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)
Jul 21, 2021 | 2:36 pm
#1471
Join Date: May 2021
Posts: 5
Update!
Update:
I am renewing 2 passports:
4/20: Passports sent by Priority Mail for routine service
4/24: Arrives at mailing center in Irving, Texas
5/19: At around 8 pm Pacific time, I received emails notifying me of a status change from 'Not Available' to 'Processed,' with a message saying they are currently processing in 10-12 weeks.
5/20: The checks were cashed.
To be continued...
Our trip is Aug 28th. It was originally going to be July 3rd, but realized the passport renewal process would take much longer.
I am renewing 2 passports:
4/20: Passports sent by Priority Mail for routine service
4/24: Arrives at mailing center in Irving, Texas
5/19: At around 8 pm Pacific time, I received emails notifying me of a status change from 'Not Available' to 'Processed,' with a message saying they are currently processing in 10-12 weeks.
5/20: The checks were cashed.
To be continued...
Our trip is Aug 28th. It was originally going to be July 3rd, but realized the passport renewal process would take much longer.
Jul 21, 2021 | 2:57 pm
#1472
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 3
6/21 Sent Expedited 1-2 to PA and purchased the 1-2 day delivery
6/24 Processing
7/21 Approved and should receive by 7/24
Total time 4 weeks and 5 days from day I sent to the day it "should" arrive.
"Up to 12 weeks" and it's taking a little over 4 weeks. I'm seriously think the Dept of State is using some kind of scare tactic to get people to pay for expedited service.
Jul 21, 2021 | 5:06 pm
#1475
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Posts: 423
UPDATE:
Application sent 6/21
USPS shows delivered 6/22
Application in process email received 6/25
Check cashed 6/28
Email received that passport is ready and shipped: 7/21
ETA: 7/24
33 days from start to end including mailing times. Didn't have to call a senator for help.
Application sent 6/21
USPS shows delivered 6/22
Application in process email received 6/25
Check cashed 6/28
Email received that passport is ready and shipped: 7/21
ETA: 7/24
33 days from start to end including mailing times. Didn't have to call a senator for help.
Jul 21, 2021 | 7:15 pm
#1476
Join Date: Jun 2018
Posts: 519
There is a gray market to buy passport agency/center appointments from individuals who have freely booked up some appointment spots and are trying to profit on demand for appointments by selling or even reselling appointment slots.
The State Department isnt happy about this, but it is what it is and people are still doing this unless and until the government figures out what to do with this situation.
Some passport centers/agencies are somewhat easier to land an appointment for free than most others, but then there is the issue on how to get the applicant/application there.
The State Department isnt happy about this, but it is what it is and people are still doing this unless and until the government figures out what to do with this situation.
Some passport centers/agencies are somewhat easier to land an appointment for free than most others, but then there is the issue on how to get the applicant/application there.
Last edited by Kleinnaf; Jul 21, 2021 at 9:14 pm
Jul 21, 2021 | 9:13 pm
#1477
Join Date: Sep 2019
Location: Houston, TX
Posts: 858
UPDATE:
Application sent 6/21
USPS shows delivered 6/22
Application in process email received 6/25
Check cashed 6/28
Email received that passport is ready and shipped: 7/21
ETA: 7/24
33 days from start to end including mailing times. Didn't have to call a senator for help.
Application sent 6/21
USPS shows delivered 6/22
Application in process email received 6/25
Check cashed 6/28
Email received that passport is ready and shipped: 7/21
ETA: 7/24
33 days from start to end including mailing times. Didn't have to call a senator for help.
Had you reached out to a representative?
I sent my application on 6/24 so your timeline gives me hope.
Jul 21, 2021 | 10:56 pm
#1479
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: Florida
Programs: Delta SkyMiles; Hilton HHonors; NEXUS; National Emerald Club Executive
Posts: 367
It appears my passport was just approved! Timeline:
4/19: Applied in person at a courthouse in Florida
5/19: Email from DoS showing application "In Process" as of the day before (passportstatus.state.gov also updated a day late)
7/22: Email from DoS showing application approved
The U.S. Department of State approved your application for your passport book and card. We're now printing your passport book and card and preparing to give it to you.
You requested routine service when you applied, which we are currently processing within 12 weeks. You should receive your passport book and card on or around 07/28/2021.
I did NOT pay for expedited service; however, I did reach out to my Representative's office, as I had heard they can help speed things along. While the message says I should receive my passport book and card on 7/28, my Representative actually sent me back a tracking number showing that it was mailed out on 7/20 (two days before the approval notice) and will arrive on 7/23 (five days before the estimated arrival time.) What's also interesting is that it's coming from Arkansas, even though my locator code indicates New Hampshire.
4/19: Applied in person at a courthouse in Florida
5/19: Email from DoS showing application "In Process" as of the day before (passportstatus.state.gov also updated a day late)
7/22: Email from DoS showing application approved
The U.S. Department of State approved your application for your passport book and card. We're now printing your passport book and card and preparing to give it to you.
You requested routine service when you applied, which we are currently processing within 12 weeks. You should receive your passport book and card on or around 07/28/2021.
I did NOT pay for expedited service; however, I did reach out to my Representative's office, as I had heard they can help speed things along. While the message says I should receive my passport book and card on 7/28, my Representative actually sent me back a tracking number showing that it was mailed out on 7/20 (two days before the approval notice) and will arrive on 7/23 (five days before the estimated arrival time.) What's also interesting is that it's coming from Arkansas, even though my locator code indicates New Hampshire.
Last edited by txviking; Jul 21, 2021 at 11:01 pm
Jul 22, 2021 | 2:13 pm
#1482
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: OKC
Programs: IHG Plat, National EE, AA Plat
Posts: 2,536
So what are people doing that need to travel every other month if it is taking 3? I've got quite a few trips planned for 2022 which is also when my renewal will need to be done. I could start it in January after my holiday travel is over, but need it back by early February for the next trip.
Jul 22, 2021 | 2:14 pm
#1483
Join Date: May 2018
Location: Colorado (anywhere between DEN DMM BAH)
Programs: United MileagePlus, SkyMiles, AAdvantage, NEXUS
Posts: 3,592
Jul 22, 2021 | 2:19 pm
#1484
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: bay area, ca
Programs: UA plat, , aa plat, marriott LT titanium
Posts: 4,969
Yes big article today in SF paper that scammers have shut down the whole system
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/articl...O-16333136.php
Scammers shut down passport application booking system, creating a crisis for desperate travelers
https://www.sfgate.com/travel/articl...O-16333136.php
