Expedited Passports

Your US passport is one of your most valuable possessions, and you are probably very careful with it. However, no matter how careful we try to be, accidents happen. When it comes to passports, the most common causes of accidental damage are pets, toddlers, washing machines and for frequent travelers, normal wear and tear.

Whether your dog chewed it or you accidentally sent it through the spin cycle, you should never try to travel with a damaged passport. Any damage to the passport book makes airport authorities and border officials start thinking about potential fraud, and there is a very real possibility that you will not be allowed to travel.

To replace a damaged US passport, treat it just like you would a lost or stolen passport. Fill out Form DS-64, Statement Regarding a Lost or Stolen Passport, and describe how it was damaged.  Then, you can either send your old passport in to be canceled and leave it at that or you can go ahead and apply for a new passport in person at a passport acceptance facility (see How To Apply for a New Passport for details.)

If you currently have a damaged passport, however, there’s a good reason to apply for a replacement now-the Department of State is planning to raise passport fees later this year.

Expect it to take at least 6 weeks to replace your damaged passport if you request regular processing, and at least  weeks if you request the government’s expedited processing.  If you need a passport sooner than that, the easiest way to get one is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com.  We’ll walk you through the paperwork to help you avoid common mistakes that could cause delays, then personally walk your US passport application directly to the Department of State for super-fast processing-often as quick as 24 hours!

Apply for your US passport today!

Are you ready to get out of the United States for a while? If you don’t have a passport already, you’ll need to  apply for a new passport before you leave. When you apply for  a passport, knowing what you need before you apply will simplify the process for you.

Here’s how the passport application process works:

Unless you are renewing your passport, you will need to fill out your passport application form in person. (If you are renewing your passport, you may be able to renew by mail-read this post to see if you qualify.) Passport applications are accepted at passport acceptance facilities, usually places like libraries, county court clerks and post offices.  You can find the nearest one here.

Next, you’ll need to gather the required documents:

• Proof of citizenship (such as a birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth, Naturalization Certificate, Certificate of Citizenship, or an undamaged US passport).
• Proof of identity (usually a driver’s license or state-issued ID card)
• Photocopy of the ID you submitted.
• Form DS-11, an application for a new passport (it’s okay to fill this out in advance. but don’t sign it until you get to the acceptance agency and an agent gives you the go-ahead. If you are applying through RushMyPassport, we require you to fill the form out online and print it, to ensure that poor handwriting does not hold up your application.)
• 2 passport photos.

You’ll also need to pay the required fees:

• For adults, a $75 application fee plus a $25 execution fee.
• For children under 16, a $60 application fee plus a $25 execution fee.
• For expedited service, a $60.00 expediting fee plus $14.95 for overnight delivery (optional, but recommended).

Currently, it takes about 6 weeks for a normal passport application to be processed and about 3 weeks for an expedited application. If you need your passport more quickly, a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com is the easiest way to go. We can have your application processed in as little as 24 hours!

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!

The passport card is a new  type of identification that is designed to be easy to carry in your wallet. It is the size and shape of a driver’s license, but is valid only for certain types of international travel. To apply for a new passport card, you will need to use one of the following procedures:

If You Already Have a US Passport:

If you already have a US passport, you may be able to apply for a new passport card using passport renewal form DS-82. To use this option, your current US passport must be undamaged and in your possession. Also, it must be less than 15 years since it was issued, and if your name has changed in the interim, you need official documentation of the name change.  Finally, in order to apply for a passport card by mail, your passport must have been issued when you were 16 or older. If you are eligible to apply by mail, fill out the form and send it in along with:

• Your passport.
• Legal proof of any name change.
• Two recent passport photos.
• A check or money order for $20.00

If you don’t have a passport already or are otherwise ineligible to apply by mail, you’ll need to do the following:

• Fill out form DS-11, Application for a New Passport, in person at a Regional Passport Acceptance Facility.
• Pay the fees: a $20 application fee and a$25 execution fee if you are over 16, and a $10 application fee and a $25 execution fee if you are under 16.
• Submit 2 passport photos.
• Submit proof of identification and proof of citizenship.

However, before you apply for a new passport card, consider carefully whether or not you might be better off getting a US passport book. A US passport card can only be used for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean. It cannot be used to travel to any other countries, and it cannot be used for international air travel at all.

