Get a Fast Passport to Attend the Salzburg Festival - Expedited Passports

Here’s a gentle reminder for all classical music and drama buffs: the annual Salzburg Festival is coming up next week!

The Salzburg Festival is held every summer in Salzburg, Germany, the birthplace of Mozart. The festival has been held annually since 1920, with a break during World War II due to the Nazi occupation. It was founded by poet and playwright Hugo von Hofmannsthal, composer Richard Strauss, scenic designer Alfred Roller, conductor Franz Schalk and director Max Reinhardt.

It’s still one of the top classical music festivals in the world. The highlight is the annual performance of Hofmannsthal’s Everyman, but there is also lots of Mozart (naturally) as well as work by other composers and playwrights. This year’s festival is even set to include a couple of modern-day takes on classic plays by Shakespeare and Goethe. You can find the complete program online here.

The Salzburg Festival runs from the 27th of July to the 30th of August, so if you want to attend, you’ll need to order fast passport processing. Regular passport processing takes about 6 weeks from the time you send your application in to the time you get your passport back. You can order fast passport processing from the Department of State for an additional $60, but you’ll still have to wait about three weeks if you go that route.

To get your passport in less than three weeks, you can either make an appointment at one of twenty-four regional passport agency offices, which will mean taking additional time off work and possibly traveling, or you can use a private expediter like RushMyPassport to hand-deliver your passport application to the Department of State. With RushMyPassport, you can get your application processed in as little as 24 hours, with no need to make an appointment or wait in line at a passport agency. It’s a beautiful thing!

Need fast passport processing? We’d love to help…Contact us today!

“If I could work my will, nephew, every idiot who goes about with “Merry Christmas” on his lips should be boiled with his own pudding and buried with a stake of holly through his heart.” — Ebenezer Scrooge

It’s officially the holiday season and while most of us are (fortunately) less bitter than Mr. Scrooge, wanting to get away from it all is actually a fairly normal reaction. I love Christmas in theory, but in practice the packed shopping malls and obnoxious Christmas music usually have me saying “Bah, Humbug!” halfway through December.

If Ebenezer Scrooge were alive today, he’d probably apply for a fast passport and cool his heels somewhere far away until the holiday season is over. If you want a ticket away from all of the hustle and bustle that is Christmas-time in America, you have several possible choices. For example, according to this article on NewsChief.com, a winter cruise is a great way to escape. Since decorations and dinner are handled for you, you get the best of the season without all of the work. The article quotes Ben Carpenter of Winter Haven, Florida, who says “”The holidays are the best time to take a cruise. I’ll golf on four islands this season and share festivities with brand new friends each year.” While it’s certainly not a miserly way to celebrate the holiday, it isn’t traditional, either.

Or, you could go a step further and go somewhere where Christmas is not celebrated at all. Over at AlmostFearless.com, Christine Gilbert is spending the holidays in Thailand. She writes:

“If you travel to the other side of the world, the holiday season means absolutely nothing. That’s all it takes. A move to another country, another life, and suddenly, that big-deal-holiday that you’ve celebrated every year of your life evaporates. It’s gone. “

For me personally, Thailand sounds particularly inviting whenever I’m out and about and hear those annoying “Alvin and the Chipmunks” Christmas carols.

But if you want to escape the holiday madness, you’ll need to get a fast passport if you don’t have one already. Normal passport processing takes about 6 weeks, while expedited service through the Department of State takes 2 to 3 weeks. For truly fast passport processing, you have two options: make an appointment to apply in person at a Regional Passport Agency office, or use a passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. Let us handle the appointment with the passport agency for you, and you’ll have more time to do last-minute shopping and send out cards. Just try not to gloat about spending Christmas, lest your Christmas Eve pad thai turn into the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

Need a fast passport for the holidays? Let us help!

Fall is here, and the days and nights are starting to get a little bit chilly. I love fall, but my bones are starting to ache and I can’t deny that I’d also  love to lounge on the beach and chase autumn’s chill away with some sun and sand.

Spirit Airlines’ new special makes it much more affordable to do just that (via SmarterTravel). Right now, they’re offering flights from Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Nassau in the Bahamas and back again, for $1 each way! Nope, that’s not a typo. If you fly on the right dates, you can snag a round-trip ticket to the Bahamas for just $2.

Of course, there’s still taxes and fees to consider, plus Spirit is notorious for its baggage fee structure. If you can travel light, it’s probably still worth it, but it’s not a bad idea to guesstimate how much luggage you’ll be carrying and then check prices from other carriers.

If you go, remember that you’ll need a US passport to fly to the Bahamas. They won’t let you on the plane without one.

Spirit’s $2 fares are available in November, December, January and February. If you want to squeeze some time on the beach in before Christmas, you’ll need to request fast passport processing.

If you apply for expedited service from the Department of State, you’re still looking at a processing time of at least 3 weeks. For truly fast passport processing, you’ll need to go ahead and make your flight reservations and then either apply in person at a Regional Passport Agency office or use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.

