Expedited Passports

Losing your passport is never fun, especially if you are overseas. However, despite feeling quite sympathetic to the unfortunate Scotsman described in this article, I couldn’t help but suppress a chuckle as I read about his misfortune. The New Zealand tourist has to have one of the best lost passport stories ever-his passport was nabbed by a kleptomaniac parrot!

The native New Zealand parrot, called a kea, spotted the man’s passport as his tour bus was stopped along the road, snatched it and promptly flew away into the dense rainforest. Fortunately, the gentleman seems to have a sense of humor about the whole thing. He’s quoted as saying “My passport is somewhere out there in Fiordland. The Kea’s probably using it for fraudulent claims or something.”

That sense of humor will serve him well, considering the time and expense it will take to replace his lost passport, which may take 6 weeks to arrive and will probably set him back $250.00.

Now, if you’re an American and you lose your passport in another country, you need to contact the nearest American Embassy immediately. However, if you lose your passport before leave, the fastest and most convenient way to replace it is to use a private passport expediting company.

An expediting company can help you file your application to replace your lost passport and can hand-deliver it to the US Department of State for you. If you were to do that yourself, you would have to make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency, take time off work if you work during the day, and go wait in line. With an expediting company, all you have to do is send in your application, and they take care of the rest.

At RushMyPassport.com, we’ve helped countless customers replace lost passports. You can count on friendly, knowledgeable guidance through the sometimes complicated passport application process.

Get the help you need to make sure your trip is not delayed- Let us help you replace your lost passport today!

Have you ever lost your passport? Share your stories in the comments!

Are you getting married in the near future? If you’ve been living on your own for awhile, you may not need the traditional wedding gifts of household appliances and dishes.  And, if you’re like me, the thought of someone spending a lot of money on nice china just because “it’s something you’re supposed to have once you’re married” may make you cringe. If this sounds familiar, consider using a honeymoon registry instead of the traditional wedding registry.

A honeymoon registry allows your friends and relatives to give you the gift of travel. You decide where you want to go and what you want to do, and then break everything down into “gifts” that people can buy for you.  For example, people can contribute money to cover part of the airfare, a night in a hotel, dinner out, museum tickets or even just a bottle of wine. If everything works out, you get help paying for the honeymoon of your dreams and avoid getting oodles of stuff you don’t really need.

The two biggest honeymoon registry services are Honey Luna and the Big Day. If you decide to go this route, here are some tips:

• Make sure you have gifts in a variety of price points
• Provide detailed descriptions of each “gift” so that the person buying it can visualize what they are purchasing.  Some people won’t want to contribute because they feel like they are giving a gift certificate instead of choosing something special. If they can visualize what they’re buying, and more important, visualize you enjoying it, they are more likely to go along with the idea.
• Let people know about the registry well in advance.
• Have a back-up plan for financing.
• Expect resistance from more “traditional” family members. Get other family members to promote the idea for you.
• If you’re leaving the country for the honeymoon, register for an express passport. You, your spouse and everyone who contributed to the registry will be extremely disappointed if the trip doesn’t happen because you don’t have your documents.

When you apply for a passport with normal processing, it can take at least two months for you to receive it. Even with the government’s expedited service, you can expect to wait at least 3 weeks. And then, if there’s a problem with your application you might have to start over again.

When you order an express passport from a private passport expediting company, you get expert help with your passport application. And with express processing times that range from 24 hours to a little over a week, you’ll have it in hand well before you walk down the aisle.

Your passport is the last thing you want to worry about when you plan your honeymoon-order an express passport today!

Monday, June 1st, regulations regarding travel to Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean will change.  Under the old rules, passports were only required for air travel to and from these countries. However, the new rules require adult citizens of the US to present an approved document, such as a passport, to return to the United States from these countries.

What do the new rules mean to you? If you’re going to travel to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean in June, you’ll need to get a passport fast! If you need to rush your passport, the easiest and  quickest way to do it is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com.

Currently, rush passport applications sent directly into the government are taking 3 weeks or longer to process. Without using an expediting company, the other option is to cross your fingers and hope you can get an appointment at US Regional Passport Agency Office. These offices are appointment-only, and there are only 21 to serve the entire country, so you may not even  have one near you.

An expediting company makes getting a rush passport much simpler. There are no appointments to make, and you don’t have to drive to Regional Passport Agency Office. You can simply take your application to a passport acceptance office, like a designated library or post office, get it “sealed,” and then send it to the expediting company, along with your proof of identity, proof of citizenship and any other supporting documents.

Once the expediting company receives your rush passport application, they take it directly to the Department of State for processing, sometimes in as little as 24 hours! The expediting company can also help you by providing information about what documents you need and how to fill out the application.

