Expedited Passports

If you love to ski, this is the year to get a passport quick and book a flight to Australia. According to Gadling, unusually heavy snowfall this year has created the best skiing conditions in about 20 years. Gadling says:

For instance, popular resort Falls Creek has received more than their fair share of the white stuff, with 89 inches of accumulation for the season thus far. That’s their highest total since 1992. Similarly, Mount Hotham, another resort in the region, has topped 90 inches just for August, and has seen more than a meter of snow fall this week alone. Meanwhile, Mt. Buller has received over 13 inches of snow this past week too, with forecasts saying more could fall soon. When added to their already impressive totals for the year, it gives them their best season, in terms of accumulations, since 1985.

Expect finding cheap airfare to be a bit of a challenge, though-flights to Melbourne from the US are expensive, with prices usually starting at around $800 (if you’re lucky) and frequently breaking the thousand-dollar mark for a round-trip ticket. To help you out, here’s an article from an Australian travel agency that provides helpful tips and strategies on finding the best airfares.

You’ll also need to get a passport quick if you don’t already have one. If you request regular processing when you apply for your passport, you can expect to wait 6 weeks or longer for it to arrive in the mailbox. You can pay an additional $60 fee to expedite your application, but it will still take about 3 weeks to arrive. If you need it more quickly, you can either make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency office or use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.

Using an expediting company has several advantages. It’s faster and more convenient, particularly if you don’t live near a passport agency office. Plus, the best expediting companies will help you with your passport application, answer questions, and make sure you know exactly what to send so that your application is processed quickly.

Need a passport, quick? Let us help!

Labor Day is just around the corner, and if you renew your passport now, you can take advantage of some incredible travel deals for one last hurrah before the summer is over.

For example, Jaunted has posted a list of awesome, cheap excursions, such as 4 nights in the Bahamas for $299 per person, including airfare. There are also some wonderful deals on Labor Day cruises, with cruises to the Bahamas as low as $229 person, Mexico cruises as low as $299, and a cruise to Monaco and Italy for only $599.

Meanwhile, this post gives you the scoop on how to get a fast passport and save big on a trip to Barbados.

If you decide to leave the country on a whim this Labor Day, make sure you check the expiration date on your passport. US passports are good for 10 years (as long as you were 16 or older when it was issued), so it’s easy to lose track of when it’s time to renew.

All the trips I just mentioned do require a passport, except perhaps cruising to the Bahamas and Mexico. Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, travelers on closed-loop cruises (cruises that begin and end at the same US port) to Mexico, Canada and the Caribbean can bring government-issued photo ID and a copy of their birth certificates. However, traveling to or from these countries by plane requires a passport no matter what the circumstances, so it’s still best to have one with you in case you need to fly home for an emergency.

If you do need to renew your passport on short notice, don’t give up on your dream vacation just yet. It’s definitely possible to get a passport quickly. It just takes a little bit of extra time and effort.

Regular passport processing takes about 6 weeks, which is obviously too long of a wait if you want to go anywhere for Labor Day. Expedited passport processing through the Department of State takes about 3 weeks. However, there are other options. One option is simply to make an appointment to renew your passport at a Regional Passport Agency office, if there is one nearby. You must have a confirmed itinerary to show you will be leaving the country in the next 14 days, and you’ll have to make an appointment.

A quicker, easier option is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport. We personally deliver your passport application to the Department of State, for processing times as low as 24 hours.

Renew your passport today!

If you’ve been waiting for the Mediterranean to become more affordable, why not get a fast passport and get cheap tickets with Alitalia’s latest sale? SmarterTravel reports that the Italian airline is offering great prices on flights from the US to Mediterranean countries including Italy, Greece, Spain and Turkey.

Flights from Barcelona to Miami are available for as little as $661 per person, round trip. Flights from New York To Rome start at $804, and flights from Boston to Florence are $860. For $920 you can fly from Chicago to Venice, and for $941 you can fly from Los Angeles to Madrid. Flights from Chicago to Thessalonike, Greece are $1,207. However, given the situation in Greece right now, flying may be more expensive than to other destinations but room rates are likely cheaper. Meanwhile, $1,260 will get you to and from Istanbul.

The cool thing about these prices is that they are all-inclusive, including fees and taxes, so what you see is pretty much what you’ll get.

