Expedited Passports

Getting a passport can be a long, drawn-out process. As they say, the waiting is the hardest part-especially when you have a plane or a boat waiting for you! The US Department of State urges people to apply well in advance, but sometimes, unavoidable circumstances or accidents make applying in advance impossible. Here are the the top 5 reasons that you might have to rush your passport:

Reason #1: Your passport went AWOL

It’s 11:00 pm. Do you know where your passport is? No matter how careful you are about keeping it someplace safe, a lost passport can happen to anyone.  And if you don’t realize it’s missing until a week or even a few days before you are supposed to depart, you’ll have no choice but to rush your passport.

Reason #2: Sudden Need to Travel

If you have friends or family overseas, you should try to keep a valid passport at all times. You never know when something, either good or bad, will come up that requires your immediate presence in another country.

Reason #3: Your Passport is Expired

Passports are good for 10 years. That’s a long time-but sometimes it goes by more quickly than you’d think.  If you have a trip planned and don’t notice that your passport is expired until it’s too late, you could be in trouble.  Also, keep in mind that some countries won’t let you in unless you have at least 6 months left before your passport expires.

Reason #4: Application Problems

On the other hand, you might have applied for your passport in plenty of time, but if you made a mistake on the application, forget to enclose a check or a document, or submitted a photo that wasn’t up to par, you could have to re-submit in a hurry!

For more information on common mistakes, see our post: The Top 10 Reasons for Delays in Getting Your Passport

Reason #5: You Didn’t Know You Needed It Until It Was Too Late!

Recent changes in passport law have left a lot of people confused about whether or not they need a passport for certain trips. Back in the day, you didn’t need a passport to go to Mexico, Canada or the Caribbean.  Now, in most cases, you do.

No matter why you need to rush your passport, RushMyPassport can help. We will assist you with your application, providing personal help from a trained passport specialist and an easy-to-read checklist to help you navigate the required paperwork. Then, we forward your application by hand to the US Department of State, for processing times as quick as 24 hours!

Have you ever had to get an emergency passport? Share your stories with is on RushMyPassport.com’s Facebook page!

Do you like to travel off the beaten path?  Pick up a copy of UNESCO’s new travel guide for its World Heritage sites, and get inspired!

According to this article in the Detroit Free Press, UNESCO World Heritage sites are special places around the globe that are “culturally or environmentally important to the world.” The list, which includes 878 sites and is still growing, includes everything from tiny villages to ancient archaeological sites and  breath-taking mountain ranges.

There are even some tour companies that specialize in taking travelers to World Heritage Sites (which can sometimes be hard to get to on your own.) World Heritage Tours hosts guided tours for travelers to World Heritage sites all over the world. They have a large menu of options available, including African safaris,  tours of ancient Greece, tours of the Egyptian pyramids, and tours of lesser-known but still interesting historical sites like  the Caucasus region.

The US has its fair share of World Heritage sites, too. For example, Yellowstone, the Smokies and Monticello are all on the list. However, if you want to visit World Heritage sites in other countries, you will need to apply for a US passport first.

Ideally, you should apply for a US passport as soon as possible if you don’t already have one. Passport processing can take at least 6 weeks for normal processing and at least 3 weeks for the government’s expedited service.

If you need to get your passport more quickly, the easiest way is to use a private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport. You’ll get personal service from a trained passport specialist and help with the paperwork. Plus, we’ll deliver your application directly to the US Department of State for lighting-fast processing-often as quick as 24 hours!

Ready to see the world? Apply for your US passport today!

Lost a passport (or any other luggage) at the Phoenix airport lately? You might want to ask this couple if they’ve seen it. Police allege that Keith King and Stacy Legg-King had approximately 1,000 stolen bags from the Phoenix airport in their house when they were finally apprehended.

Can you imagine living in a house with that many suitcases? Even the officers that followed Keith King home after watching him steal a bag from the baggage carousel at the airport were boggled when they entered the home.   According to AOL news, one officer wrote in a court document that “The amount of luggage being stored inside of the residence was almost surreal.”