Visit us to order your rush passport-we’ll walk you through the rest of the process, so your trip can go off without a hitch!

In just 6 days, on June 1st, US travel document requirements will change for Americans traveling to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean by land or sea.  US passports were previously only required for air travel to these countries-people traveling by land or sea could simply use their driver’s licenses and birth certificates (or other proof of citizenship). Now, all adults are required to show a US passport or another approved type of ID to return to the US, no matter what method of travel they are using.

To help residents comply with these travel regulations, some states are offering Enhanced Drivers Licenses, or EDLs.  EDLs contain a radio frequency identification chip that contains information about the person the EDL was issued to, so they are harder to fake than a regular driver’s license.

Currently, only 4 states offer EDLs: Michigan, New York, Vermont and Washington. If you live in one of those states, should you get an EDL or a passport?

An EDL will allow you to make quick trips across the border to Canada or Mexico by car or by boat. However, you should be aware that an EDL cannot be used for travel to countries other than Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean nations included in the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. To visit those countries, you would still need a US Passport.

The EDL is also not valid for international air travel. Even if you are only flying in to Mexico or Canada, you still need a passport if you’re leaving the country by air.  Which brings us to another good reason to choose a US passport over the EDL-what if there’s an emergency while you’re in another country and you need to fly home unexpectedly? Your re-entry into the US will go much more smoothly if you have the proper form of ID!

What are the advantages of having an EDL?  First of all, they are cheaper than getting a passport. Secondly, they fit more comfortably in your wallet than a passport book does, so they are more convenient. If all you need a WHTI-approved ID for is quick excursions on the other side of the border, an EDL may be fine. However, if you’ll be visiting our neighbor to the north (or south) for any length of time, it’s safest to travel with your passport.

Currently, it takes about 2 months to get a passport if you apply directly to the Department of State with normal processing. If you pay the additional $60 to have it expedited, you’ll still be waiting at least 3 weeks. However, a private passport expediting company can often have your passport processed in as little as 24 hours.

June 1st is almost here: Order your US passports today!

If you’re planning on traveling in the near future, it would be a good idea to check and make sure that all of your travel documents, including your US passport,  are up-to-date. According to the Chicago Tribune, TSA has started to crack down on people whose travel documents don’t match their tickets.

If you are traveling on a US passport, you definitely need to make sure that the name on your passport is the name on your ticket. Period. It doesn’t matter how many supporting documents you bring with you-the names must match  exactly-including the middle name or middle initial.  According to the story in the Tribune, the requirement that your middle name/middle initial match is effective now for domestic flights and will be effective in December for international flights.

If your name has changed since you were last issued a US passport, you should get it changed as soon as possible. For details on how to accomplish this task, see Changing Your Name on Your US Passport Renewal.

Remember to apply to have your name changed on your US passport at least 6 weeks in advance if you use regular processing. The government’s expedited processing service takes at least 3 weeks. If you need the name on your passport changed sooner than that, a private passport expediting company is your best bet. An expediting company will hand-deliver your passport name change application to the US Department of State, resulting in processing times as short as 24 hours.

Don’t wait until the last minute-change your name on your US passport today!

The US Department of State is increasing the number of regional passport offices available to issue passports.  The department just opened a new office in Minneapolis, Minnesota on May 18th, so Minneapolis residents who need to cross the border in to Canada can make an appointment to have their passport application processed on-site.  More passport offices are planned for the future, including one in  El Paso scheduled to open in 2010.

The final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative goes into effect next month, on June 1st.  When it does, passports will be required for land and sea trips to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean. More Americans will need passports than ever before, and more of them will probably need the last-minute passport services provided at Regional Passport Agency offices.

However, there are certain things that travelers should be aware of before trying to use a Regional Passport Agency office. First of all, you need an appointment-they won’t let you in without one. Second, the offices have limited hours of operation.  If you work a day shift, you will almost certainly have to take time off work. Third, there may not be one close to you-remember, there are still only 21 of these passport offices in the entire country!  Also, you need to remember to bring in all of the necessary documents. See “What to Bring When You Apply for an Emergency Passport” for a complete list.

What happens if you need a passport quickly but you aren’t close to a Regional Passport Agency? What if you just can’t get the time off work while the office is open? Don’t worry-a private passport expediting company can submit your application for you for speedy processing. With an expediting company, you can have your passport application processed in as little as 24 hours, with no need to make an appointment, drive to an agency office or take time off work.

Give yourself a break: Avoid passport offices and get your passport on time with RushMyPassport.com!