The sale is good for travel in September and October, which is fine if you have a passport. If you don’t have one already, though, you’ll need to apply for fast passport processing. Normal passport processing takes at least 6 weeks, and I don’t recommend that you cut it that close. For fast passport processing, you can request expedited service, which will cut processing time down to approximately 3 weeks.

For even faster service, you can make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency office if you are traveling in 2 weeks or less. However, a much more convenient option, especially if you don’t have a passport office nearby, is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport. An expediting company will personally deliver your application to the Department of State. Processing times depend on the level of service you select, and they can be as low as 24 hours.

Need a fast passport? Apply with us today!

If you grew up around trees, you probably have fond memories of hanging out with your friends in a homemade treehouse. If you’re in the mood for a little bit of childhood nostalgia (or you didn’t have access to a treehouse growing up and feel deprived), a new hotel in Sweden consists of designer treehouses that put our childhood hangouts to shame.

According to the Daily Mail, the Treehotel in Harads, Sweden consists of four treehouses, each about 13 to 19 feet off the ground. The treehouses are elegantly designed and furnished, and each has its own unique design and theme. For example, “The Nest” looks like a gigantic bird’s nest with whimsical round windows, “The Cabin” looks like an old-school hunter’s cabin, and the “Blue Cone” has a cone-shaped top. The coolest treehouse of all, though, is “The Mirrorcube.” With walls made out of mirrors, it reflects the surrounding forest so perfectly that you almost can’t tell it’s there.

Treehotel co-founder Kent Lindvall described the Mirrorcube house to the Daily Mail:

“It’s an interesting building. You cannot find anything like this in the world today. It’s absolutely unique. Everything will reflect in this – the trees, the birds, the clouds, the sun, everything. So it should be invisible nearly in the forest.”

Much more luxurious than your typical treehouse, all of the houses at the Treehotel have electric heat, incineration toilets and a super-efficient hand basin. The hotel owners offer guided hikes to check out the local flora and fauna, including moose, reindeer and bear.

Of course, before you head off to Sweden you’ll need to get a passport if you don’t already have one. Make sure to allow plenty of time, as it usually takes at least 6 weeks to get a passport in the mail once you’ve applied. You can cut that processing time in half by paying $60 extra and requesting expedited processing. However, you still need to allow at least 3 weeks if you go that route.

If you need your passport issued more quickly, the most convenient option is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport. An expediter can personally deliver your passport application to the Department of State for processing times as low as 24 hours.

Need to get a passport in a hurry? Contact us today!

Do you like to travel “off the beaten path?” Are you looking for some travel inspiration? The list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites just got longer, giving you 21 new reasons to check the expiration date on your passport.

UNESCO’s World Heritage Program aims to “encourage the identification, protection and preservation of cultural and natural heritage around the world considered to be of outstanding value to humanity.”

To make the UNESCO World Heritage List, sites must meet one or more of a specific set of criteria, such as representing a “masterpiece of human creative genius,” featuring remarkable examples of architecture or natural beauty, or providing refuge to vanishing plants, animals and human cultures.

These criteria make World Heritage sites worth visiting for anyone with an interest in human history, art, or nature. For example, new sites include rainforests in Madagascar, sites where British convicts were housed in Australia, rock art in Portugal and the lush Central Highlands of Sri Lanka.

If you don’t want to leave the United States, you can still visit places on the World Heritage List. The US has 21 World Heritage Sites in total, including Papahānaumokuākea in Hawaii, which was just added.

However, if you want to expand your horizons and visit another country, the list is a great reference that can help you find interesting places to visit that go beyond the standard tourist traps.

If you’re leaving the country, it’s recommended that you get a passport renewal first if you have 6 months or less before your passport expires. Most passport renewals can be done my mail-for more information, see Passport Renewal: Cutting Through the Red Tape.

RushMyPassport can help you get your passport renewal much more quickly than even the government’s expedited service. We personally deliver your application to the Department of State for processing times as low as 24 hours!

Need your passport renewal ASAP? Apply with us today!