To keep your passport from ending up in the hands of people like the Kings, keep it on your person while you are in the airport. Lost passports should be reported as soon as possible to the US Department of State, by calling 1-877-487-2778.

Also, you’ll need to apply for a new passport and submit form DS-64, Statement Regarding a Lost/Stolen Passport along with your passport application. You’ll also need the following:

• Identification
• Proof of Citizenship
• Two passport photos
• The required government fees: there is a $75 application fee and a $25 execution fee to replace your lost passport, plus expedited passport service costs an additional $60.

Even with the $60 expedited service, it could be at least 3 weeks before you receive your passport. If you need it sooner than that, you have two options: make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency office, assuming that there is one near you and that you can make it by the office while they are open, or use a private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport.com.

With RushMyPassport, you get help with the paperwork required to replace your lost passport, plus we deliver your application in pers0n to the Department of State, resulting in processing times as quick as 24 hours.

Replace your lost passport today!

If you’re planning on flying overseas anytime in the near future,  you may need a fast passport name change if the name on your passport doesn’t match the name  that you usually use to book airline tickets.  The TSA’s new Secure Flight program technically doesn’t go into effect until next year, but as Joe Sharkey points out in the New York Times, it’s pretty much in effect now.

Most airlines already require that your tickets match your IDs exactly, down to the middle initial. That means that if you usually fly as John Alexander Jones, your ID needs to say “John Alexander Jones,” not John A. Jones.

Seems simple enough, right? Wrong. As the New York Times documents, it can be a challenge to get everything to match.  Airline  data entry systems are not set up to handle long names or names with hyphens and apostrophes, for example.

If all you need to do is change the name on your passport, though, you’re in luck.  If it’s been less than a year since you got your passport, just fill out form  DS-5504 and send it in, along with legal proof of your name change.  If it’s been longer than 90 days since your passport was issued, you’ll also need to send 2 new passport photos.

If it’s been more than a year since your passport was issued, you will need to renew your passport to get your name changed.

What if you need a fast passport name change?  You can pay an additional $60 for expedited service, but it will still take at least 3 weeks for you to get your new passport in the mail.  If you need a really fast passport name change, RushMyPassport is the easiest option. We submit your paperwork directly to the Department of State,  and your application can be processed in as little as 24 hours.

Need to fix the name on your passport?  Let us help you get a fast passport name change!

At RushMyPassport, we help people get new passports quickly every day. However, using our passport services is a little bit different than getting a passport on your own.  Here’s what you can expect when you apply for a passport with us:

First, after you request passport services and make your payment, you will receive an email confirming your payment,  plus step-by-instructions to guide you through the process and let you know what documents you’ll need to submit with your application.

Your order will also be assigned to a trained, professional passport specialist, who will contact you personally to make sure you understand what to do and to answer any questions you may have.

Once you have all you documents together, if you need to apply for passport in person, we can help you find the nearest passport acceptance facility (often a library, post office, or county court clerk) to “seal” your documents.

Don’t sign your application until you get to the acceptance facility and the acceptance agent tells you to, or you’ll have to start all over! Once you sign the application, the agent will seal the envelope shut using a special seal. Note: If you already have a passport and are eligible to renew by mail, this step doesn’t apply to you because you don’t need your documents sealed.

Once you have your documents sealed and all of the required information together, you’ll mail it all to us and we take care of the rest. We’ll keep you posted via email as your application is processed and your new passport is sent out.

Customer Scott Cate recently used our passport services and posted a review on his blog. Here’s what he had to say about the experience:

“All in all, I’m very happy with the services from RushMyPassport.com and I would recommend them to anyone else who finds them selves in a “OMG I need a new passport” moment like I did ”

Having an “OMG I need a new passport” moment? Apply for passport services with us today!

Here’s some good news for Florida travelers who desperately need a passport: the Department of State just opened an improved same day passport office in Miami.  The  new passport office is located in the Omni Center, and it boasts more than double the windows its predecessor.

