Expedited Passports

Unesco’s World Heritage List highlights places of cultural importance, and “seeks to encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity,” according to the World Heritage website.

For dedicated international travelers, the World Heritage list offers a wealth of suggestions for places to go and things to see.  The list is always growing-this year, 13 places were added, giving you 13 more reasons to renew your passport and see the world! Here are the new sites:

1. The Wadden Sea, in Germany, one of the last remaining intertidal zones that human activity has not significantly altered. 
2. The Dolomites, in Italy, for their natural beauty and distinctive geological features.
3. Stoclet House, in Belgium, an exquisite example of Art Nouveau architecture
4. The Ruins of Loropéni, in Burkina Faso, 1,000-year-old ruins built by gold traders. (more…)

In this economy, businesses are finding it harder to budget sending employees overseas.  So, British Airways is offering a contest to help your company out with their “The Face of Opportunity” contest.  To enter the contest, you need to tell British Airways how being able to travel overseas to meet clients face-to-face will help your business grow. If they like your answer, you just might win a free international flight for yourself and a business companion.

To enter, you have to be a member of the British Airways Executive Club, and you have to get your application in before July 31st.  If you win, your first stop will be  London, where you will be introduced to business leaders and government officials. The next stop? The sky is the limit, as long as British Airways flies there.

So, start thinking about what a chance to network overseas could mean for your business. And, start thinking about passports for you and your companion if you don’t already have them!  Winners will be notified around August 13.  Flights depart in September, October and November, which doesn’t leave as much time as you might think for getting passports in order. After all, if you apply for a passport with normal processing, you can expect a wait of at least 6 weeks before it arrives in the mail. If you apply for a passport with the government’s expedited processing, expect to wait at least 3 weeks.

Fortunately, business travelers who have to travel on short notice can use a private passport expediting company to get a passport quickly. An expediting company will hand-deliver your application for faster processing. With a private company, processing times for passports can be as short as 24 hours or as long as slightly more than a week, depending on your travel needs and the package that you order. Please note that in addition to the normal paperwork,  you’ll need a copy of your itinerary or a company letter explaining why you need your passports expedited.

Why wait any longer than you have to to receive your passport? Apply with us today!

The new Harry Potter movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, just came out yesterday. Hardcore Harry Potter fans have probably already seen it, maybe even more than once. The next film, the first installment of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, is not going to be out until next November. What’s a Harry Potter fan (young or old) to do until then?

Well, you could get a passport and take a plane to Great Britain, where the books were set and the movies were filmed.  Naturally, Harry Potter-themed tours have sprung up in London, as well as in other locations used in the films. For example,  you can see Platform 9 3/4 in King’s Cross station, (or, rather, a baggage cart that appears to be disappearing into the wall where Platform 9 3/4 would be if Muggles like us could see it).

Other London locations that were featured in Harry Potter films include the London Zoo (Little Whinging Zoo), the Australian High Commission (Gringotts Wizarding Bank) and Charing Cross Road (Diagon Alley). You can get a free PDF  of a self-directed Harry Potter London walking tour here.

You can also visit Oxford, where many of the scenes from inside Hogwarts’ library and dining room were filmed.  Other scenes from inside Hogwarts were filmed inside Gloucester Cathedral. Don’t forget to visit Glenfinnan Viaduct (Hogwart’s Express) and Alnwick Castle, too! (more…)

Can getting a passport help you find your soulmate? Sounds bizarre, doesn’t it? Not to Air New Zealand! They’re currently offering $200 off to single travelers who book a ticket on their “Matchmaking Flight.” The flight leaves from Los Angeles on October 13, 2009. A plane full of single people will fly to Auckland, New Zealand to attend a “Matchmaking Ball” held 3 nights later, which should give you just enough time to shake off your jet lag.

You’ll also get to rub elbows with a couple of reality TV stars-Jason Mesnick and Molly Malaney of “The Bachelor.” Or, if fancy balls aren’t your thing, check out their Adventure and Cultural Matchmaking Packages. Perhaps the person of your dreams is waiting for you in New Zealand’s lush mountains! You can book your flight here-make sure to enter the appropriate promo code depending on the package you want.