If you’ve been putting off a trip to Europe due to the expense and the unfavorable exchange rate, now might be a good time to pack your bags and say “Bon Voyage.”  According to this press release from Hotels.com, the euro is trading at its lowest rate since 2005. Not only will you lose less of your money if you travel overseas, but there are also a lot more great deals to be had on lodging, even in traditionally expensive cities like Paris, London and Cannes.

In the press release, Taylor L. Cole, APR, director of public relations for Hotels.com, explains why you shouldn’t put off that trip to Europe any longer:

“With the large selection of European hotels on hotels.com, and many offering summer promotions, this is an ideal time to travel abroad. The Euro is down and the dollar’s gaining, so Americans traveling to Europe can get more for their money. Additionally, we’re seeing an increase in online searches for travel to Europe which demonstrates that travelers are catching on to the bargains.”

Well, they would say that…but they also provide a list of sample room rates that look pretty tempting. A four-star room in Barcelona for $73 a night, anyone? How about a room in Capri for $84?

If you want to take advantage of these deals, now ’s the time to go. You’ll need to apply for a passport renewal if yours is expired, of course. As you plan your trip, remember to allow enough time for your passport renewal to be processed.  If you apply with normal processing, you’ll need about 6 weeks, while applying for expedited processing from the Department of State can cut processing time down to 3 weeks.

If you find a truly irresistable last-minute deal, you can also use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com to get your passport even more quickly. An expediting company can get your passport renewal application processed in as little as 24 hours, with no need to travel to a passport agency office.

Apply for your passport renewal today!

Does a new passport provide more of a career advantage for recent graduates than an MBA from a top school? Perhaps, according to a New York Times interview with Quintin E. Primo III, the CEO of Capri Capital Partners.

The interview covered a wide range of topics, but several of the questions dealt with the subject of what high school graduates would need to do to get a job at Capri. The first criteria Mr. Primo mentioned was knowing someone internal-no surprise there. What was somewhat surprising was when he advised that for young graduates, getting a new passport and traveling is more important than your choice of college, or even how much you study and how well you do in school:

“So you’ve got to get out of your front door, get out of the comfort and quiet of your home, and your safety zone, and step into a pool of risk where you have no idea what the outcome is going to be. Out of it all, you will have a much broader understanding of the world’s cultures, and you will have a much clearer idea of how the world perceives our culture, and all the value, and the benefits, and the beauty of our culture.

There is nothing more important. I don’t care where you went to business school. I don’t care whether your grades were good or bad. You have to leave the country.”

Whether you’re in high school, in college or even mid-career, international travel is an experience that can help give you in an edge in many different fields. First, however, you need to get a passport.  For more details on what’s required, see How to Apply for a New Passport.

Remember to apply well in advance of your trip. It can take 6 weeks or more to get your new passport back in the mail if you apply with regular processing. Applying for the government’s expedited processing can cut the processing time down to about 3 weeks, for an additional cost of $60.

If you need your passport sooner or you have an unexpected opportunity to travel overseas, the easiest and most convenient option is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport. Without an expediting company, you’re stuck making an appointment at a passport agency office, which can be a time-consuming process. An expediting company will take your application directly to the Department of State for processing times as low as 24 hours and no need for an appointment.

Apply for your new passport today!

Every year in August, crowds of tourists and locals pour into the streets of Buñol, Spain, for La Tomatina, a festival that is otherwise known as the world’s biggest food fight. The festival takes place every year on the last Wednesday of August, but the action starts with partying and drinking the night before. When the sun comes up, the tourists who couldn’t get beds in town start to pour in for the “Ham Up a Greasy Pole” Contest, in which contestants try to climb a greased wooden pole to reach the ham on top.

To prepare for the big food fight, approximately 90,000 pounds of very ripe tomatoes are trucked into the town square, the epicenter of the combat. At precisely 11:00am, the fun begins, as locals and tourists alike begin pummeling each other with the tomatoes. Traditionally, women wear white to La Tomatina- I wonder if Clorox or another detergent/bleach company has considered a corporate sponsorship? Men have it easier, as they are traditionally shirtless.

No matter what you wear to La Tomatina, you should expect it be absolutely saturated with tomato juice and sauce by the end of the fight, which lasts for an hour. Clean up involves hoses and, if you’re staying in another town, waiting in line for the showers in the local train station.

