How To Get a Passport Quickly Without a Birth Certificate - Expedited Passports

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…)

Everyone makes mistakes. Sometimes, so does the US Passport Agency. Whenever you get a new passport, you should look it over carefully, just to make sure all of the information is correct. If there is a printing error, you’ll need to get it corrected before you travel.

How do you fix a printing error on your US passport? Fortunately, you don’t have to go through the entire application process again. Instead, submit Form DS-5504. You’ll also need to send in your US passport, and evidence to show that the change you’ve requested is valid. For example, you can send in a copy of your birth certificate if you need to have the spelling of your name or your birthday corrected. If it’s been more than 90 days since your US passport was issued, you’ll also need to get new passport photos taken.

Fixing a printing error is free if you request regular processing. However, it could take several weeks for you to get your passport back in the mail. If you have an international trip planned in the near future, a private expediting service like RushmyPassport.com can have your passport sent to you more quickly. Depending on how long you have before you have to travel, an expediting company can get your passport in as little as 24 hours!  The price of the service varies depending on the processing time you select, and more affordable options are available that take just a few days more. Considering how much money you’ll lose on your international trip if you don’t have a passport in time, the expediting fee is a bargain!

Are you traveling overseas? Go to RushMYPassport.com to make sure your passport is ready when you are!

Do you do a lot of international traveling? Sure,  your passport is valid for 10 years, but even travelers with a valid passport can run into problems if they run out of pages in their US passport books. So, before you leave on an international trip, check the visa pages on your passport. Many countries require you to have 2-4 blank visa pages. If your passport doesn’t have enough pages, they won’t let you in. Airlines may also require that you have a minimum number of blank visa pages before you can board the airplane.

If you’re not sure you have enough visa pages to travel, check with your airline and with the embassy of the country you’re traveling to. If you need more visa pages for your US passport, here’s how to get them:

• Fill out an official Request for Extra Visa Pages , Form DS-4085.
• Mail it in with your valid US Passport.
• There’s no fee to add extra pages unless you use the government’s expedited service. Then, you’ll pay a $60 extra fee and the cost of express delivery.  Right now, requests for expedited service from the government are processed within 2 weeks.
• If you need your extra passport pages in less than 2 weeks, you’ll have to make an appointment with a US Passport Agency or use a private expediting service like RushMyPassport.com.
• A private passport expediting service can get your passport pages in as little as 24 hours, and you won’t have to drive to a US Passport Agency to get them.

Like driver’s license pictures, passport photos are known for not showing people at their best.  Once you get a new passport, you’re probably going to be stuck with your passport photo for the next 10 years. If you’re the type of person who will be constantly embarrassed by a bad passport photo, these tips will help you take a better picture for your new passport:

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Picture this: You’re getting ready to leave for an overseas trip. Your passport is the number one item on your travel checklist, but when you go to check it off…it’s not there!

There are few things more stressful than discovering you’ve lost your passport when you have a trip planned in the near future.  First, take a deep breath and RELAX…if you’ve got more than 24 hours before your plane leaves, you can get a new passport. Here’s how:

Step 1: Report your lost passport. You can do this over the phone by calling 1-877-487-2778 or by filling out Form DS-64 . Once you report the passport lost, the government cancels it and it can’t be re-validated. You might want to make one more final search for it before you have it canceled.
Step 2: Apply for a new passport in person. You’ll need to fill out Form DS-64 and Form DS-11.  Also, bring valid photo identification and proof of US citizenship.
Step 3: Wait for your new passport to arrive. Currently, regular passport applications are being processed within 3 weeks, while expedited passports take 2 weeks.

If you simply can’t rest until you have a replacement passport or you’re scheduled to depart in less than two weeks, the easiest way to replace a lost passport is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. A private expediting service can replace your lost passport in as little as 24 hours! Plus, you’ll have expert help with each stage of the application process and be able to track your application. Even if you think you have enough time to apply without an expediter, simply having a professional to help you and make sure everything goes right the first time is invaluable.