Also, make sure you apply for your passport well in advance-getting a passport can be time-consuming, and you can’t go to New Zealand without one. Getting a passport with normal processing takes at least 6 weeks. Even if you request the government’s expedited processing when you apply, it could still take at least 3 weeks.

If you can’t wait that long, a private passport expediting company can make getting a passport easier and faster. You’ll get easy-to-understand instructions to help you fill out the necessary paperwork, and you’re application could be processed in as little as 24 hours!

Apply for your passport today!

Can you get a passport with a felony? A felony conviction can change your life. It can make it hard to get a job. In some states, you could lose your right to vote. What about getting a passport?

Whether or not you can get a passport with a felony conviction depends on what you were convicted of and whether or not you are still under legal supervision. If you on probation or parole for your felony, you may not be allowed to travel without prior approval.  If you have been convicted of a felony drug offense that involved crossing international borders, the State Department may deny you a passport if you are still under supervised release. You could then apply for an emergency or a humanitarian exception to get a passport issued, although there is no guarantee you can get one.

However, in most cases, you can still get a passport even with a felony conviction. Of course, once you have your passport, finding a country that will let you in may be a little bit harder. Some countries won’t let you in if you have a criminal record, especially if you have a felony conviction.  If you have a felony conviction, it would be a good idea to research the entry requirements for the country you’re entering.

Also, make sure to allow enough time before your trip for your passport to be returned to you. Passport processing currently takes over 6 weeks for regular processing and 3 weeks for the government’s expedited processing.

If you are nervous about applying for your passport, it might be worth going through a private passport expediting company, as well. They can help you with the paperwork, and can cut processing time down to anywhere from a little over a week to just 24 hours, depending on the option you choose when you order.  The sooner you have your passport in hand, the sooner you can stop worrying about it and start planning your trip.

Apply for y0ur passport today!

When you apply for an emergency passport, you need to have all of your ducks in a row. If you make a mistake when you apply, you might not get a second chance.  This emergency passport checklist will help.

• If you’ve scheduled an emergency passport appointment at a Regional Passport Agency, you’ll need to bring your appointment time and confirmation number.
• The correct passport application form, depending on whether you are getting a new passport, renewing your passport, or replacing a lost or stolen passport.
• Proof of Identity
• Proof of Citizenship
• 2 matching passport photos
• Government Fees (check or money order only)
• Travel Itinerary showing the date that you need the emergency passport.
• If you choose to use a private passport expediting company instead of going to a Regional Passport Agency, you’ll need an authorization letter giving the company permission to apply on your behalf. (more…)

A cruise is a wonderful way to relax…there’s lots of food, lots of drinks and a chance to stop at a variety of interesting and cool destinations while you work on a killer suntan. What could be more luxurious than that?

This summer and fall, luxury doesn’t have to cost that much. The slow tourist season has led cruise lines to slash their prices and hold some incredible sales. For example, check out these cruise deals posted on the New York Times.  A 12-day cruise from Lisbon to Miami is only $2,655, while an 11-day cruise from Costa Rica to Miami is only $2,831.  These rates are for deluxe staterooms, and you get a credit of up to $1,000 to spend onboard. Nice!

The sale ends tomorrow, though, so you’d better book quickly! Also, to make sure that you allow enough time before your cruise to apply for a passport or renew a passport if necessary. Currently, it takes at least 6 weeks to get a passport if you apply with normal processing. Even applying for expedited service directly from the government can take almost a month or more.

Fortunately, there is an easy way to get a fast passport. If you apply for your passport using a private expediting company, you’ll benefit from personal attention from trained passport professionals. They can really help make it easier to get through the application paperwork.  They also specialize in fast passport processing, delivering your application directly to the State Department so that it can be processed in as little as 24 hours!

Don’t miss the boat-apply for a fast passport today!

We’ve already written about how new passport laws are hurting tourism to Canada. However, it seems that our neighbors to the north are not the only ones feeling the pinch as the result of the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.

According to this story in the Arizona Republic, the new passport regulations are also hurting tourism south of the border, the icing on the cake of what was already a less-than-stellar tourism year.  The swine flu panic and a sour economy had already impacted travel, but the passport requirement is keeping out Americans who would otherwise be willing and able to travel across the border.