If you’d like to attend La Tomatina, you’d be wise to apply for an expedited passport if you don’t already have one. Generally, if you apply with standard processing, you can expect to wait at least 6 weeks before receiving your passport in the mail. If you apply for the government’s expedited passport processing, you’ll still have to wait at least 3 weeks, and that’s cutting it close.

If you need to get your passport more quickly, the most convenient option is to use a private passport expediting company. An expediter, like RushMyPassport.com, can hand-deliver your application to the Department of State, resulting in processing times as low as 24 hours, without the hassle and inconvenience of making an appointment at one of the Department of State’s passport offices.

Apply for your expedited passport today!

An email scam is making the rounds, and this time, the email isn’t coming from a “Nigerian prince.” Instead, it’s a little bit more clever.  The person sending it claims to be someone you know who has lost their passport (and usually the rest of their wallet) overseas. Alternately, they may claim that all of their credit cards have been stolen, and that the hotel they are staying in is holding their passport until they get their money.  Either way, they need you to send them money now, preferably via Western Union. Reporters for both the Lansing Journal and the Chicago Tribune have recently experienced variants of this phishing scam.

Don’t fall for it.  Look, a lost passport overseas can be unpleasant, to say the least, but it’s a situation that can be resolved with a trip to the nearest US Embassy.

If you lose your wallet as well as your passport, the US Embassy can assist you with that, also. From the Department of State’s website, here is a rundown of what they can do for Americans who are stranded overseas:

If destitute, Americans can turn to a U.S. consular officer abroad for help. ACS will help by contacting the destitute person’s family, friends, or business associates to raise private funds. It will help transmit these funds to destitute Americans.

ACS transfers approximately 3 million dollars a year in private emergency funds. It can approve small government loans to destitute Americans abroad until private funds arrive.

ACS also approves repatriation loans to pay for destitute Americans” direct return to the U.S. Each year over $500,000 is loaned to destitute Americans.

The moral of the story? Don’t send any money overseas based on an email. If you think your friend is really in trouble, request a phone call, or call the US Embassy where they are claiming to be stranded to confirm the story before you start throwing money at them.

Also, if you or someone you care about experiences a lost or stolen passport overseas, don’t reach out to people by email, as you’ll likely be mistaken for a scammer. Instead, contact the nearest US Embassy for help.  Expediting companies like RushMyPassport.com can’t help you if you’re outside the US, but the good news is that the US Embassy can replace a lost passport very quickly.

Of course, if you’re still in the US, we’d be happy to help you replace your lost passport in as little as 24 hours.  Contact us today!

Have you always fantasized about visiting a tropical Caribbean beach but never thought you’d be able to afford it? What if your plane tickets were only $2?

At first glance, joining Spirit Airlines’ fare club seems like it just might be the ticket to bring your dream vacation within reach. Membership costs $39.95 per year, but it allows you to access sales that aren’t available to non-members. For example, right now club members can fly from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to the Bahamas for just $2 round trip, and from Fort Lauderdale to Cancun for $18 round-trip (plus the usual fees and taxes, of course).

Spirit has a members-only sale once every 6 weeks, and as long as you move quickly, you can snag those cheap fares on all the tickets you purchase.

But is it worth it? SmarterTravel.com took a look at the program last year after it was announced and concluded

If you frequently fly between the cities Spirit serves (a heavy emphasis on Florida, the Caribbean, and Latin America), membership is worth the cost. If, for example, you can snag a $2 fare, even with the membership cost and taxes and fees, you’ll still be getting a bargain compared to other airlines’ prices. But, you must keep in mind that availability is often very limited. You’ll find that fares are only offered on about a dozen select dates, and even then, you must rush to book early or risk the best deals selling out.

Some deals are also last-minute. For example, many of the cheap flights in the sale I linked to above depart in August, and it’s now late July. So, if you’re thinking of using the Fare Club to try to snag cheap flights to Spirit’s international destinations, you may find yourself needing an expedited passport.

Generally speaking, it takes about 6 weeks to get your passport application processed if you order regular service. If you use the Department of State’s expedited passport service, it could still take up to 3 weeks or longer. A private passport expediting company costs a little more but provides you with much faster service, often providing expedited passport service in as little as 24 hours without requiring you to take additional time off work to visit a passport office.

Apply for your expedited passport today!