Under certain circumstances, it is possible to get a passport in one day. But you'll have to be prepared, prompt, and patient in order to get anywhere fast.
First, gather all the paperwork and documents necessary to obtain a passport (these will be the same whether you're short on time or not). A previous United States passport will fulfill two requirements: proof of citizenship and proof of identity. However, if you've never been issued a U.S. passport, you'll have to provide a certified copy of your birth certificate to prove your citizenship. The certificate must have been issued by the city, county, or state in which you were born, and must show your date of birth and the raised, embossed, or multicolored seal of the registrar's office. To show proof of identity, travelers without a previous U.S. passport will also need to provide a social security number and a current photo ID, such as a driver's license or military ID card.
Additionally, you'll need two identical passport photos (with a front view of your face on a plain, light background). Be aware that photos from the vending machine at Kmart will not be accepted. Instead, spend a few dollars and get your picture taken by a professional passport photography agency (photos can be either black-and-white or color).
Once you've collected these documents, make a check or money order payable to Passport Services. An original, non-emergency, 10-year passport costs $60. The additional fee for expedited processing is $35 per passport, bringing the total amount to $95 for a first-time applicant. (The total cost to renew your passport in person is $40, plus an additional $35 to expedite the process.) The extra charge guarantees that your passport will be processed within three working days of receipt by the passport agency.
After you've compiled all of your paperwork, head for the nearest passport agency (located in 13 major U.S. cities), federal or state court, county or municipal offices, or post office. Most of these offices will be able to provide you with the final necessary document, a DS-11 application form (or you can log on to the Internet and download a copy). Before running all over town in search of an office that will accept your application, consult this nationwide listing or look for Passport Services under the Department of State listing in the Federal Government blue pages of your local Yellow Pages.
Standard passports will be issued within 25 business days after receipt of your completed application. However, if you're leaving on an unplanned or emergency trip within the next 10 days, you can speed up the return time by presenting your airline tickets, trip itinerary, or confirmed reservations to the nearest passport agency, along with a self-addressed, pre-paid envelope for your passport's overnight return. In some cases, the agency will be able to provide you with a passport that day, but be prepared to stand in lines while waiting for processing.
There is also expedited service available for overnight passport renewal by mail. To qualify for this service, you must already have a passport that was issued within the last 12 years (and you must have been over the age of 16 when it was issued). Pick up and complete a DSP-82 application at the same locations as listed above and attach it to your most recent passport with two passport photos and a check or money order for $60 payable to Passport Services. Your previous passport will be returned to you with your new passport.
If your name has changed since your last passport was issued, enclose a certified copy of the marriage certificate, divorce decree, court order, or adoption decree specifying your new name. You must apply in person if your name has changed by any other means.
For renewal by mail, send your packet with the completed application form to:
National Passport Center
P.O. Box 371971
Pittsburgh, PA 15250-7971
If you'd prefer to use an overnight service, and the service of your choice will not deliver to a post office box, send your packet to:
Mellon Bank
Attn: Passport Supervisor 371971
3 Mellon Bank Center, Rm. 153-2723
Pittsburgh, PA 15259-0001
Don't forget to include the appropriate fee for overnight return of your passport.
We hope these tips help you get that last-minute passport before the plane takes off!
