Beware Lost Passport Email Scam - Expedited Passports

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!

For decades, China discouraged foreign tourism, but in recent years the government has begun to encourage tourism and the world is rediscovering what an amazing place China is to visit.

According to Wikipedia, in  2007 approximately 55 million foreign tourists visited China, drawn by famous attractions like the Great Wall and the Terracotta Army in  Xian. China also has gorgeous natural landscapes that will take your breath away, as well as cosmopolitan cities with world-class shopping and dining.

If you’d like to visit China, your first step is obtaining a passport  or a passport renewal if yours is  about to expire. China won’t let you in if you have less than 6 months remaining before your passport expires, and you’ll also need at least one blank page in the back for your Chinese visa.

Make sure to apply well in advance. Obtaining  a passport takes at least 6 weeks if you apply with normal processing, and at least 3 weeks if you apply with the Department of State’s expedited processing.

If you are traveling within 4 weeks, you can make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency office. However, their are only 18 of these offices to serve the entire country and they operate on an appointment-only basis, so obtaining a passport in this way can be a time-consuming process. An easier option is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com.

An expediting company personally delivers your application to the Department of State for processing times as low as 24 hours. Obtaining a passport through an expediting company is quick and convenient.

Once you have your passport, you’ll need to apply for a China visa. Here again, if you are in a hurry or need help navigating the paperwork and the application process, a professional expediting company can be an invaluable resource.

Visiting China? Let us help you with obtaining a passport and a Chinese visa!

As national security measures become ever more strict, even Americans who have lived here all of their lives sometimes have a hard time getting a new passport.  This is especially true of older Americans, born in a time when record-keeping was not as strict. For example, June Cloud was born 61 years ago at home in Kilgore, Texas, and the doctor who delivered her did not submit the necessary paperwork for her to be issued a birth certificate.

According to an article on  KLTV.com, she applied for a new passport so that she could go on a cruise with her husband, but the delayed birth certificate she got from the state of Texas was not accepted by the Department of State.  The article notes:

Unless she comes up with proof of her first five years, Cloud will remain without a passport, missing the trip of her dreams. She says Congressman Louie Gohmert’s Office, along with the Gregg County Clerk’s Office, are now helping her in her quest for a passport.

Fortunately, this story does have a happy ending. Their efforts were successful, and last week KLTV noted Cloud had been issued a passport after all, just in time for the August cruise.

These stories highlight how important it is to apply for your passport as early as possible.  If you have any reason to be concerned, you might also want to consider using the services of a professional passport expediting company. While these companies can’t change the Department of State’s decision on whether or not to issue you a passport, they can get your application processed more quickly. That way, if there are any problems, you’ll know about them more quickly and can deal with them as soon as possible.

Need a new passport? Apply for one today!

Geese migrate south in the fall, and now you can, too.  According to Jaunted, Virgin America is scheduled to start flights south of the border in the fall, to Cancun and Cab0 San Lucas.  The new route was announced at an anniversary party commemorating the launch of Virgin America’s first international destination, Toronto, last year.

If you’d like to be one of the first to fly Virgin’s new Mexican routes, you’d better get your passport application in now. Flights are expected to leave from San Francisco and Los Angeles starting this fall. Jaunted explains:

Virgin America CEO David Cush says that there’s no official date yet set for the first Mexico flights, but we’re guessing they’ll begin when fall temperatures drop the US back into jacket weather and people start dreaming of hot sun and bikinis again.

Passports are required for flights to Mexico, and you won’t be able to board the plane without one.

When you order a passport, you should expect to wait at least 6 weeks for it to arrive in the mail, assuming you order it with normal processing. If you need it sooner, you can expedite your passport application with the Department of State, but you should still allow at least 3 weeks for it to arrive.

What do you do if you find a great last-minute deal? If you have tickets to leave for Mexico in less than 2 weeks and you don’t have a valid passport, you can make an appointment at a Regional Passport Agency office to get one issued. However, bear in mind that the passport agency is appointment only-you can’t just walk in whenever it’s convenient for you to turn in your passport application.  Also, passport agency offices have limited office hours, and are usually only open on weekdays. Finally, there are only 18 of these passport offices to serve the entire US.

A more convenient option is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport. RushMyPassport delivers your passport application directly to the Department of State, for processing times as quick as 24 hours and no need to wait in line or visit a passport agency.

Let us expedite your passport application today!

On July 13th, the price to get a new passport will go up significantly, as will the cost for a passport renewal.  One county DMV office in New York is helping residents beat the price increases by making it easier to apply before they go into effect.

