Get a Passport, Quick For a Cheap Flight to Jamaica! - Expedited Passports

Ahh, Jamaica…home to beautiful white-sand beaches, sublime scenery, friendly people and excellent coffee! If you’d like to sneak in the beach getaway to end all beach getaways before the summer’s gone for good, get a passport, quick, to score an affordable flight.

Right now, according to Smartertravel.com, you can fly to Montego Bay, Jamaica, from Miami, Florida for just $198 round trip! Once you’re there, you can relax on the beach, go shopping, even waste away at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville restaurant (and yes, you really can order a “Cheeseburger in Paradise.”)

To score this flight deal, you’ll need to book your flight as soon as possible, no later than September 7th.  You can travel anytime between now and December 10th. If you don’t already have a passport, you’ll need to remedy that ASAP to be able to fly.

Currently, the US Department of State takes about 6 weeks to send your passport back if you submit the application with regular processing. Expedited processing takes at least two to three weeks, and that’s only if you order overnight delivery service both to and from the Department of State.

The easiest way to get a passport, quick is to use a private passport expediting service, like RushMyPassport.com.  An expediting service will hand-deliver your passport application so that it moves to the “top of the stack” and gets processed quickly-often in as little as 24 hours.

Get ready to book your dream vacation-Get a passport, quick with RushMyPassport.com!

Do the advantages of studying abroad outweigh the disadvantages? Although attending a semester of school overseas isn’t for everyone, there are clear advantages to studying abroad, and the disadvantages can be minimized with careful planning, according to this article on NBC26.com.

The article states that studying overseas offers the following advantages to international students:

• Mastering a new language.
• Having an increased sense of independence and self-reliance.
• Developing a sense of respect for other cultures.
• Having an advantage in the job market. (In today’s global economy, employers want to hire people who are familiar with foreign cultures and can speak other languages).

But what about the disadvantages, such as being alone in a strange country? These can often be overcome with careful planning. For example, purchasing health insurance and legal insurance can help students stay safe, even if the trip does go awry. Financial aid and scholarships may transfer, making studying abroad more affordable. And, of course, the internet offers a variety of ways for students to connect with friends and family at home.

Traveling abroad is often a supremely stressful experience if you are going it alone for the first time, but the sense of achievement you get from successfully navigating foreign train schedules or from communicating in a new language can be truly life-changing.

Of course, before you can embark on a semester abroad, you need a US passport. Make sure to allow enough time before you are scheduled to leave to receive it in the mail. Regular processing often takes at least 6 weeks, while expedited processing can take at least 3 weeks.

If you need a US passport in a hurry, the easiest way to go is to use a private passport expediting company. An expediting company will personally deliver your application to the Department of State for faster processing-often in as little as 24 hours!

Don’t get left behind-Order your US passport today!

Have you ever wished you could disappear onto your own private island? Who hasn’t dreamed of sitting underneath a palm tree, an ocean away from the rest of the world? Of course, uninhabited islands are rare these days. However, CheapOAir Buzz has a list of the next best thing: some gorgeous islands that also happen to be very sparsely populated. Even better, you won’t have to weave a rope out of your back hair and lasso a sea turtle to get away, a la Captain Jack Sparrow.

The islands featured include Tristan da Cunha, a British territory in the South Atlantic, Kiribati, an island nation you probably had no idea existed,  Attu Island near Alaska, and the Pitcairns.  Each set of islands has its own brand of rugged beauty.

None of these islands are owned by America, so if you want to visit, the first step is obtaining a passport. When you apply for a passport, remember to allow enough time for it to arrive before your trip. Obtaining a passport with regular processing usually takes about 6 weeks. Even with the government’s expedited processing, you can still expect to wait at least 3 weeks.

The easiest method of obtaining a passport is to use a private passport expediting company.  Expediting companies like RushMyPassport.com make obtaining a passport easy. You’ll get help with the paperwork, personalized attention and service, and much faster processing. In fact, you can often get your application processed in as little as 24 hours!

Apply for your passport today!

A new program from the Department of Homeland security could allow you to zip through passport services lines when you return home from overseas.  The program, called Global Entry, allows passengers to pay $100 to get through customs a little bit faster.

