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Good news for Arizona residents who need emergency passports: The US Department of State opened a new passport office in Tucson, Arizona on September 8, 2009, according to this press release.
The new Western Passport Center is located at 7373 East Rosewood Street and is open by appointment only to help travelers who need a passport issued for travel within the next 14 days. It brings the total number of passport processing centers in the country up to 23, of which 19 are open to the public.
At this point, if you’re mathematically inclined, you might be thinking “Wait a minute…only 19 passport offices in the entire country? Is that enough for everyone?” It’s true, a lot of Americans don’t live within easy driving distance of one of these facilities. In fact, the closest passport offices to the one in Tucson are in Los Angeles and Aurora, Colorado.
Plus, the offices operate on an appointment-only basis and they have limited hours of operation. For example, the Tucson office is only open from 8:30am to 3:00pm from Monday through Friday. Even if you live near Tucson, that can make things difficult if you work during the day. If you already have an overseas trip coming up, you might not be able to take additional time off work to go to the passport office.
Oh well, getting an emergency passport is supposed to be difficult, right? Wrong! With a private passport expediting company like RushMyPassport.com, you can get an emergency passport without having to make an appointment at a passport office. All you have to do is go to a passport acceptance facility (often a post office or library), get your application and documents sealed and send them in. The expediting company then hand-delivers your documents to the Department of State, where they will be processed in as little as 24 hours. Doesn’t that sound easier?
i sent my passport in 4 weeks ago for renewal and it had not come in so I called and expedited it one week ago and i have to leave on the 8th of July is there anything else i can do to ensure it comes in before i have to leave?
Once your application is in processing, there is nothing you can do but wait. That’s why we recommend our service for travelers in a rush. We can check the status and also push the processing as quickly as 1 business day. However, if you already applied, it’s too late for us to intervene and assist.
I was wondering what documentation is needed to verify proof of travel. Passport is needed for an overseas contracting job but the ticket has not been bought yet. Company policy is to buy the ticket the day before hire. They do not buy the ticket before the hire date. Would an offer letter suffice? It states where the job location is and the amount of time that the job is for.
Hi Val,
See this page for an example of a company letter that meets the Department of State requirements: https://www.rushmypassport.com/newlp/letter.html Hope this helps!
Hi, I have 2 teenagers, one 17 and 14, I just noticed that their international passport expires on nov. 18 2012, which is this Sunday, we want to go to Mexico for New Years, do we have to renew it? Or we have to get a new one for them? Or can we bring their birth certificates? If we have to renew or get a new one, how much it will be, please let me know as soon as you can, I’ll appreciated it, thank you very much
Hi Maria,
For the 14 year old, you can use his birth certificate if you plan to drive to Mexico. If you plan to fly, he’ll need a passport. If you drive, the 17-year-old can either get a new passport or a new passport card. If you fly, a passport card won’t work and he’ll need a new passport book. The prices will vary depending on which options you choose- see the prices under the heading “new passports” here: https://www.rushmypassport.com/newlp/blog/2011/12/how-much-does-it-cost-to-get-a-passport-2/
If I come to the Tucson office with the required documentation, how long will it take to get my expired passport renewed?
Please advise.
Thank you.
Hi Michelle,
That varies by passport office, and sometimes also based on the urgency of your travel needs. Call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 and they should be able to help.
Enjoy your trip!
My husband works for an airline and my daughter and I want to go with him. The problem is we go standby and can only list with the airline. The airline will give us a printed itinerary(that we have listed) but DO NOT have an actual ticket. My passport is valid, my now over 18 year old daughter’s is not. We live in Phoenix, so the Tucson Office is the most convenient. Will this standby status qualify for an office appointment visit. The tentative departure date is 05/15/12. Thank you for your help.
Hi Beverly,
The printed itinerary should work, but why don’t you call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 and speak to a representative before you make your appointment to confirm?
Good luck and enjoy your trip!
My passport expires June 25, 2012 and I’m going to Germany May 5. I’ll be back before it expires, but I’ve recently heard Germany in particular won’t accept your passport if you are traveling within 90 days of the expiration. My questions are: a.) is this true? And b.) if so, can I renew my passport in person at the Tucson office and get it back the same day? I’m now two weeks out and the State Department’s expedited service says it takes 2-3 weeks. I’ll be in LA before Germany, so another alternative is if there is a passport office there. Thanks!
Hi Laura,
Good question! I looked into it for you and it seems that was once the case but isn’t any longer. According to the German Embassy, your passport just needs to be valid for the duration of your stay. You may want to call them and confirm this, on the off chance that the rules have changed again since that web page was last updated.
That said, the Tucson passport office should be able to help you get your passport before your trip if you make an appointment with them. LA also has a passport agency, so that might be an option depending on how long you’ll be in LA before you fly out (I just wouldn’t chance trying to do it during a short layover).
Naturally, we’d also be more than happy to help if you want to renew your passport beforehand and using the passport agency is not convenient for you. 🙂
Either way, have a wonderful trip!
I will be sworn in as an American on Friday October 7th and will be flying to europe the following Tuesday Oct 11th is there any possibility of getting a passport so I can reenter the USA
Hi Diane,
It’s possible, but that is cutting it pretty close. I would suggest you either try to make an appointment at the nearest regional passport agency office (call 1-877-487-2778), or call us with more details on your schedule.
Best of luck and congratulations on becoming a citizen!
I am travelling with my 2 months old in 3 weeks! Does this Office in Tucson work on Minor Passports too? how long does it take to receive passport after the appointment in Tucson?
Hi Maggie, Yes, as long as you have all the proper documents they should be able to get your baby a passport within 24 hours. See this article for more details on what you need: https://www.rushmypassport.com/newlp/blog/2011/05/how-to-get-a-child-passport/
Good luck!
My sister is traveling in two weeks with an infant and according to the airline she is flying internationally on, the infant needs a passport, any way around this?
Some other document like a birth certificate perhaps?
Hi Vee,
No, there’s no way around that requirement. Even infants must have passports. She should either use an expediting company or make an appointment at the nearest regional passport agency office.
Hi,
I am a recent naturalized citizen. Would there be a problem if I go to mexico by car without a passport?
You need a passport book, a passport card, OR one of the following forms of ID: Enhanced driver’s license (these have RFID chips in them and are only available in a few states), a NEXUS card, a FAST card or a SENTRI card. Sorry!
Hi Dennis,
Sure, we can definitely help him renew his passport. Feel free to give us a call if you have any more questions! 🙂