The bad news? To get same day passport service, you can’t just stroll on over to the Omni Center and pick one up. You’ll still have to make an appointment first, go to the passport office at the appointed time, and wait your turn.  For a complete description of what you’ll need,  see Emergency Passport Checklist.

Another potential disadvantage to using the passport office is that it is  only open for  a limited time each day, from 8:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. If you work the day shift, you may have to ask for a little bit of time off work.

Another option for same-day passport processing is  to use a private passport expediting company, and let the expediting company handle going to the passport office and waiting in line.  RushMyPassport has an office in West Palm Beach, and we welcome walk-ins from 9:00 am to 6:00 pm,  Monday through Friday, with no appointment needed.

We’re located at 412 Clematis St, West Palm Beach, Florida 33401.

Also, a private passport expediting service is a good option for people who don’t live near a Regional Passport Agency office.  Many Americans don’t live within easy driving distance of one of these facilities, so an expediting company could save you a lot of time and gas, not to mention a stiff, aching back. You can mail in your documents, and in most cases get them processed within 24 hours of the time they are received.

Need a passport in a hurry? Apply for a same day passport today!

The tiny Caribbean island of St. Lucia is an excellent destination for anyone who likes tropical beaches, scuba diving, snorkeling or hiking.  Now, you can fly there on JetBlue. Jaunted covered JetBlue’s inaugural flight to St. Lucia, and notes that it is a good deal cheaper than competing fares from old-school airlines like American.

Your flight may not feature rum and cake, like the inaugural flight did,  but hey, it’s still an affordable way to get to Paradise.

Of course, if you want to fly with JetBlue to their newest destination, you will need to get a new passport if you don’t already have one.

Here’s a brief rundown of what’s required when you fill out a new passport application:

• You must apply in person at a passport acceptance facility (usually a post office, library or county clerk’s office).
• You’ll need proof of identification and proof of citizenship. You’ll also need a photocopy of your identification.
• You must complete a new passport application, form DS-11.
• Submit 2 passport photos.
• Pay the applicable fees ($70 application fee + $25 execution fee + $60 if you want expedited service).
• Wait at least 6 weeks for regular service, and at least 3 weeks for expedited service.

If you’d like to travel St. Lucia  sooner than that, a private passport expediting company is your best bet. With an expediting company, you fill out your passport application at an acceptance facility, then have the documents “sealed.” Send the sealed application packet to the expediting company, and they will forward it directly to the Department of State, putting it on the top of the stack for super-fast processing.

In fact, RushMyPassport.com can often get passport applications processed in as little as 24 hours.

Apply for your new passport today!

When I wake up in the morning, the whole house is chilly, my bones ache, and I envy the flocks of geese and other birds that pass over my yard on their way to warmer, more hospitable climes. Birds are smarter than people-when the weather turns gross and cold, they fly south to sip margaritas on a beach somewhere until spring.

Well, okay, not really. But that’s what I would be doing if I, like many North American songbirds,  were overwintering in Mexico! Like it or not,  most of us can’t afford to put all of our possessions in storage and spend 3 months of  each year south of the border. However, there are some awesome deals on airfare to Mexico and the Caribbean right now, so you just might be able to afford a week or so of sunshine.

SmarterTravel.com has the scoop, with fares starting at $152 round-trip, for a flight from Tampa, Florida to Freeport, Bahamas on Spirit Airlines.  For $176, you can get from chilly Boston to Nassau on American Airlines, and for $194, Continental will take you from Dallas, Texas to Guadalajara, Mexico.

To get your tickets at these prices, you will need to be ready to depart by November 30th, and return by December 15. So, if you don’t already have a passport, you’ll need to get one in a hurry-you can’t fly to the Caribbean or Mexico without it!

There are two different ways to expedite your passport: apply for the government’s expedited service or use a private passport expediting company.  Of the two, a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com is by far the easiest and least stressful option.