Of these two options, using a private passport expediting company is the most convenient. Unlike a passport office, there’s no need to make an appointment, wait in line, travel to an agency office or any of that other stressful stuff. All you have to do is apply like normal, get your documents “sealed” at the post office and then forward them to the expediting company. At RushMyPassport, we can have your application processed in as little as 24 hours. How’s that for fast passport processing?

Ready to hit the beach? Apply for a fast passport with us today!

When I was a kid, Halloween was more than just October 31st. It was a month-long celebration, and usually included a trip to a Haunted House and/or a local theme park in addition to trick-or-treating on Halloween itself. For the past 10 years, the Ocean Park theme park in Hong Kong has taken that experience and put it on steroids with its “Halloween Bash.” (h/t In Transit) This year is their 10th anniversary celebration, and they’re pulling out all the stops in the weeks leading up to Halloween.

Per the Halloween Bash website, this year’s festivities include 444 ghoulishly-costumed performers (why not 666?), a maze explored in total darkness, and a ride that simulates being shut into a coffin and pushed into a crematorium (presented by Yahoo, no less). I’d stay away from that last attraction if you’re claustrophobic.

Like all theme park food, I’m pretty sure the food at Ocean Park is grotesquely overpriced. But, at least they’re being creative about it: fare includes dishes like “Little Girls Drowned in Blood,” “Smashed Brains in Plasma” and “Kraken and Leviathan Massacre.”

Oh, and they also have laser tag. With zombies. So, what are YOU doing for Halloween?

Of course, October is over halfway gone, so if you want to spend Halloween at Ocean Park, you’ll need to get a fast passport. Generally, it takes about 6 weeks to get your passport back if you submit your application for normal passport processing. Pay an additional $60 for expedited processing, and you’re still stuck waiting 3 weeks-by which time the witching hour will have long since passed. Fortunately, there is a solution-fast passport processing from a Regional Passport Agency office or from a private passport expediting company such as RushMyPassport.

Both options can get your passport application processed in as little as 24 hours, but an expediting company is quicker and easier to use because there’s no need to make an appointment, wait in line, or travel to a regional passport office. And that means you have more time to worry about more important things-like your costume!

Need a fast passport? Apply with us today!

Rome might seem like an unlikely place to travel and celebrate Halloween. After all, what’s scary about pasta, pizza, fine wine and gelato (except, perhaps, for the resulting effects on your waistline)?

The Eternal City is beautiful and filled with life, but there’s also a darker, haunting undertone to the city as well. And what better time to explore it than Halloween, traditionally the day when the spirits of the dead get to come back and mingle with the living? Here are 4 reasons to get a fast passport and celebrate Halloween in Rome:

• The Catacombs- When Christianity was still new, most of Rome was pagan and burying dead bodies was still something of a novelty. Most people who died were simply cremated. Burials were also forbidden within city walls, so wealthy Christians living outside the walls donated land to be used as burial sites. The dead were buried in underground tunnels. Today, these catacombs are open for tours, although most of the bodies have since been moved.

• The Capuchin Crypt: Below the church of Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini, Capuchin friars buried their dead, then later exhumed the skeletons and used them for a super-creepy interior decorating project: bones adorn the walls of the crypt in intricate patterns, bones form chandeliers and light fixtures, and entire human skeletons are arranged in various poses. The entire crypt functions as a memento mori (reminder of death), pointedly brought home by the inscription in one of the rooms: “What you are now we used to be; what we are now you will be..”

• The Colosseum: Thousands of people and countless wild animals died in the gory “games” held in the Colosseum. Is it any wonder that some people consider it to be haunted? According to WorldReviewer.com, many people have even claimed to see the ghosts of gladiators re-enacting their last battles.
• Castel Sant’Angelo- Originally built as the burial place of the emperor Hadrian and his family, the Castel Sant’Angelo was later used as a prison, with executions being held inside.

If you’d like to visit Rome for Halloween, you’ll need to get a fast passport. Regular passport processing takes about 6 weeks, while the government’s expedited processing option takes about 3. But never fear- fast passport processing that takes as little as 24 hours is available at Regional Passport Agency offices or from private expediting companies like RushMyPassport.com.

Apply for a fast passport with us 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!

Forget those fluffy marshmallow chicks and those atrocious egg-shaped jelly beans (especially the licorice-flavored ones!) When it comes to Easter candy, chocolate is where it’s at. If you’re looking for something to do this Easter holiday, why grab a fast passport and enjoy the world’s best chocolate, right from the source?  The following destinations are the creme de la creme of the chocolate world:

Cadbury World, Birmingham, England

The folks behind both Cadbury creme eggs and a range of iconic British sweets like the Dairy Milk bars have created an amusement park of sorts where you can learn more than you ever wanted to know about how Cadbury chocolates are made.  After touring the displays, release your inner child in the World’s Biggest Cadbury shop (note: if you have actual children and value your sanity, you should probably limit their purchases!)

Vienna Easter Market

Vienna is famous for its Easter Markets, particularly the one at Schönbrunn Palace. The palace and grounds are decorated for the season, and the market itself features a magical array of painstakingly decorated Easter eggs, handicrafts and of course, chocolate!