A US passport is more expensive and bulkier, but it can be used to travel anywhere, by any means. Plus, you can’t expedite a passport book-so you’ll have to wait at least 6 weeks before you get yours.

However, you can expedite a new passport. The easiest way to do this is to use a private passport expediting service. An expediting service like RushMyPassport.com can help you with all the paperwork and will hand-deliver your passport application to the Department of State. Your new passport could be on its way back to you in as little as 24 hours.

Did you know that the government keeps a copy of each application you submit for passport service, including copies of the evidence you submitted to prove your citizenship?

If you’d like a copy of these records for any reason, here’s how to get them:

If your passport was issued after 1925, the records are stored with US Passport Services.  To get them, you’ll need to submit a notarized request in writing. Your request must include the following information:

• Your full name and any names you used previously (birth name, married name, etc). If you are requesting a child’s record, include their name, too.
• When and where you (or your child) were born
• Your address
• Your current phone number
• Your e-mail address, if you have one
• The reason you need the records
• The approximate date the passport was issued
• Passport numbers and any other information that you think will help Passport Services find the records for you.
• A copy of your photo ID.

It’s free to get a copy of your own records or those of your children, but if you’re requesting records for anyone else it’s $60.00.  Certified copies are $30.00 for the first copy and $20.00 for each additional copy. If you’re requesting passport records for anyone other than yourself or your child, you’ll need send their notarized consent, proof of guardianship, their death certificate or a court order allowing you to have access to the records.

Once you have assembled all the paperwork, mail it with any applicable fees to:

Department of State
Passport Services
Research and Liaison Section
Room 500
1111 19th Street, N.W.
Washington, DC 20524-1705 (202) 955-0447

What if you want copies of records for people born before 1925, perhaps for a geneaology project? In that case, you’ll need to contact the National Archives at the following address:

National Archives and Records Administration
Archives 1
Reference Branch
8th & Pennsylvania Ave. NW
Washington, DC

Remember, if you’re applying for a new passport, the fastest and easiest way to get passport services is to use a private expediting company. An expediting company can help you fill out the paperwork and will get your passport to you quickly, with processing times as low as 24 hours!

Order expedited  passport services today, and see how fast and easy it can be to get a passport!

If you’ve gotten married, it can take a long time to get everything changed over from your maiden name to your married name.  Some documents, inevitably, will get lost in the shuffle.  So, what happens when you book a vacation overseas, only to discover a few days before you’re scheduled to leave that your passport is in your old name?

There are a few different options available for rushing a passport name change, depending on how much time you have at your disposal.  The US Department of State offers an expedited processing option, but even using this option, it could still take 3 weeks or longer to get your passport back.

If you happen to live near one of the 15 US Regional Passport Agency offices, you can make an appointment to have the name changed on your passport. This can be difficult, since the offices require appointments and are only open when most people are at work.

The easiest way to rush a passport name change is to use a private passport expediting company. An expediting company will take your application to the US Passport Agency for you and deliver it by hand, ensuring faster processing. There’s no appointments, no waiting, and  no stress! With an expediting company, your passport name change could be processed in as little as 24 hours!

No matter how you choose to rush your passport name change, you’ll need the following documents:

• Your current US passport
• The appropriate passport application form: Form DS-5504 if your passport was issued less than 1 year ago, DS-82 if you’ve had your passport for longer than a year.
• 2 passport photos
• A copy of your marriage certificate. If you can’t find a copy, go to the county clerk where you were married or order one online at the CDC website.
• Government Fees: If your passport is less a year old, getting your name changed is free, but you’ll have to pay $60.00 for the government’s expedited service.  If it’s more than a year old, you’ll pay the $75.00 renewal fee plus $60.00 to have it expedited.

RushMyPassport is one of the nation’s leading passport expediting companies. We make it easy for you to get your passport on time. Rush your passport name change with us today!

If you are applying for 24 hour passport processing, you don’t have any time to spare. You simply cannot afford to have anything go wrong after you submit your application! The following checklist will help you avoid common mistakes so that your 24 hour passport application is accepted the first time.

Check Your ID

If your driver’s license or state ID card was issued less than 6 months ago, you will need to include 5 additional forms of secondary ID as backup.  Here are some examples of acceptable proof of identification.