If you don’t apply for expedited service, you can expect to wait at least 6 weeks for your passport, by which time this sale will be long gone.  If you apply for the government’s expedited service, you’ll stay wait at least 3 weeks for your passport to arrive.  ‘

You also can request emergency passport service with proof that you are traveling in 14 days or less. However, you have to make an appointment and drive to a Regional Passport Agency office, and there may not be one of those within easy driving distance.

With an expediting service, you can expedite your passport application to get it processed in as little as 24 hours, with no appointments, long drives or waiting in line.  Expedite your passport the easy way with us today!

Americans tend to avoid thinking about death unless they simply can’t help it. But across the border in Mexico, there is an entire holiday centered around death- El Dia de los Muertos, or the Day of the Dead.  The Day of the Dead is traditionally a time to honor dead relatives and friends.  It is believed that the souls of the dead are able to return during the celebration and be with their loved ones again.

The celebration takes place right after Americans get done celebrating Halloween, and it’s actually 2 days long.  On November 1st,  dead children and infants are believed to return in spirit to spend the day with their families. T0 honor them, families decorate their graves and an altar inside the home with little gifts like toys and balloons.

The next day, November 2nd, is the day that the souls of adults come back.  They are honored with more “grown-up” offerings, such as bottles of tequila or mezcal, or atole, a thick, hot drink made from cornstarch.

Both children and adults are also honored with altars and tombstones draped in yellow-orange marigolds, and rich feast of cakes and candies, most decorated with grinning skulls.  Most people visit the graves of family members in cemeteries, and in some areas, more elaborate ceremonies and candlelit vigils take place.

The best places to observe the Day of the Dead in Mexico are generally considered to  be  Mixquic in Mexico City, the island of Janitzio in Michoacan, Oaxaca and Meridia in Yucatan.  It’s not uncommon for tourists to visit these areas to observe the celebrations-just remember to be respectful,  since this is a serious, important holiday for the people who live there.

If you’d like to see the Day of the Dead for yourself, you’ll need to get a passport, quick.  Since June of 2009, passports have been required for all travel to Mexico.  Currently, it takes about6 weeks to get a passport if you apply with regular processing, and at least 3 weeks if you apply for expedited processing.

That doesn’t really give you enough time to get your passport and get to Mexico in time for the Day of the Dead this year, but a private passport expediting company can help you get a passport more quickly.

An expediting company will your passport directly to the Department of State, putting it on the “top of the stack.”  This means you get your passport quick, with processing times as low as 24 hours.

Need a passport quick? Apply with us today!

Commercial space travel is still out of reach for everyone but the richest of the rich. However, Chile’s “Valle de La Luna” (Spanish for “Valley of The Moon”) is as close to walking on the surface of the moon as you can get without actually leaving the planet.

Environmental Graffiti has an awesome post up with incredible pictures of this desolate valley. It really does look like a moonscape-the valley is barren of any plant life, and over the centuries the forces of nature have sculpted the rock and sand into fantastic, almost otherworldly formations.

The valley is situated in between the Andes mountains and the Atacama Desert, and immense, towering volcanoes rise up in the background, providing a suitably “lunar” backdrop for the valley. Dry lakebeds are coated in shimmering salt crystals. The most interesting and famous landforms in the Valley of the Moon are three vaguely humanoid rock towers called the Three Marias.

If you want to visit the Valley of the Moon, you’ll need a US passport to travel to Chile.  When you apply for your passport, make sure to allow enough time for the government to process your application.

If you apply through the mail with regular processing, expect it to take at least 6 weeks for your US passport to make it back to you.  To get it faster, you can request expedited processing from the government and pay an extra $60 to State Department. However, you still allow at least a month for your passport to arrive.

Find a last-minute travel deal that you don’t want to pass up?  A private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com can help you get your US passport more quickly.  We help you with the application, provide you with a checklist that helps you avoid common mistakes, and then submit your application directly to the Department of State by hand, resulting in processing times as low as 24 hours.

Apply for your US passport today!