The slowdown in the economy has eaten holes in American wallets and reduced the amount of money available for travel.  The travel industry has taken a hit, but the silver lining is that they are trying to lure customers by offering incredible travel deals, too. Now, the governments of some of the island nations in the Caribbean on getting in on the act, offering some “economic stimulus” payments of their own to tourists, usually to the tune of around $200.00.

This post on WalletPop.com has all the details, including when the offers are valid and what you have to do to qualify for the payments.  If you want to learn more about a specific destination, check out this post on Destinations for Leisure, which profiles the best beach destinations in the Caribbean and includes most of the destinations that are offering the payouts.

Remember, except for Puerto Rico, which is a US territory, you’ll need a passport to visit these islands. Since many of the offers have expiration dates, it would be a good idea to get your passports expedited if you and your significant other/family are planning to take advantage of them.

You can get passports expedited through the government, but it will still take at least month, even if you pay for overnight shipping to and from the passport office. A faster way to get your passports expedited would be to use a private passport expediting company, which can have your passports processed in as little as 24 hours. Other, more affordable expediting options are available from these companies as well, if you have a little bit of breathing room before your departure.

Go somewhere new and exciting this summer-get your passports expedited today!

Want to see the world and make a difference at the same time? Many organizations offer international volunteer programs! Participating in an international volunteer program even has some advantages over simply traveling to another country, as this post on “Go Green Travel Green” points out.

Not only do you get the satisfaction that comes from knowing y0u’re helping others, you’ll also get a deeper experience of the culture in the country where you’re volunteering. Plus, traveling outside of the major tourist areas and interacting with local people will help you to learn the language more quickly and effectively than you would if you were staying in a hotel or hostel with other tourists.

If you’re thinking about volunteering abroad this summer, you’ll probably need an express passport.  Currently,  the US Department of State is taking at least 6 weeks to process a passport application with normal processing. If you apply for the government’s expedited service, you can still expect to wait at least 3 weeks for your passport, even if you spring for overnight delivery to and from the passport office.

The fastest way to get an express passport is to use a private passport expediting company. An expediter can offer express passport processing by hand-delivering your application to the US Department of State, and then rushing the passport back to you.  With an expediting company, you get VIP treatment, and your passport could be processed in as little as 24 hours!

Ready to volunteer abroad this summer? Order an express passport today!

Are you the type of person that likes to take off on an adventure at the spur of the moment? A new travel site called Voyij could have you applying for a passport, quick! Voyij is a service that draws information on last-minute travel deals from other travel sites like Hotwire, Expedia, Priceline and Travelocity.

What’s different about Voyij? Unlike other travel sites, you don’t start with a pre-planned destination. Instead, you enter in the airport that you would like to depart from and the dates you expect to travel. Then, Voyij pulls back a list of travel deals like flights, hotel rooms and all-inclusive vacations that leave from that airport.  Destinations can be within the United States (Las Vegas seems to popular right now) or anywhere else in North America and the Caribbean. International destinations are coming soon.

Remember, if you use Voyij to uncover a last-treasure of a deal on travel to another country, you’ll need to get a passport quickly if you actually want to go.  Right now, normal passport processing through the government takes at least 6 weeks, while the government’s expedited processing takes 3 weeks.

However, if you use a private passport expediting company to submit your application, you’ll get your passport much faster than that. A private expediting company will hand-deliver your application to the US Passport Agency. With processing times as low as 24 hours, you can book your last-minute trip with confidence!

Don’t get left behind-apply now to get a passport, quick!

Is it possible to get a passport in one day? Same day passport processing is definitely available, but the amount of time it will take for you to actually get your passport depends on several different factors.

There are actually two options available for people who need same day passport processing. The first option is to make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency office. There are several downsides to this option. First, you have to make an appointment. Second, the offices are only open for a limited amount of time each day. You will probably have to take time off work. Third, there are only 21 Regional Passport Agency offices to serve the entire country. Unless you leave in or near a major city, you may have to drive hours or even take a plane to get to the nearest office.  So,  to calculate how long it will take to get your passport, you’ll need to find out when the next available appointment is, and consider how long it will take you to get to the office.

A better option for same-day passport processing is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. With an expediting company, you don’t have to take time off work, drive for hours, or make an appointment. All you have to do is send in your application and supporting documents to the expediting company. The expediting company will personally take your application to the US Passport Agency for same-day processing, and then mail your passport back to you.  If you live in a city where the expediting company has an office, you may be able to get your passport immediately. If not, you’ll need to allow time to mail in your application materials and for the expediting company to mail the passport back. Naturally, overnight shipping is the fastest shipping method.

If you need your passport quickly, don’t wait. Apply for a same-day passport with us today, and see why we’re an industry leader for speed and customer service!