Erie County, New York, which sits right along the US/Canadian border and depends heavily on tourism, has set up a temporary passport acceptance office in the Amherst, New York DMV office.  Local residents are taking advantage of the help, and the passport team processed 10 applications in the first 5 minutes after the office opened.

In a report on local news website WBEN.com, Erie County Clerk Kathy Hochul discussed the rationale for the temporary office:

“We’ re glad there’s a line, because …. our whole idea is to help people beat the 47 percent fee increase,” Hochul said. ” .. It helps people know that they can save a lot of money. It’s going from $100 to $135, a family of four wants to go to Marineland (Niagara Falls Ont,)  that’s a big hit. So I’m encouraging people to come in now. There may be some lines  but I’m telling you it will be worth it in the long run.”

The temporary passport office is open every day except Sunday, from 10 in the morning to 2 in the afternoon. It will close down after the increased fees go into effect on Tuesday, July 13th.

For more about the passport fee increases, see Passport Fees Going Up July 13th

This passport office can help you submit your application for normal processing, which can take about 6 weeks, or for the Department of State’s expedited service, which can take 3 weeks. If you need your passport sooner than that, you’ll need to make an appointment at a different type of passport office, called a Regional Passport Agency office.

Another option, which is much more convenient, is to use a private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport. An expediting company will deliver your application to the Department of State, for processing times as low as 24 hours with no need to wait in line or drive to a passport office.

Apply for your passport today!

It’s July 4th, and while most Americans are setting off fireworks,drinking beer and gorging themselves on hamburgers, hot dogs and potato chips, in France a very different scene is unfolding.  The Tour de France began today in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. This grueling race will not end until July 23rd  in Bordeaux, France. During this time, according to Wikipedia, the riders will climb “the equivalent of three Everests.”  Yikes!

Is it worth it to travel to France to watch the Tour De France in person? That depends-some people feel that they can get a better view of the entire race by watching it on TV. While that may be true, according to former Tour de France spectator Mike from ChainReaction.com, “there’s very little that compares to the thrill of being on a steep mountain climb and watching the shattered peloton come through.  You are so close to the action that you become almost a part of it (especially if you’re flinging a handbag around), and the drama unfolds in front of you over a significant period of time, not fleeting seconds.”

One interesting highlight of the Tour de France for spectators is the sponsor caravan, which stays a little bit ahead of the riders.  The caravan throws bunches of goodies and small souvenirs to the waiting crowds-kind of like Mardi Gras, except there are no beads and everyone keeps their shirts on.

According to FranceTravelGuide.com, the best place to see the Tour de France is in the mountains, so renting a car is recommended. Another important tip to remember is to stay out of the way of the bikes-there are no fences or barriers, and you don’t want to get run over!

Since the race doesn’t end until July 23rd, there’s still time for last-minute trip.  The official Tour de France website has more information about the route as well as additional suggestions for other area tourist attractions to visit while you’re there.

However, if you don’t have a passport yet, you’ll need to get one before you leave. If you apply for an expedited passport directly from the Department of State, you probably won’t get it in time: expedited service costs an additional $60 plus overnight delivery costs and it takes 2 to 3 weeks door-to-door.

However, there are other ways to get expedited passport services that will get your passport in time. Using a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport is the easiest and most convenient method. Instead of having to make an appointment at a passport agency office, taking time off work and traveling to the office, you simply send your expedited passport application to the expediting company and let them do the dirty work for you. RushMyPassport offers processing times as low as 24 hours, depending on which option you choose.

Need an expedited passport? Apply today!

Fans of the “Godfather” series of books and movies now have a new reason to get a passport: Naples has repossessed the properties of  mafia leaders and is turning them into retreats for tourists, according to the New York Times. For example, a 17th-century farmhouse owned by Bernardo Brusca, former capo of one of Sicily’s more notorious crime families, is now a luxurious bed and breakfast.  In the Times article, Emiliano Rocchi, the head chef of the bed and breakfast, explains:

“All the municipalities in the area were part of a long, violent mafioso history that they wanted to leave behind. Turning these Mafia properties into socially beneficial projects is a way of doing that.”

One such bed and breakfast is even located in the town of Corleone, made famous as the ancestral home of the Corleone family in “The Godfather.” Agriturismo Terre Di Corleone was once owned by Salvatore Riina, the leader of the entire Sicilian Mafia.  Nowadays, the gorgeous, peaceful scenery and local, organic food makes it a great base for exploring Sicily.