Agencies that provide travel services for Americans traveling to Mexico have experienced a drop in business, as have auto insurance companies that provide insurance for Americans driving across the border.  Yes, making sure you have a valid passport can be a little bit of a hassle, but there’s an incentive to get your passport application in.

As Mexico struggles to recover from the rough tourism season, hotel and resort owners are trying to cut their losses, seeking to attract customers by any means necessary-even if it means slashing prices. The article in the Arizona Republic quotes travel agent Debbie Winnie as saying that prices on many all-inclusive packages have been discounted up to half off!

To take advantage of these deals, you need to get your passport application in now. Currently, it takes at least 6 weeks from the day you apply for your new passport to arrive in the mail. If you apply with the government’s expedited processing, you could still find yourself waiting 3 weeks or longer.

Getting a passport is much faster and less of a hassle when you use a private passport expediting company. An expediting company will provide clear, easy-to-understand instructions on how to fill out your passport application and rush it directly to the US State Department for faster processing. With an expediting company, your application could be processed in as little as 24 hours.

Now is a great time to go to Mexico. Don’t miss out-get your passport application in today!

This year marks the 400-year anniversary of the discovery of Bermuda by the British. In 1609, a British fleet was carrying food and settlers to the colony of Jamestown, in what is now Virginia. However, the fleet was caught up in a storm at sea. One ship, the Sea Venture, was separated from the rest of the group and blown off course, eventually landing shipwrecked on Bermuda.

The survivors stayed on the island for almost a year, before building new ships and sailing off to Jamestown. However, the island has been a British territory ever since, and if you help celebrate its 400th birthday, you may wonder how the survivors of that shipwreck were able to make themselves leave such an attractive island.

The island is holding a 400th birthday party, with a variety of specials and travel deals. For example, according to the New York Times,  one hotel is offering $400 cash back for a stay of more than 4 nights. Another hotel is offering a package deal that costs $680 per night-not bad when you consider that it includes all 3 gourmet meals a day for a family of four!

However, if you want to celebrate Bermuda’s 400th birthday this summer, you’ll need to get an expedited passport. The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which just became law on June 1st, 2009, requires that all US citizens traveling to Bermuda have a US passport. If you apply for a passport with regular processing, you can expect to wait at least 6 weeks to get it back. If you apply for an expedited passport directly through the government, it could still take at least 3 weeks.

However, by using a private passport expediting service, you can get your passport much more quickly. In fact, if you submit your application through RushMyPassport.com, your expedited passport application could be processed in as little as 24 hours. Plus, our helpful staff of knowledgeable employees will help simplify the passport application process for you.

Apply for your expedited passport today, and get ready to sing “Happy Birthday” to Bermuda!

If you’re thinking of traveling abroad, why not go beyond visiting tourist sites and eating at local restaurants? By attending cooking classes in another country, you’ll gain skills that you can take home with you, and you’ll be able to recreate the tastes of your favorite local cuisine in your own kitchen.

This article on Concierge.com has a wonderful, in-depth article on how you can use your US passport to improve your culinary skills.  Here are several reasons you might want to attend cooking school overseas:

• Get in touch with the locals: Most international cooking schools offer trips to local markets to collect ingredients,  giving you a chance to experience everyday life in the country you’re visiting, as well as to connect with local people.
• Gourmet food: You can learn how to make homemade in Italy, tagines in Morocco, lavender creme brulee in Julia Child’s French cottage, and more.  Plus, you get to eat everything you learn how to make!
• When you return home, you can “wow” your friends and family with your new cooking skills!

Of course, traveling to another country requires a US passport. As you plan your trip, make sure you allow enough time to receive your passport in the mail. Currently, it takes at least 6 weeks for a passport to come back if you apply with regular processing. If you apply for the government’s expedited service, you can expect to wait 3 weeks or longer for your US passport to arrive.

The easiest way to get a passport is to apply through a private passport expediting company. These companies will help you with the paperwork and make sure you know what documents you need to send in. Then, they’ll hand-deliver the application for you and send your passport back immediately, resulting in much faster processing times. In fact, a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com can often get your passport application processed in as little as 24 hours!

Don’t wait-apply for your US passport today!