Get a Passport Renewal to Visit the Newest World Heritage Sites - Expedited Passports

UNESCO’s World Heritage List is like a treasure map for adventurous travelers. Each dot represents either an important piece of human history, an amazing natural landscape, or both. This year, 25 new sites have been added so far. Just in case you need a reason to apply for your passport renewal, here’s a rundown of some of the most interesting:

Archaeological Sites of the Island of Meroe: For centuries, the powerful Kushite empire ruled from the island of Meroe. At one point, they even managed to take over ancient Egypt, ruling it for close to 100 years. When you visit this World Heritage site, you can see the remains of their kingdom.

Coffee Cultural Landscape of Colombia: Welcome to the heartland of Colombian coffee! UNESCO says that this site is an “exceptional example of a sustainable and productive cultural landscape that is unique and representative of a tradition that is a strong symbol for coffee growing areas worldwide.” Take in the rugged mountain landscape, the ancient villages and the coffee plantations while sipping a cup of the delicious local beverage.

Hiraizumi – Temples, Gardens and Archaeological Sites Representing the Buddhist Pure Land, Japan: Consisting of the remains of ancient temples, government buildings and sacred gardens, this site is absolutely breathtaking. UNESCO says that “It represented the pure land of Buddha that people aspire to after death, as well as peace of mind in this life…Pure Land Buddhism developed a concept of planning and garden design that was unique to Japan.”

West Lake Cultural Landscape of Hangzhou, China: Here, the Chinese took what was already an incredible landscape along the Yangtze River, and over the years sculpted it to make it even more magnificent. UNESCO says that “the West Lake has influenced garden design in the rest of China as well as Japan and Korea over the centuries and bears an exceptional testimony to the cultural tradition of improving landscapes to create a series of vistas reflecting an idealised fusion between humans and nature.”

To visit any of these sites, you’ll need a valid passport. Apply for a new passport or a passport renewal at least 6 weeks before your departure date, and even earlier if possible. Passport renewals take at least 6 weeks to process unless you select expedited processing, in which case you’re looking at three weeks, more or less.

If you need faster service, RushMyPassport is the most convenient option available. We personally deliver your passport application to the Department of State, for processing in as little as 24 hours, with no need to make an appointment or travel to visit a passport agency office.

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!

Do you like to travel off the beaten path?  Pick up a copy of UNESCO’s new travel guide for its World Heritage sites, and get inspired!

According to this article in the Detroit Free Press, UNESCO World Heritage sites are special places around the globe that are “culturally or environmentally important to the world.” The list, which includes 878 sites and is still growing, includes everything from tiny villages to ancient archaeological sites and  breath-taking mountain ranges.

There are even some tour companies that specialize in taking travelers to World Heritage Sites (which can sometimes be hard to get to on your own.) World Heritage Tours hosts guided tours for travelers to World Heritage sites all over the world. They have a large menu of options available, including African safaris,  tours of ancient Greece, tours of the Egyptian pyramids, and tours of lesser-known but still interesting historical sites like  the Caucasus region.

The US has its fair share of World Heritage sites, too. For example, Yellowstone, the Smokies and Monticello are all on the list. However, if you want to visit World Heritage sites in other countries, you will need to apply for a US passport first.

Ideally, you should apply for a US passport as soon as possible if you don’t already have one. Passport processing can take at least 6 weeks for normal processing and at least 3 weeks for the government’s expedited service.

If you need to get your passport more quickly, the easiest way is to use a private passport expediting service like RushMyPassport. You’ll get personal service from a trained passport specialist and help with the paperwork. Plus, we’ll deliver your application directly to the US Department of State for lighting-fast processing-often as quick as 24 hours!

Ready to see the world? Apply for your US passport today!