Here’s how it works, according to this report from the Dallas Morning News:

• You pay a $100 application fee, which gets you in the program and is good for 5 years.
• When you return from overseas, instead of going through the normal passport services line for returning travelers, you present your passport to be read at a special kiosk.
• The kiosk scans your fingerprints and compares them with the prints that the government has on file for you.
• You use the kiosk’s touchscreen to answer routine re-entry questions.
• Once you’re done, the kiosk prints out a receipt, which you show to a customs officer before you leave.

According to the article referenced above, this system can reduce wait times for customs by up to 70 percent. It is currently available only in select airports,  including:  Boston, Detroit, Fort Lauderdale, Honolulu, Las Vegas, Newark, Orlando, Philadelphia, San Francisco, San Juan, Atlanta, Chicago (O’Hare), Houston (Intercontinental), Los Angeles (LAX), New York (JFK), Miami and Washington (Dulles).

Of course, before you can join the Global Entry program, you need to have a passport. When you apply for a passport, it’s vital that you allow enough time for it to be issued before your trip. Currently, wait times are at least 6 weeks for regular service and at least 2-3 weeks for the government’s expedited service.

If you need faster passport services, the easiest way to get them is through a private passport expediting company. An expediting company will deliver your passport application by hand to the US Department of State, drastically cutting processing times. In fact, your new passport could be on its way back to you in as little as 24 hours!

For the fastest passport services, submit your application through RushMyPassport.com today!

When you apply for a new passport, should you get a passport book or passport card? One family learned the difference the hard way.  Sherry Housley and her daughter Whitney  had planned to to take a mother/daughter vacation by the ocean in Cozumel, Mexico.

However, when they went to apply for new passports, the clerk steered them toward ordering one of the wallet-sized new passport cards. Apparently, neither the clerk nor the Housleys was aware of one of the crucial differences between a passport book and a passport card:  A  passport card is only good for travel by land and sea, not by plane. So, when the Housleys tried to board the plane for Mexico, they were not allowed on board and they missed their vacation.

The passport book is only type of passport that is accepted for international air travel. The passport card was really meant to be a cheaper form of identification for people who live near the border and drive across frequently, to make it easier for them to comply with the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative that requires passports for border crossings.

Unless you drive across the border frequently,  go ahead and spring for a full-fledged passport book when you apply for a new passport.  Also, make sure to allow enough time for your passport to arrive-it can take at least 6 weeks with regular service and 3 weeks for the government’s expedited service.

However, a private passport expediting company can speed this process up by personally dropping off your passport application at the Department of State. With an expediting company, depending on the package you buy, your new passport could be on its way back to you in as little as 24 hours!

Apply for your new passport today!

Here’s a great reason to splurge on an express passport-American Airlines is offering free flights for a companion when you purchase a vacation package to the island of Barbados.  What better way to celebrate the end of summer than hanging out on Barbados’ famous beaches with someone special?

Depending on where you stay, packages vary in price. They start at $1070 for two people, however, including airfare from New York’s JFK Airport and a 4 night stay at the Amaryllis Hotel.  You must book the package by September 30th to qualify, and you must travel between September 1st and December 15th.

If you’d like travel within the next month, you will need to obtain an express passport if you don’t already have one.  The easiest way to do this is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com.

When you apply for a passport directly from the government, you can request regular passport processing or expedited passport processing. However, with the government’s expedited passport processing, you’ll still wait at least 3 weeks for your passport to arrive. A private passport expediting company will hand-deliver your express passport application to the Department of State, so it can be processed in as little as 24 hours.

Ready to head to Barbados? Order your express passport today!

Were you planning to visit the Monarch butterfly breeding grounds in Michoacan, Mexico? According to the US State Department, you’d be better off waiting until next year. Mexico is continuing to experience problems with drug cartel violence in that region, according the AP. US travelers should also stay away from the state of Chihuahua, especially Ciudad Juarez, which has the dubious distinction of being Mexico’s most violent city. It would also be a good idea to avoid Nuevo Laredo, Tijuana and Matamoros.

However, other parts of Mexico are still safe to visit. And, as this article from the San  Francisco Chronicle notes, there are plenty of great deals to be found far away from all of the violence.  Hotels are offering free nights, free upgrades, free meals and more. Swine flu is actually less of a concern in Mexico than it is stateside right now, and some hotels are offering ” “flu-free guarantees,” which give you 3 years worth of free vacations if you contract swine flu on your trip. That’s almost worth kissing a pig for!