Belgium

When it comes to chocolate, Belgian chocolate is considered by many to be the gold standard. Most Belgian chocolate is still made artisan-style, in small batches. You can tour chocolate shops in Belgium just like you can tour wineries or breweries elsewhere.  And yes, they do offer tastings!

Switzerland

Swiss chocolate is valued almost as highly as Belgian chocolate by connoisseurs.  Top Swiss brands include Lindt and Toberlone.  The Swiss also invented hazelnut chocolate. Mmmm!

Around Easter, Swiss shops are filled with chocolate Easter bunnies, some mass-produced, some hand-made.

If you want to travel anywhere outside of the States for Easter, you’re in a race against time to get a passport if you don’t already have one.  Regular passport service takes at least 6 weeks, while expedited passport service takes 3 weeks. If you need your passport sooner, the most convenient option for fast passport service is to use a private passport expediting company.

With an expediting company, you don’t have to go to a Regional Passport Agency, which is inconvenient for many people because they are often far away and require an appointment. Instead, you can send your application to the expediting company, and they will hand-deliver it to the Department of State for lightning-fast passport processing. RushMyPassport can have your application processed in as little as 24 hours!

Apply for your fast passport today!

Thinking of Tuscany, it’s easy to get lost in a daydream of bright sunshine, fields of sunflowers, excellent wine and adorable quaint villages. However, if you visit Italy during the summer “high season,”  the reality is often quite different. Those adorable quaint village squares? Packed with tourists.  Museums and monuments? Packed with tourists. Local vineyards? Packed with tourists.

In today’s New York Times,  Danielle Pergament writes that a guest at her wedding, which took place in Tuscany in the summer, described the region as “beautiful, hot and full of Americans.” This is an apt description of high tourist season in Italy.  You’ll still enjoy yourself, but you won’t leave feeling like you’ve experienced the best that Tuscany has to offer.

To avoid the crowds, your best bet is to get a fast passport and leave now, before the tourist season kicks into gear. As a bonus, the New York Times article notes that Tuscany actually gets more colorful in the winter-instead of the parched gold of summer, the fields turn a vibrant green.  You’ll also enjoy better food, as most of the local delicacies are actually in season in winter and early spring, and cheaper prices for just about everything.

To visit Tuscany, you of course need a valid US passport.  You’d better get a fast passport, too-Italy’s low season ends this month, so you need to leave ASAP if you want to take advantage of low prices and experience fewer crowds.

Normally, it takes at least 6 weeks to get a passport. If you apply for a fast passport using the government’s expedited service, you can expect to wait at least 3 weeks. If you want to leave the country sooner than that, the easiest and most convenient option is to use a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com. With an expediting company, you can get fast passport processing, in as little as 24 hours, without having to make an appointment or drive out of your way to get to a regional passport agency office.

Don’t wait-apply for a fast passport today!

Macau, one of China’s special administrative regions, is a playground for tourists and one of the richest cities in the world. Every year in November, the province is taken over by auto racing fans for the Macau Grand Prix. This year, as the New York Times reports, the race runs from November 19 to November 22nd.

Unlike NASCAR’s standard oval track, the track for the Macau Grand Prix is a little bit more exciting, with sharp turns and hills to add some spice to the race.  In fact, it is considered to be one of the most challenging tracks in the world. There’s also more than just cars: according to Wikipedia, this is the only street-circuit racing event that has both car and motorcycle races.

Of course, if you want to see the race in person, you will definitely need a passport.  If you don’t have a one already, you’ll need to get your application processed super-fast to be able to make this year’s race.

If you’re traveling within the next 14 days, you can either apply for fast passport processing at a Regional Passport  Agency office or use a private passport expediting system. Using an expediter is the easiest and most convenient way to get a fast passport. You don’t have to make an appointment or spend a lot of time driving to/waiting around in a passport office. Instead, you can go to a passport acceptance facility, like a post office or library, have your application documents “sealed,” and send them to the expediting company. The expediting company then forwards them to the Department of State for fast passport processing.

In fact, with RushMyPassport.com, your passport application could be processed in as little as 24 hours!

Need a fast passport? Apply with us today!

Are you a movie buff? The 66th Venice International Film Festival is coming to Venice, Italy next month.  The festival starts on the 2nd of September and runs through September the 12th.  The Venice Film has the distinction of being the oldest film festival in the world. It was founded by in 1932 by an Italian nobleman named Giuseppe Volpi di Misurata.

This year, Ang Lee, the director of “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” will head the jury. At the end of the festival, the best film shown will receive the prestigious “Golden Lion” award.  On September 6th, George Lucas will also present a special “Golden Lion” for achievement award to Disney’s Pixar. You can register for tickets here.

Now is actually a good year to attend this event, as the cost of travel overseas has dropped significantly. But, if you want to go, you’ll need to get a fast passport. Even with the government’s expedited service, getting a passport can take 3 weeks or more.  However, with a private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport.com, you can apply for a fast passport and have it in time to take your trip.

Here’s how it works: the expediting company takes your application and delivers it by hand to the Department of State. This results in fast passport processing times, often as low as 24 hours. Then, once your passport has been processed, it is shipping back to you overnight.

Don’t let not having a passport keep you away from the film festival this year: apply for a fast passport today!