Check Your Birth Certificate

Your birth certificate must be certified, with a raised, embossed, engraved or multicolored seal.  If you live in California or Texas, you need a “long form” birth certificate, printed on 8 1/2″ by 11″ paper.

Check Your Check

If you are using a private passport expediting company instead of making an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency, you’ll need to make out your check in advance and send it in with your paperwork. If the check is made out incorrectly, the government won’t accept it.  Make sure you know exactly how much you need to pay, and then check out our guide to filling out checks for the US government.

Make Sure Your Child Support Is  Paid Up

The US Passport Agency cannot issue a passport if you owe more than $2,500 in back child support and you don’t have payment arrangements.  Also, if you have ever been more than $2,500 in arrears, you may be on the “no passport for you” list even if you’ve paid up. Noncustodial parents are not removed from the list automatically, even after they have paid their balance to below $2,500.

To check your child support balance, find your state’s Child Support Enforcement Agency here.

Check Your Documents

When you apply for 24 hour passport processing, you will need to include proof of departure, such as a copy of your travel itinerary or a letter from your company if your trip is for business. If you are renewing your passport and your name has changed, you’ll need legal documentation of the name change.

The easiest way to apply for 24-hour passport processing is to use a private passport expediting company.  When you work with an expediting company like RushMyPassport.com, you’ll get detailed instructions and personalized service to guide you through the application process.

Apply for a 24 hour passport with us today!

Adopting a child is a beautiful thing. Unfortunately, it can be a rather bureaucratic process even under the best of circumstances.  Compared to biological parents, adoptive parents often  have to deal with an extra layer of red tape,  especially if they adopted their child from overseas. If you need an expedited passport for your internationally adopted child, here’s what you need to know before you apply.

Make Sure Your Child is a Citizen

In order to get a US passport, your adopted child must have US citizenship. Per the The Child Citizenship Act of 2000, most children adopted by parents who are American citizens gain citizenship automatically once the adoption is “full and final.”

Usually, if your child came to the US on a IR-3 visa, that means that the adoption process was completed in the foreign country and the adoption is considered “full and final.” If your child came in on an IR-4 visa, you will need to have the adoption finalized in the US before you can apply for a passport.

Gather All Relevant Documents

To get an expedited passport for your internationally adopted child, you will need the following documents:

• The adoption decree
• Both adoptive parents’ US birth certificates OR the child’s Certificate of Citizenship.
• 2 passport photos.
• For children under the age of 16, both parents must appear with their child, bring proof of identification, and provide consent for the child to be issued a passport.
• If both parents are unable to appear at the acceptance agency to give consent, read this post on getting a child passport to learn about other options for meeting the parental consent requirements.
• Minors age 16 and 17 only need one parent to appear with them when they apply for an expedited passport. (more…)

Usually, travel experts recommend that you allow at least 10 weeks before an international trip for your passport to arrive, just to be on the safe side.

If you don’t have enough time before your international trip to apply for a passport normally, you can order a rush passport.  There are three different ways to  rush a passport. Here is a brief description of the advantages and disadvantages of each.

Expedited Service

If you have more than 2 weeks to go before your departure date, you can simply pay an additional $60.00 fee and request expedited service from the US Passport Agency. Make sure you write “Expedited” on the envelope containing your application so that they know to rush your passport. The US Passport Agency also recommends that you pay for overnight shipping to and from the processing center.

• Pros- This is the cheapest way to rush your passport.
• Cons- It takes at least 2 weeks door-to-door IF you spring for overnight delivery both ways.  If you don’t, it could take longer, especially if the passport office is busy.  (more…)

It’s important to keep a copy of your birth certificate around, just in case. However, it’s also one of the easiest documents to lose since you don’t need it very often.  Your desk can get shuffled around, it can get lost during a move…and unless you double-check its whereabouts periodically, you’ll have no idea that it’s lost until you actually need it.

If you need a passport quick, not being able to find your birth certificate can be a significant roadblock. However, there are ways to get a passport quickly even if you don’t have your birth certificate available.

Do You Need a Birth Certificate to Get a Passport?

Maybe not. If you are eligible to renew your passport by mail, your old passport is all you’ll need.

How Can You Get a Birth Certificate Quickly?

The most straightforward way to get a birth certificate quickly is simply to go down to the Office of Vital Statistics where you were born. However, if you’ve moved from that location, this is probably not an option for you. (more…)