. It looks like we will need to go in person this week.
This is quite unfortunate, especially since we live ~700 miles away from the Seattle Passport Agency. It looks like we will need to go in person this week.
Jun 4, 2017 | 1:58 pm
#49
Join Date: Apr 2013
Posts: 42
Update:
It seems that, after nearly 8 weeks, the application is finally entered in the system.
As of yesterday, 6/3, the online system now gives "processing" when last 4 digits of actual SSN are entered. Until 6/2, it only listed that status when 0000 was entered, and found nothing with the actual numbers.
Does anyone have experience with scheduling an in-person appointment to follow-up on a mailed-in application?
It seems that, after nearly 8 weeks, the application is finally entered in the system.
As of yesterday, 6/3, the online system now gives "processing" when last 4 digits of actual SSN are entered. Until 6/2, it only listed that status when 0000 was entered, and found nothing with the actual numbers.
Does anyone have experience with scheduling an in-person appointment to follow-up on a mailed-in application?
Jun 9, 2017 | 7:57 am
#52
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In most of the years prior to this one, most regular renewal passport applicants would get their passport issued and back within 3-4 weeks (if not faster) even without paying the expedite fee. This year it's taking longer than it used to on average in the prior several years. The most common time frame between passport application and passport delivery has been well under 6 weeks for most years between 2000-2016.
Jun 9, 2017 | 8:06 am
#53
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Aren't we approaching the 10 year anniversary of needing a passport for U.S./Canada flights? I wonder if that's part of the bump...
Jun 9, 2017 | 8:10 am
#54
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Many people can renew USA passports more quickly by going to a Passport Agency with the completed application form, new passport photos, and the old passport. You're supposed to make an appointment in advance but YMMV.
Jun 9, 2017 | 8:26 am
#55
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In Kansas City, getting an appointment is the harder part: you have to go to a post office in person, get the appointment, and then come back 8-12 weeks later for your appointment slot. We did this last year: I happened to be in the main Union Station post office the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and they had one appointment slot open in late July.
In other parts of the country, it's a lot easier. We did our other kid while we were on vacation in LA. Orange County has passport processing in a couple of their county offices. Online reservation system, 2-3 week lead time. I think one of the local library systems was another option, but we didn't investigate it since the county appointment worked fine.
Jun 9, 2017 | 8:43 am
#56
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We've had to do this for our kids.
In Kansas City, getting an appointment is the harder part: you have to go to a post office in person, get the appointment, and then come back 8-12 weeks later for your appointment slot. We did this last year: I happened to be in the main Union Station post office the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and they had one appointment slot open in late July.
In other parts of the country, it's a lot easier. We did our other kid while we were on vacation in LA. Orange County has passport processing in a couple of their county offices. Online reservation system, 2-3 week lead time. I think one of the local library systems was another option, but we didn't investigate it since the county appointment worked fine.
In Kansas City, getting an appointment is the harder part: you have to go to a post office in person, get the appointment, and then come back 8-12 weeks later for your appointment slot. We did this last year: I happened to be in the main Union Station post office the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and they had one appointment slot open in late July.
In other parts of the country, it's a lot easier. We did our other kid while we were on vacation in LA. Orange County has passport processing in a couple of their county offices. Online reservation system, 2-3 week lead time. I think one of the local library systems was another option, but we didn't investigate it since the county appointment worked fine.
https://travel.state.gov/content/pas.../agencies.html
Jun 9, 2017 | 8:45 am
#57
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Jun 9, 2017 | 8:50 am
#58
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We've had to do this for our kids.
In Kansas City, getting an appointment is the harder part: you have to go to a post office in person, get the appointment, and then come back 8-12 weeks later for your appointment slot. We did this last year: I happened to be in the main Union Station post office the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and they had one appointment slot open in late July.
In other parts of the country, it's a lot easier. We did our other kid while we were on vacation in LA. Orange County has passport processing in a couple of their county offices. Online reservation system, 2-3 week lead time. I think one of the local library systems was another option, but we didn't investigate it since the county appointment worked fine.
In Kansas City, getting an appointment is the harder part: you have to go to a post office in person, get the appointment, and then come back 8-12 weeks later for your appointment slot. We did this last year: I happened to be in the main Union Station post office the Friday before Memorial Day weekend and they had one appointment slot open in late July.
In other parts of the country, it's a lot easier. We did our other kid while we were on vacation in LA. Orange County has passport processing in a couple of their county offices. Online reservation system, 2-3 week lead time. I think one of the local library systems was another option, but we didn't investigate it since the county appointment worked fine.
https://travel.state.gov/content/pas.../agencies.html
A Passport Agency is a State Department office. It can issue a passport on the spot. As others note, if you show up with your paperwork, photos, and people necessary to the process before opening time, you may well have your passport a few hours later and at worst, in the early afternoon.
This approach is supposed to be for emergencies only and only by appointment through the hotline required. But, the practicality is that if you are low maintenance and have everything in order, this may work. You will pay the expedite fees, but those may not be so high once you consider the time wasted on the in-person USPS process.
This process is also useful for people who may have out-of-the-ordinary situations, including secondary documents which are acceptable but not common.
The worst you get is a "no" and then you are stuck with the USPS mail/in-person process.
Jun 9, 2017 | 9:30 am
#59
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OK, great, you can get one lightning fast at a Passport Agency. We all know that.
Why would you go to the trouble of that if you only needed the passport in 4.5 (or even 6 to 8) weeks?
Why would you go to the trouble of that if you only needed the passport in 4.5 (or even 6 to 8) weeks?
Jun 9, 2017 | 9:35 am
#60
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IIRC you can do a regular (nonemergency) renewal at a Passport Agency and get the passport by mail in about two weeks.