However, if you want to travel to Mexico to take advantage of these deals, you will need a US passport. US passports normally take at least 6 weeks to process if you use normal processing. If you request expedited processing from the government,  US passports usually take at least 3 weeks to arrive.

To get your US passports more quickly, consider using a private passport expediting company. An expediting company speeds up the application process by assisting you with your paperwork and delivering your application to the State Department by hand.

With an expediting company, your passport application could be processed in as little as 24 hours. Don’t let these great deals pass you by-apply for a passport with RushMyPassport.com today!

Are you a movie buff? The 66th Venice International Film Festival is coming to Venice, Italy next month.  The festival starts on the 2nd of September and runs through September the 12th.  The Venice Film has the distinction of being the oldest film festival in the world. It was founded by in 1932 by an Italian nobleman named Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata.

This year, Ang Lee, the director of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” will head the jury. At the end of the festival, the best film shown will receive the prestigious “Golden Lion” award.  On September 6th, George Lucas will also present a special “Golden Lion” for achievement award to Disney’s Pixar. You can register for tickets here.

Now is actually a good year to attend this event, as the cost of travel overseas has dropped significantly. But, if you want to go, you’ll need to get a fast passport. Even with the government’s expedited service, getting a passport can take 3 weeks or more.  However, with a private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport.com, you can apply for a fast passport and have it in time to take your trip.

Here’s how it works: the expediting company takes your application and delivers it by hand to the Department of State. This results in fast passport processing times, often as low as 24 hours. Then, once your passport has been processed, it is shipping back to you overnight.

Don’t let not having a passport keep you away from the film festival this year: apply for a fast passport today!

When you apply for a passport, you need to be able to convince the government of two things: you are who you say you are, and you are a US citizen.  Usually, this is easily accomplished by submitting proof of identity and proof of citizenship.

The following documents can be used to prove your identity:

• An old US passport in good condition.
• Naturalization certificate.
• Valid driver’s license issued at least 6 months ago.
• Government-issued ID
• Military ID

These documents can be used to prove that you are a US citizen:

• An old US passport in good condition.
• A certified birth certificate with a raised or embossed seal
• A Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth (if you were born overseas to US citizen parents)
• A naturalization certificate or a certificate of citizenship.

What if you don’t have any of the above documents? The best thing to do is to obtain them before applying, but what if you can’t? In that case, you may have to use secondary documents to prove your identity and/or citizenship. Even if you have the right primary documents, if the Department of State has doubts about your application, they may request that you submit secondary documents to provide more proof. For example, people delivered by midwives along the border with Mexico have been  asked to submit secondary documentation along with their birth certificates due to concerns about midwives falsifying  birth certificates.

Secondary documents that prove US citizenship can include:

• Baptismal certificate
• Hospital birth certificate
• Census record
• Early school record
• Family bible record
• Doctor’s record of post-natal care

You may also need a Birth Affidavit form signed by someone who witnessed your birth (preferably an older blood relative).  Secondary documents that prove identity can include a combination of signature documents (such as a credit card, social security card and library card) and a signed, notarized affidavit from someone who is willing to vouch for your identity. (more…)

If you need a 24 hour passport in Minnesota, you’re in luck-you now have a Regional Passport Agency where you can apply for one. According to this press  release from the of Department of State, the Minneapolis Regional Passport Agency was officially inaugurated in a ribbon-cutting ceremony earlier today with a visit from United States Senator Amy Klobuchar, Under Secretary of State for Management Patrick F. Kennedy, and Janice L. Jacobs, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs.

The Minneapolis Regional Passport Agency is one of 17 US passport agencies available to the public. Before it opened, the closest place that Minnesotans could go for emergency passport services was the passport office in Chicago or Detroit.

The Minneapolis Regional Passport Agency is located at 212 South Third Avenue.  To get a 24 hour passport, you must first call and make an appointment. The office is only open from 8:30 am to 3:00 pm, so be prepared to take time off work. Make sure you bring all necessary documents: proof of identity, proof of citizenship, 2 passport photos and a copy of your itinerary showing that you plan to depart in less than 14 days.

But what if you aren’t able to take time off work? What if you live hours away from the city? Is there an easier way to get emergency passport services without having to jump through all of those hoops? (more…)