Visitors to one of these bed and breakfasts may be attracted in part by their histories, but the program is actually helping local Sicilians shake free from mafia domination. The New York Times interviewed Francesco Galante of Libera Terra, who explained that with the bed and breakfasts and increases in tourism, people now have other options:

“The people from the surrounding towns now get to choose where they work,” said Mr. Galante. “They no longer depend on the favor of Mafia firms, or Mafia-connected businessmen. They feel the difference.”

To visit Sicily, you will need to get a passport, of course.  Make sure to apply early- it can take 6 weeks or longer to get a passport if you apply with normal processing.  If you pay an extra $60 to order expedited service from the Department of State,  you can cut the waiting time in half, down to 3 weeks.

However, if you need to get a passport more quickly, the quickest and easiest way is to use a private passport expediting company, like RushMyPassport.com. With an expediting company, you can get a passport in as little as 24 hours with no need to make an appointment or travel to a passport agency office.

Need to get a passport? Apply with us today!

Are you considering getting a passport?  You’ll save a significant amount of money of money if you get your application in before July 13. That’s the day that the US Department of State’s proposed passport fee increases will go into effect.  The new fee structure will increase fees for getting a passport and for passport renewals, as well as adding a hefty price tag to currently free services like adding passport pages.

Here’s a breakdown of the proposed changes:

New passports (for first-time applicants or people who are not eligible to renew by mail)

The current application fee of $75 will increase to $110. The acceptance fee of $25 will stay the same, for a total price of $135.

Passport Renewals

The current application fee of $75 will increase to $110. When you renew by mail, there is no acceptance fee, so $110 would be the total price.

Child Passports

Passport fees for minors are increasing from $60 to $80. The $25 acceptance fee remains the same, for a total cost of $105.

Passport Cards

For adults applying for a passport card, the fee will increase from $20 to $30. For children, the fee will go from $10 to $15. Add a $25 acceptance fee if you are submitting your application in person ( required for minors and for adults who don’t have a current passport and aren’t eligible to renew by mail).

Adding Pages

Adding pages is currently free, but come July 13th, it will cost $82 to have pages added to the back.

File Search Fee

A file search fee allows the Department of State to search for records of previous passports or Consular Reports of Birth Abroad for those who are unable to include proof of citizenship with their applications.  As of July 13, file search fees will go up from $60 to $150.

Expedited Service

The fee for expedited service will stay the same, at $60 plus the cost of overnight delivery. However, bear in mind that this expedited service will only cut processing time from 6 weeks to approximately 3 weeks. If you need your passport more quickly, you will need to make an appointment at a passport agency office or use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.

Although using an expediting company to submit your application does cost more money, for many people it is worth it because it is so much more convenient. There’s no need to make an appointment or wait in line, and no need to take off work and spend time and money traveling to a passport agency office. Plus, you get help from a professional passport specialist to help you avoid mistakes that could cause your application to be rejected.

Getting a passport? Let us help!

According to the US Department of State, it usually takes about 6 weeks to process a passport application and issue a new passport. But what if you can’t wait?  There are lots of reasons you could need an expedited passport; anything from a sudden unexpected international trip to a passport that isn’t where it was last time you checked. Philadelphia residents who are unable to wait 6 weeks for a new passport have 3 options.

Expedited Passport Processing

The first option is to simply request expedited passport processing when you apply for your new passport. This costs an additional $60, plus overnight delivery fees to and from the passport processing facility, and it cuts processing time down to 3 weeks.

If 3 weeks is still too long, the other two options are faster.

Making an Appointment at the Philadelphia Passport Agency

The Philadelphia Passport Agency office can issue passports on-site. However, you can’t just walk in. You must make an appointment either online or by calling 1-877-487-2778. Appointments will only be granted if you have tickets to leave the country in the next 2 weeks or if you are traveling internationally in the next 4 weeks and you need a visa.

Additionally, the Philadelphia Passport Agency office is only open from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm Monday through Friday. So, you’ll more than likely have to take some time off work, which could be tricky if you already have time off scheduled for your trip.

Using a Private Passport Expediting Service

The most convenient option for getting an expedited passport in Philadelphia is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. With an expediting company, you pay an extra fee, but the process of expediting your passport is much smoother and more convenient. You get expert help with your application and a handy checklist, so you don’t have to worry about forgetting something important and delaying your application when you can least afford to. Plus, you don’t have to worry about getting additional time off from work to make an appointment at the Passport Agency.  The expediting service handles all of that for you!

RushMyPassport offers quick, professional service with processing times as low as 24 hours. Apply for your expedited passport today!